Product Code: ICAL08_M505

The Effects of Multiple Passes of a Gaussian Laser Beam to Cure Silver Loaded Polymeric Inks
Authors:
Taku Sato, The Universtiy of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Daniel Wellburn, The University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Eamonn Fearon, The University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Ken Watkins, The University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Geoff Dearden, The University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Presented at ICALEO 2008

Particulate silver inks are finding increasing use in the direct manufacture of electronic circuitry. Laser curing of these inks as opposed to traditional oven-curing methods is advantageous for reasons of speed and the protection of nearby heat-sensitive components, and particularly for the construction of circuitry on conformal surfaces and on the fly modification or production.
To fully appreciate the benefits provided by using a laser based process, it is important that the final cured component has electrical and physical properties that are comparable to if not better than those that are produced using the conventional technique. Currently in some single pass techniques cavities are formed in the track due to rapid boiling off of solvents that leads to higher resitivities then that of oven cured tracks. By going from a single pass curing process to a multiple pass process, it is possible to improve the track quality by allowing the gradual release of solvent vapour from the ink. This incremental process improves settling of the silver particulates leading to a resistance of the cured inks that is better then that achievable through oven curing.