Collimated Aerosol Beam Deposition: Sub-5-$\mu$m Resolution of Printed Actives and Passives

Materials deposition based upon directed aerosol flow has the potential of finding application in the field of flexible electronics where a low-temperature route to printed transistors with high mobilities remains elusive. NDSU has been actively engaged in addressing this opportunity from the following two perspectives: 1) developing an appreciation of the basic physics that dominate aerosol beam deposition toward engineering a robust method that allows the realization of deposited features with sub-5 μm resolution; and, 2) developing an understanding of the mechanistic transformations of silane-based precursor inks toward the formation of electronic materials at atmospheric-pressure. In this paper, we will briefly discuss the genesis of a new materials deposition method termed collimated aerosol beam direct-write (CAB-DW) where precision linewidth control has been realized using a combined theoretical/experimental approach. Next, we will discuss progress using Si
₆
H
₁₂
(cyclohexasilane-a liquid silane) as a precursor for solution-processed diodes and transistors. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to CAB-DW Si
₆
H
₁₂
-based precursor inks for printing Si-based semiconductors.