Inkjet Printing of Flexible Circuits on Polymer Substrate

摘要

Flexible printed circuits have a wide range of applications in consumer electronics, computers, automobiles, and space and aerospace vehicles. In this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase 1 program, Materials Research Institute (MRI) and University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) demonstrated the feasibility of a new processing scheme leading toward the fabrication of high performance, low cost flexible circuits with computer aided design tools using the inkjet printing technology. Silver metal precursor solutions were studied for their viscosity and printability. Printed conductor patterns were evaluated on three commercially available polymer substrate materials. Research emphasis was focused on improving adhesion between the reduced conductor metal and the polymer substrate. Ag conductor patterns obtained from this processing scheme exhibited excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical integrity, and adhesion. This processing scheme is simple yet versatile. It can be readily extended to build multiple layer circuits as well as circuits on a contour surface.