Novel Low Temperature Cu Inkjet Inks

A Low Cost Alternative to Silver for Printed Electronics

Mike Carmody, Jonathan Tunbridge, and Adam Kong

Agenda
Advantages of Inkjet Printing of Conductors Advantages of Copper Unique features of IM Copper Particle Size Particle Stability Inkjet Printing Sintering Conclusions

The Complexities of Photolithography

Chemicals and Waste

Direct Printing by Inkjet

Melting Point Depression of Nano Au Particles

The Advantages of Using Copper in Electronics

Why Copper ? Highly Conductive (very similar to silver) Low Cost, readily available Flexible Ease of connection Electroplated Non-toxic Disadvantages Readily oxidises

Metal Prices* Since 1990 (USD/Troy Ounce)

35

30

25

Cu Ag

U S d o lla rs

20

15

10

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Quarter since 1990

*World Bank Database

Nano Particle Preparation

-Feedstock -Vaporize O2 -Polymer Coat -Nano product

H2O

STEM image of Cu Nanoparticles

Particle Size Distribution of Cu Nanoparticles

Num ber of particles 10 20 30 40 0 <10 nm 11-15 nm 16-20 nm 21-25 nm 26-30 nm 31-35 nm 36-40 nm 41-45 nm 46-50 nm 51-55 nm 56-60 nm 61-65 nm 66-70 nm > 71 nm

Copper Ink Stability

4000

Copper Inks Dispersion Stability

3000

Cu (0)

Intensity (Counts)

 Readily Dispersed  Shelf Life > 6 months  Material can be cured up to 1 Month after printing

2000

1000

25

30

40

50

60

70

80

2-Theta - Scale
QNA2633 Cu PVP R4 - File: A4245M.raw - Type: 2Th/Th locked - Start: 25.000 - End: 80.000 - Step: 0.020 - Step time: 4. s - Temp.: 27 C - Time Started: 12 s - 2-Theta: 25.000 - Thet 05-0667 (*) - Cuprite, syn - Cu2O - Y: 9.44 % - d x by: 0.9958 - WL: 1.5406 - Cubic 48-1548 (*) - Tenorite, syn - CuO - Y: 4.20 % - d x by: 0.9917 - WL: 1.5406 - Monoclinic 04-0836 (*) - Copper, syn - Cu - Y: 10.53 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Cubic -

Cu(0)

Cu2O

CuO

ST = 32.09 mN/m Viscosity = 33.1 cP

Inkjet Printing

Kapton (polyimide)

Polyester

Curing of Nano Cu Inks

SEM image of the nanocopper SEM image of the nanopowder after photonic curing before photonic curing

Laser Curing of Copper Ink

Cross Section of Laser Cured Cu on Polyimide

Conclusions
Oxidatively stable Cu nanoparticles can be produced by a proprietary process Inkjet inks can be formulated and are readily printed Good conducting tracks are produced by light sintering