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Two‐Step Flash‐Light Sintering of Copper‐Based Inkjet‐Printed Patterns onto Polymer Substrates Used in Flexible Electronic Devices
Author(s) -
Kang Minkyu,
Choi SungJun,
Shin Dongho,
Lee Caroline Sunyong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.202000775
Subject(s) - sintering , materials science , copper , substrate (aquarium) , flash (photography) , necking , microstructure , porosity , printed electronics , polymer substrate , nanoparticle , composite material , polyimide , electrical conductor , flexible electronics , metallurgy , nanotechnology , polymer , inkwell , layer (electronics) , optics , oceanography , physics , geology
High‐speed flash‐light sintering to fabricate inkjet patterns on the flexible substrates employed in lightweight devices is used. A two‐step sintering process, i.e., presintering to cause slight necking of copper nanoparticles (CNPs) and final sintering to complete densification, is used to sinter copper‐based inkjet patterns. These patterns are more dense and less resistive than those formed via one‐step sintering. The specific resistivity of the pattern created using only the second sintering step is 2.65 × 10 −7 Ω m and that of the two‐step pattern is 0.84 × 10 −7 Ω m, and the value shows little change over 180 days. Two‐step‐sintered patterns on a polyimide substrate exhibit very dense microstructures, surface porosity <7%, and no damage. Thus, highly conductive copper‐based inkjet patterns on a flexible substrate are successfully fabricated.