High-resolution electrohydrodynamic jet printing.
Efforts to adapt and extend graphic arts printing techniques for demanding device applications in electronics, biotechnology and microelectromechanical systems have grown rapidly in recent years. Here, we describe the use of electrohydrodynamically induced fluid flows through fine microcapillary nozzles for jet printing of patterns and functional devices with submicrometre resolution. Key aspects of the physics of this approach, which has some features in common with related but comparatively low-resolution techniques for graphic arts, are revealed through direct high-speed imaging of the droplet formation processes. Printing of complex patterns of inks, ranging from insulating and conducting polymers, to solution suspensions of silicon nanoparticles and rods, to single-walled carbon nanotubes, using integrated computer-controlled printer systems illustrates some of the capabilities. High-resolution printed metal interconnects, electrodes and probing pads for representative circuit patterns and functional transistors with critical dimensions as small as 1 mum demonstrate potential applications in printed electronics.
Park
Jang-Ung
JU
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute, and Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Hardy
Matt
M
Kang
Seong Jun
SJ
Barton
Kira
K
Adair
Kurt
K
Mukhopadhyay
Deep Kishore
DK
Lee
Chang Young
CY
Strano
Michael S
MS
Alleyne
Andrew G
AG
Georgiadis
John G
JG
Ferreira
Placid M
PM
Rogers
John A
JA
D016287:Computer Peripherals; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011327:Printing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*