Parametric investigations on developing copper micropatterns on flexible film using solid state nd:yag 532nm laser induced forward transfer

Abstract

Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) is a direct-writing technique that allows depositing materials on unconventional substrates. Further it can used to design complex patterns during transfer thereby reducing the tedious process of post-processing to get the desired shape. In this work Copper thin films have been transferred to flexible substrates through Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) micro-patterning. The ability to deposit patterns, spots, and lines, with sub-µm resolution may have applications in microelectronics as well as in the optoelectronics fabrication industries. In this work we demonstrate, direct micro deposition of high-quality patterns with sub-µm features using LIFT process. The present approach also exploits all advantages over conventional methods including simplicity in terms of vacuum handling, deposition purity, position selectivity, and high-accuracy sub-µm pattern transfer. The intensity and substrate heating on the transferred material is studied in detail. Nd:YAG laser having wavelength of 532 nm (10 Hz) is impinged using single shots onto the target material through a focusing lens having 30 cm focal length.