Method producing a conductive path on a substrate

Abstract

A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate including depositing on the substrate a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers, employing a patterning laser beam to selectably sinter regions of the layer of material, thereby causing the metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions and employing an ablating laser beam, below a threshold at which the sintered regions would be ablated, to ablate portions of the layer of material other than at the sintered regions.

1 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate comprising:
 depositing on said substrate a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers;   employing a patterning laser beam to selectably sinter regions of said layer of material, thereby causing said metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions; and   removing portions of said layer of material other than at said sintered regions.   
     
     
         2 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and wherein said depositing comprises depositing employing a second laser beam. 
     
     
         3 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and wherein said layer of material comprises conductive ink. 
     
     
         4 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 3  and also comprising drying said conductive ink prior to said employing a patterning laser beam. 
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and wherein said patterning laser beam is a continuous laser beam and has a power level between 40-100 mW. 
     
     
         6 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and wherein said removing comprises removing portions of said layer of material other than at said sintered regions without damaging other components on said substrate. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and also comprising, prior to said depositing:
 defining at least two areas on said substrate forming part of said conductive path; and 
 employing an ablating laser beam, to ablate portions of a non-conductive layer formed over said substrate in said at least two areas. 
 
     
     
         8 . A system for producing a conductive path on a substrate comprising:
 an optical assembly including:
 a patterning laser, operative to generate a patterning laser beam; and 
 an ablating laser, operative to generate an ablating laser beam; and 
   a substrate positioning assembly, movable relative to said optical assembly, operative to position said optical assembly relative to a substrate,   said patterning laser beam being operative to selectably sinter regions of a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers, deposited on said substrate, thereby causing said metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions; and   said ablating laser beam, being operative, below a threshold at which said sintered regions would be ablated, to ablate portions of said layer of material other than at said sintered regions.   
     
     
         9 . A system for producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 1  and wherein said substrate positioning assembly is moveable in both x and y directions relative to said optical assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A system for producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 8  and wherein said patterning laser is a continuous wave laser. 
     
     
         11 . A system for producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 8  and wherein said ablating laser is a pulsed laser. 
     
     
         12 . A system for producing a conductive path on a substrate according to  claim 8  and also comprising a blower.