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Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates

Received: 26 March 2014     Accepted: 16 April 2014     Published: 20 May 2014
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Abstract

We report the direct-write fabrication of electric circuits on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by a low temperature technique. To demonstrate the utility of the concept, Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures were fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), using a 300 dpi drop-on-demand HP DeskJet system. First, each substrate was prepared by low frequency atmospheric plasma etching, followed by tin (II) chloride treatment to enhance wetting. Then a catalytic silver seed layer pattern was bubble-jet printed onto the surface. Finally, the substrate was developed in a copper electroless plating bath for 10 min. to yield a 2.5 µm copper film with a sheet resistance of 3.4 Ωsq. The as-deposited film was shiny with a surface roughness of less than 8.7nm, which is about 0.35% of the film thickness. The films were characterized by SEM, EDX, profilometry, optical microscopy, and four-point probe resistivity measurement. This technology may be adapted for the direct-write fabrication of antenna structures for communication devices and space science applications.

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12
Page(s) 84-87
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Direct-Write Fabrication, Silver Seed Layer, Characterization

References
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[2] K. Cheng, Y. Ming-Huan, W. W. Wanda, C.-Y. Chiu, J. C. Huang, Y. Tai-Fa and Y. Yang, "Ink-Jet Printing, Self-Assembled Polyelectrolytes, and Electroless Plating: Low Cost Fabrication of Circuits on a Flexible Substrate at Room Temperature," Macromol. Rapid Commun., p. 247–264, 2005.
[3] K. F. Teng and R. Vest, "A microprocessor-controlled ink jet printing system for electronic circuits," IEEE Trans. Indust. Electron, pp. vol. 9, no. 11, pp. 591–592, 1988.
[4] J. B. Szczech, C. M. Megaridis, D. R. Gamota and J. Zhang, Transactions on Electronics Packaging Manufacturing, IEEE, 2002, pp. 25, 26..
[5] N. Vigneshwaran, R. Nachane, R. Balasubramanya and P. Varadarajan, " A novel one-pot ‘green’ synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles using soluble starch," Carbohydrate Research, vol. 341, no. 12, pp. 2012-2018 , 2006.
[6] S.-R. Veronica, M. Marie-Beatrice and S. G. Yeates, "Inkjet printing of 3D metal–insulator–metal crossovers," Reactive & Functional Polymers, p. 1052–1058, 2008.
[7] Y. M. Lin and S. C.Yen, Appl. Surf. Sci., pp. 178, 116, 2001.
[8] P. Smith, D. Shin, J. Stringer and B. Derby, Journal of Materials Science 41, p. 415, 2006.
[9] E. O. Hall, Proc. Phys. Soc. London, pp. 64, 747, 1951.
[10] N. J. Petch, J. Iron Steel Inst., pp. 174, 25, 1953.
[11] C.-Y. K. Chouz and Kan-Sen, "Electroless Copper Plating onto Printed Lines of Nanosized Silver Seeds," Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 10 (3), pp. 32 - 34, 2007.
[12] K. Cheng, W. W. Chiu, C. Jang, C. Lai, Y. K. Ho and J. Chang, ''NIP 19: International Conference on Digital Printing Technologies'', p. 309–313., 2003.
[13] J. Heinz and C. H. Hertz, "Ink-jet printing," Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics, vol. 65, p. 91–171, 1985.
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  • APA Style

    Alu, Noble O., Oberafo, Anthony A., Iwok, et al. (2014). Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 3(3), 84-87. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12

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    ACS Style

    Alu; Noble O.; Oberafo; Anthony A.; Iwok, et al. Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2014, 3(3), 84-87. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12

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    AMA Style

    Alu, Noble O., Oberafo, Anthony A., Iwok, et al. Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2014;3(3):84-87. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12,
      author = {Alu and Noble O. and Oberafo and Anthony A. and Iwok and Unwana U. and Adama and Kenneth K. and Imalerio and Thomas I.},
      title = {Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates},
      journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {84-87},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20140303.12},
      abstract = {We report the direct-write fabrication of electric circuits on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by a low temperature technique. To demonstrate the utility of the concept, Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures were fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), using a 300 dpi drop-on-demand HP DeskJet system. First, each substrate was prepared by low frequency atmospheric plasma etching, followed by tin (II) chloride treatment to enhance wetting. Then a catalytic silver seed layer pattern was bubble-jet printed onto the surface. Finally, the substrate was developed in a copper electroless plating bath for 10 min. to yield a 2.5 µm copper film with a sheet resistance of 3.4 Ωsq.  The as-deposited film was shiny with a surface roughness of less than 8.7nm, which is about 0.35% of the film thickness.  The films were characterized by SEM, EDX, profilometry, optical microscopy, and four-point probe resistivity measurement. This technology may be adapted for the direct-write fabrication of antenna structures for communication devices and space science applications.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Low Temperature Direct-Write Fabrication of Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures on Polymer Substrates
    AU  - Alu
    AU  - Noble O.
    AU  - Oberafo
    AU  - Anthony A.
    AU  - Iwok
    AU  - Unwana U.
    AU  - Adama
    AU  - Kenneth K.
    AU  - Imalerio
    AU  - Thomas I.
    Y1  - 2014/05/20
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12
    T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    SP  - 84
    EP  - 87
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2643
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140303.12
    AB  - We report the direct-write fabrication of electric circuits on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by a low temperature technique. To demonstrate the utility of the concept, Radio Frequency Identification Circuit and Antenna Structures were fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), using a 300 dpi drop-on-demand HP DeskJet system. First, each substrate was prepared by low frequency atmospheric plasma etching, followed by tin (II) chloride treatment to enhance wetting. Then a catalytic silver seed layer pattern was bubble-jet printed onto the surface. Finally, the substrate was developed in a copper electroless plating bath for 10 min. to yield a 2.5 µm copper film with a sheet resistance of 3.4 Ωsq.  The as-deposited film was shiny with a surface roughness of less than 8.7nm, which is about 0.35% of the film thickness.  The films were characterized by SEM, EDX, profilometry, optical microscopy, and four-point probe resistivity measurement. This technology may be adapted for the direct-write fabrication of antenna structures for communication devices and space science applications.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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