TY - JOUR
T1 - Direct Writing of High-Resolution, High-Quality Pure Metal Patterns on Smooth Transparent Substrates by Laser-Induced Forward Transfer Followed by a Novel Laser Treatment
AU - Sammartino, Camilla
AU - Sedghani Cohen, Sharona
AU - Kotler, Zvi
AU - Eliaz, Noam
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - Additive manufacturing of high-resolution conductive metallic patterns is the current focus of interest for several different applications. The print of sensors, antennas, and screens on transparent materials enables the manufacture of smart structural electronics. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) is a direct write technique capable of depositing microdroplets of metals from the solid phase by means of laser irradiation. Patterns are achieved by printing drops in a sequential fashion. Due to high heat conductivity of metals, droplets solidify before smearing; therefore, LIFT-printed structures exhibit high surface roughness, which harms their functioning and limits their applications. Herein, a new procedure is developed for the fabrication of continuous metallic lines at the micrometer resolution on smooth transparent substrates, using a combination of subnanosecond LIFT and a laser melting post-treatment. The melting process is conducted using laser pulses with the timescale of a microsecond. It is shown how one can find an optimized melting process to achieve smooth lines, without introducing oxidation or balling effect. In addition, choosing the proper alloy ensures strong adhesion of the printed structure.
AB - Additive manufacturing of high-resolution conductive metallic patterns is the current focus of interest for several different applications. The print of sensors, antennas, and screens on transparent materials enables the manufacture of smart structural electronics. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) is a direct write technique capable of depositing microdroplets of metals from the solid phase by means of laser irradiation. Patterns are achieved by printing drops in a sequential fashion. Due to high heat conductivity of metals, droplets solidify before smearing; therefore, LIFT-printed structures exhibit high surface roughness, which harms their functioning and limits their applications. Herein, a new procedure is developed for the fabrication of continuous metallic lines at the micrometer resolution on smooth transparent substrates, using a combination of subnanosecond LIFT and a laser melting post-treatment. The melting process is conducted using laser pulses with the timescale of a microsecond. It is shown how one can find an optimized melting process to achieve smooth lines, without introducing oxidation or balling effect. In addition, choosing the proper alloy ensures strong adhesion of the printed structure.
KW - additive manufacturing
KW - laser melting
KW - laser-induced forward transfer
KW - laser−matter interactions
KW - metal smoothing
KW - microfabrication
KW - patterning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105128159&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/adem.202100245
DO - 10.1002/adem.202100245
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AN - SCOPUS:85105128159
SN - 1438-1656
VL - 23
JO - Advanced Engineering Materials
JF - Advanced Engineering Materials
IS - 9
M1 - 2100245
ER -