title: Fabrication of electrically conductive metal patterns at the surface of polymer films by microplasma-based direct writing.
abstract: We describe a direct-write process for producing electrically conductive metal patterns at the surface of polymers. Thin films of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) loaded with Ag ions are reduced by a scanning, atmospheric-pressure microplasma to form crystalline Ag features with a line width of 300 μm. Materials analysis reveals that the metallization occurs in a thin layer of ∼5 μm near the film surface, suggesting that the Ag ions diffuse to the surface. Sheet resistances of 1-10 Ω/sq are obtained independent of film thickness and Ag volume concentration, which is desirable for producing surface conductivity on polymers while minimizing metal loading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, ‡Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and §Department of Macromolecular Sciences and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
authors.forename: Souvik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaumeyer
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zorman
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rowan
authors.forename: Philip X-L
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: R Mohan
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sankaran