Direct Circuit Formation Technology using Electrophotography

摘要

The application of printing technologies such as screen printing and ink jets should be an alternative for circuit formation technology in photolithography. We conducted work on the electrophotography method, which is one of these printing technologies used for laser printers and copiers, among other devices. This technology can achieve mass production with a continuous process and can form a large area pattern. Moreover, this technology is advantageous for producing many different kinds of limited pattern areas because changing the pattern is easy. In addition, the technology is also highly advantageous for forming a high-density pattern because the stroke width depends on not the drops (e.g., ink jet) but on an electrostatic latent image and the particle size. Metallic wiring by electrophotography has problems with electrification of metallic particles and conductive wiring because of low temperature heating. We examined a method of direct patterning of metallic nanoparticles that were ion electrified in liquid by liquid development. Afterwards, the pattern was baked at a low temperature to make it a conductor. The results were that we achieved a formation and transcription of a fine metallic wiring pattern with a width of 10 μm on an organic substrate.