Nano-Conical Stamp Surface for Printed Circuit Ink Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the existing printed circuit process, excessive ink adheres to the recessed surface of the stamp, leading to errors in circuit resolution and tolerance, as conventional stamps fail to prevent ink from adhering to their recessed surfaces during the printing process.
Innovation Solution
A stamp with nano-conical structures on its recessed surface is developed, which reduces the contact area and increases the contact angle, creating a hydrophobic surface (lotus effect) that prevents ink from adhering, while maintaining a hydrophilic surface for ink-jet printing, thereby enhancing circuit pattern resolution and process stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional stamp is used in the printed circuit process, then the printing process can be performed, but excessive ink adheres to the recessed surface of the stamp causing errors in circuit resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface parameters of the stamp by introducing nano-conical structures with specific geometric parameters (width less than 100 nm at the bottom portion). This structural parameter change creates a hydrophobic surface that fundamentally alters ink adhesion behavior, preventing excessive ink from adhering to the recessed surface while maintaining printing functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The nano-conical structures create a porous-like surface morphology on the stamp. This porous structure, with its numerous narrow conical protrusions, reduces the actual contact area between the ink and the stamp surface, thereby preventing excessive ink adhesion while still allowing the stamp to perform its printing function
2Reliability
If the resolution of the printed circuit is sacrificed, then error tolerance of the printed circuit can be improved
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the surface parameters through nano-conical structures, the invention simultaneously improves both circuit resolution and error tolerance. The hydrophobic surface prevents ink adhesion errors, enhancing reliability, while the precise nano-structure geometry maintains high printing resolution, eliminating the need to sacrifice one for the other
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a stamp with nano-conical structures is used, then ink adhesion to the recessed surface is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a porous-like nano-conical structure that, while complex in morphology, can be fabricated through established processes. The nano-structures are formed by creating micro-trenches in a substrate, forming nano-pores around the trenches, and filling with stamp material. This approach manages device complexity by using systematic fabrication processes
Solution Approach 2:
The stamp surface is segmented into numerous nano-conical structures rather than being a continuous surface. This segmentation into discrete nano-elements creates the hydrophobic effect while allowing the overall stamp structure to maintain its functional simplicity for printing operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nano-conical structures on the stamp effectively prevent ink from adhering to the recessed surface, allowing for improved resolution and stability in printed circuit patterns on semiconductor base materials during the ink-jet printing process.
Implementation Method 1
the contact area between the liquid and the nano-conical structures is reduced, and the contact angle is increased, such that the surface of the stamp having the nano-conical structures is a hydrophobic surface (i.e., the so-called lotus effect)
Data Source
AI summary
A stamp that is configured to be employed in a printed circuit process, a method of fabricating the stamp, and a printed circuit process are provided, and the stamp includes a main structure, a micro-protrusion structure, and a plurality of nano-conical structures. The micro-protrusion structure is located on the main structure. The nano-conical structures are located on the main structure and surround the micro-protrusion structure.