Abstract

Printed electronics processes have the potential to make electronics manufacturing more flexible by providing a wider choice of materials and easier processing steps. In traditional electronics manufacturing techniques, corrosive etching steps limit the choice of materials and also require advanced infrastructure for process implementation. High speed low cost printing processes (e.g. inkjet) can be used, and the printed tracks can then be cured to conductive circuits that meet the needs of electronic devices like radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, sensors, etc.

In this work, intense flashes of broad spectrum light from Xenon lamps are used to cure inkjet printed metal nanoparticle inks. This technique is known as photonic curing. Paper, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyimide have been used as substrates with the aim of determining how different substrates affect the behavior of the ink and the photonic curing parameters. A statistical approach was employed for the experiments, and significant control variables determining curing of the ink were identified. Experiments were also conducted to obtain prints conforming to dimensional tolerances.

Using the results from the experiments, standard curing parameters for low resistance and good adhesion of the ink were obtained. The results have been statistically validated and used to study the interaction between the control variables and individual effects of each control variable on the response variable.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Printed circuits; Printing ink; Curing; Electric conductivity; Semiconductors--Surfaces

Publication Date

1-14-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Industrial and Systems Engineering (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Industrial and Systems Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Denis Cormier

Advisor/Committee Member

Marcos Esterman

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at TK7868.P7 P64 2016

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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