One‐Step Soft Templated Selective Milling‐Based Circuit Patterning for Eco‐Friendly and High‐Throughput Manufacturing of Flexible Electronics

Abstract

AbstractOver the past decades, the booming development of flexible electronics in various fields, e.g., Internet of Things and epidermal electronics, requires the support of a reliable manufacturing approach, where circuit patterning is the core. Although the existing circuit patterning methods represented by photochemical etching and direct printing process have shown good performance, they still cannot satisfy today's demands on environmental friendliness and cost‐efficiency concurrently. Here, by regulating the milling force distribution on the flexible workpiece with a grooved soft template, this work presents a milling‐based patterning technique that is compatible with roll‐to‐roll technology, to achieve continuous selective removal of conductive material in one step and hence directly pattern electrical circuits on aluminum clad laminates. Without introducing any chemicals, this new approach generates no emission but recyclable aluminum scraps. Moreover, the process shows a considerable processing speed of 30 m min−1, and costs only commercial aluminum clad laminates. Examples of device fabrication include a radio frequency identification tag and a temperature sensor. Ultimately, this work can bring an eco‐friendly, economic and high‐throughput approach to flexible electronics manufacturing.