Offset Printing of Conductive Features onto Paper Substrates

Abstract

Offset litho printing offers a useful fabrication method for Printed Electronics. It is capable of high speed printing and there is a large installed base of presses on a variety of scales. Paper in various forms offers an interesting substrate for systems integration of Printed Electronics features. It is widely available at attractive prices, compatible with many existing industrial processes and has the potential to add interesting features to functional print. Conductive features are a key element that enable the fabrication of Printed Electronics. The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the key issues arising from the printing of conductive features onto paper using a standard factory litho press. The whole ethos for this work was to use standard equipment and substrates commonly found in a litho print house and explore the issues that this implementation entails. As a result the paper substrates chosen are those commonly in use for commercial litho printing, the press was an unmodified unit taken straight from commercial print runs and no specific drying protocols were instigated over and above the commercial print industry standard of stacking prints on the factory floor. As such it serves to illustrate the sort of features that could be produced in any commercial litho printing hall.