High-Definition Area-Specific Printing of Patterned Conductive Sub-μm Features for Large-Area Electronics Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has experienced rapid growth and has become widely used in materials development and process technologies. In particular, the rapid expansion of electronics manufacturing for low-cost electronics drives the need for cost-effective material deposition and processing techniques that can be integrated within existing fabrication processes. In this study, we achieved 500 nm patterns using a single-step, high-definition deposition technique, which includes photolithography/e-beam lithography, plasma-jet printing, and lift-off procedures. We also demonstrated the versatility of this method on both rigid and flexible substrates by fabricating patterns on silicon and Kapton. Finally, we showcased two key applications: the development of high-precision alignment markers for subsequent lithography processes and the deposition of multiple materials within a single-step process. The promising results demonstrate its potential as a viable alternative to traditional semiconductor manufacturing processes.