Microconductors on polymer by nanoink printing and pulsed laser curing

In this study, pulsed laser based curing of a printed nanoink (nanoparticle ink) combined with moderate and controlled substrate heating was investigated to create microconductors at low enough temperatures appropriate for polymeric substrates. The present work relies on (1) melting temperature depression of nanoparticles smaller than a critical size, (2) DOD (drop on demand) jettability of nanoparticle ink and (3) small heat affected zone of pulsed laser heating. In the experiment, gold nanoparticles of 3-7nm diameter dissolved in toluene solvent was used as ink. This nanoink was printed on a polymeric substrate which was heated to evaporate the solvent during or after printing. The overall morphology of the gold microline was determined during the printing process and was controlled by changing the substrate temperature during jetting. By employing a micro-second pulsed laser, the nanoparticles were melted and coalesced at a low temperature to form a conductive microline which has 4-5 times higher resistivity than the bulk value without damaging the temperature sensitive polymeric substrate.