title: Laser-assisted direct ink writing of planar and 3D metal architectures.
abstract: The ability to pattern planar and freestanding 3D metallic architectures at the microscale would enable myriad applications, including flexible electronics, displays, sensors, and electrically small antennas. A 3D printing method is introduced that combines direct ink writing with a focused laser that locally anneals printed metallic features "on-the-fly." To optimize the nozzle-to-laser separation distance, the heat transfer along the printed silver wire is modeled as a function of printing speed, laser intensity, and pulse duration. Laser-assisted direct ink writing is used to pattern highly conductive, ductile metallic interconnects, springs, and freestanding spiral architectures on flexible and rigid substrates.
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Skylar-Scott
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138;
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunasekaran
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 jalewis@seas.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lewis
keywords: 3D printing; conductive interconnects; flexible electronics; laser annealing; silver ink