Solvo-dynamic Printing Carrier Liquid Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printing techniques are limited by their resolution, unable to produce features in the nanometer range, and require complex equipment or additional patterning steps, making them unsuitable for applications requiring high precision and compatibility with a wide range of inks and substrates.
Innovation Solution
The use of a carrier liquid immiscible with the deposit liquid reduces the spreading of the deposit liquid on the substrate, improving resolution by forming a volume of the deposit liquid within a volume of the carrier liquid, which can be achieved by passing both liquids through the same aperture, thereby reducing the effective aperture size and minimizing initial spreading and splashing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If inkjet printing is used to achieve simplicity and low cost, then ease of manufacture and device complexity are improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to limited resolution of 20-30 μm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier liquid as an intermediary substance between the inkjet printing system and the substrate. The carrier liquid receives the deposit liquid, allows controlled spreading, and then transfers the patterned material to the substrate. This mediator enables the inkjet system to achieve nanometer-scale resolution while maintaining the simplicity and low cost of the original printing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the printing system by introducing a carrier liquid with specific properties (viscosity, surface tension, immiscibility with deposit liquid). These parameter changes allow the deposit liquid to spread controllably within the carrier liquid, achieving nanometer-scale feature sizes that are impossible with direct inkjet printing alone.
2Manufacturing precision
If pre-patterning of substrate is performed to improve resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity worsens due to additional patterning steps and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the patterning function from the substrate preparation stage and transfers it to the printing process itself. Instead of pre-patterning the substrate with masks or templates, the pattern is formed directly during printing by controlling how the deposit liquid spreads within the carrier liquid on the substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The deposit liquid performs its own patterning function by naturally spreading within the carrier liquid to form the desired pattern directly on the substrate. This self-organizing behavior eliminates the need for external patterning equipment, masks, or templates, reducing device complexity while achieving high resolution.
3Manufacturing precision
If electrodynamic inkjet printing is used to improve resolution to several microns, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity worsens due to additional electrical system requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier liquid as an intermediary that enables resolution improvement without electrical systems. The carrier liquid's physical properties (viscosity, surface tension) mediate the spreading behavior of the deposit liquid, achieving nanometer-scale resolution through purely mechanical and physical processes rather than electrodynamic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrodynamic system with a mechanical/fluid-based system. Instead of using electric fields to control droplet formation and placement, the invention uses the mechanical properties of the carrier liquid (viscosity, surface tension, immiscibility) to control how the deposit liquid spreads and forms patterns, eliminating complex electrical equipment.
4Manufacturing precision
If aperture size is reduced to improve resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity worsens due to slower printing speed and lower throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the printing process by allowing the deposit liquid to spread over time within the carrier liquid after deposition. This time-dependent spreading enables small aperture sizes to produce large-area patterns, maintaining high resolution while improving throughput since the aperture doesn't need to be physically larger to cover more area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic spreading behavior where the deposit liquid continuously adjusts its shape and size within the carrier liquid after being deposited through a small aperture. This dynamic process allows the system to achieve both high resolution (small aperture) and high throughput (large area coverage through spreading).
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
This approach enhances the resolution of the printing process, allowing for the production of finer features and simplifying the printing technique by eliminating the need for additional equipment and patterning steps, while being applicable to various ink and substrate systems.
Implementation Method 1
passing a deposit liquid through an aperture and passing a carrier liquid through an aperture to form a volume of the deposit liquid in a volume of the carrier liquid on a substrate, wherein the deposit liquid is immiscible with the carrier liquid
Implementation Method 2
The presence of a carrier liquid around a deposit liquid on a substrate reduces the spreading of the deposit liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a process for producing a printed article wherein a deposit liquid is provided to a substrate together with a carrier liquid. Also provided is a printed article obtained or obtainable by the process of the invention, such as a printed article. The invention further provides an apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the invention, comprising devices configured to provide a flow of each of the deposit liquid and carrier liquid to a substrate, a flow channel for carrying each of the said liquids and an aperture through which at least the deposit liquid must pass. In some embodiments, the process of the invention is performed using the apparatus of the invention. The invention therefore also provides the use of the apparatus of the invention to perform the process of the invention.