Flexible Copper Metal Circuits via Desktop Laser Printed Masks

Ghosh, Rashmi; Liu, Xiaoya; Yates, Matthew Z.

doi:10.1002/admt.202200400

Flexible Copper Metal Circuits via Desktop Laser Printed Masks

Journal Article · Mon Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Advanced Materials Technologies

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200400· OSTI ID:1886288

Ghosh, Rashmi ^[1]; Liu, Xiaoya ^[2]; ^[2]

Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States); Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester
Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)

A novel process is demonstrated that produces patterns of electrically conductive copper on a flexible polyimide film substrate using standard desktop laser printed toner and near room temperature aqueous chemistry. The laser toner acts as a mask to selectively block the ion exchange self-metallization (IESM) reduction reaction that forms nanoscale silver or palladium coatings at the polyimide surface. The silver or palladium IESM coating is then used as a catalyst for electroless deposition of copper. Under appropriate conditions, the copper is deposited selectively on top of the catalyst layer. The resulting copper layer has a measured sheet resistance as low as 0.3 Ohms/sq. Electrical isolation was measured between copper traces spaced as close as 300 microns, and high conductivity was measured along traces with widths as low as 200 microns. The minimum pattern size appears to be limited primarily by the resolution of the laser toner pattern, as the IESM metal layer was observed to follow the contours of individual toner particles. Here, the process avoids the use of high temperature, vacuum, and organic solvents and is thus suitable for very low cost prototyping or distributed manufacturing of simple electronic devices.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003856

OSTI ID:: 1886288

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1905621

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials Technologies, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Technologies Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 7; ISSN 2365-709X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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electroless deposition
flexible electronics
laser toner masking
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Flexible Copper Metal Circuits via Desktop Laser Printed Masks

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