Laser-induced forward transfer for printed electronics applications

Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) is a printing technique based on the action of a laser pulse that is focused on a thin film of a precursor ink for getting the transfer of a droplet onto a receiver substrate. The experiments presented in this article aim to demonstrate the ability of LIFT to pr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fernández Pradas, Juan Marcos, Sopeña i Martínez, Pol, González-Torres, Sergio, Arrese Carrasquer, Javier, Cirera Hernández, Albert, Serra Coromina, Pere
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/193006
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/193006
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Electrònica
Làsers
Impressió digital
Electronics
Lasers
Digital printing
Descripción
Sumario:Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) is a printing technique based on the action of a laser pulse that is focused on a thin film of a precursor ink for getting the transfer of a droplet onto a receiver substrate. The experiments presented in this article aim to demonstrate the ability of LIFT to produce electronic circuits on paper, a substrate that is flexible, cheap and recyclable. Tests were conducted in order to study the printing of conductive tracks with an Ag ink. The printing of a suspension of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) was also studied in order to demonstrate the ability of LIFT for printing inks with particles with some microns in size that provoke inkjet nozzles to clog. As a proof-of-concept of the LIFT possibilities, both inks were used to print entirely by LIFT a functional humidity sensor on a piece of paper. All the LIFT experiments were performed with a Nd:YAG laser that delivers pulses of a few hundreds of ns in an attempt to approach the technique to laser systems that are already introduced in many production lines for marking and labeling.