Characterizing Key Process Strategies for Conductive Submicron Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing

Abstract

Compared to conventional electronics fabrication techniques, printed electronics have the advantages of reducing complexity and cost, while increasing material compatibility and design flexibility. Electrohydrodynamic jet (E-jet) printing is a 3D printing process with high-resolution capabilities. While significant progress has been made on printing metal nanoparticles to fabricate micron-scale electrical components, a knowledge gap exists in our understanding of the key process strategies that enable e-jet printing at the submicron-scale. This work highlights the derivation of models for performance estimation and process parameter selection to ensure consistent e-jet printing at the submicron-scale. Using this framework, we demonstrate high-resolution ptinted conductive line patterns suitable for high-performance electronics applications.