Electrical Performance Analysis of Gravure Printed Conductors on Film Substrate using Line Screen, Line Width and Sintering Method Factors

Thermal heating requires long sintering times, ranging from tens of minutes to hours, at high temperature levels. Most film substrates cannot be processed in a high temperature environment as heat can deform their physical structure. Photonic sintering, as an alternative method, can sinter conductive ink layers on substrates in microseconds without deforming the physical structure. In this study, conductive traces printed with nano silver based gravure ink on PET film by using a RT K-gravure printing proofer. Printed ink layer then sintered both thermally and photonically. Electrical performance analyzed in response to sintering method, line width and line screen using factorial design statistical analysis. The analysis proved that the difference in electrical performance provided by thermal and photonic sintering is insignificant and practically same. The sheet resistance values at 100 lpi line screen was 0.48 O/sq. for photonic, 0.40 O/sq. for thermal sintering; 0.84 O/sq. for photonic, 0.99 O/sq. for thermal sintering at 200 lpi.