Chapter 17 - Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation-Direct Write (Maple-Dw): A New Method to Rapidly Prototype Organic and Inorganic Materials

Abstract

This chapter overviews the Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation-Direct Write (MAPLE-DW) as a novel laser-based direct-write process that is capable of generating mesoscopic patterns ranging from 10μm to 5mm in feature size of any material, ranging from metals and ceramics to biological materials and polymers. The primary advantage of MAPLE-DW over similar direct-write methods is that any material that takes the form of a rheological fluid, polymer-based composite or fine powder can be directly written into mesoscopic patterns using MAPLE-DW. Therefore, MAPLE-DW offers wide range of flexibility in terms of starting raw materials. The chapter illustrates the methodology of the MAPLE-DW technique, along with the current understanding of the writing mechanism. . and the applications that include the direct writing of metals and ceramics, composite resistor, and phosphor patterns for display applications. Recent results on the direct writing of active proteins and two types of living cells, underscoring the utility of MAPLE-DW in the nascent field of engineered, biological-based mesoscale technology are reviewed as well.