Rapid Sensing of Extrusion Based Printed Ink Properties Using Ghz Ultrasonic Imager

Printed electronics enable future MEMS and electronic systems to create flexible, customizable microsystems using a wide variety of materials. Extrusion-based printing is cost-effective but suffers from ink aging, causing linewidth variations that impact performance. Environmental factors, remote operation, and viscosity changes alter ink properties, leading to unpredictable linewidth variations. This work presents a rapid in-situ method for real-time ink monitoring using a CMOS-integrated GHz ultrasonic imager (1-1.9 GHz). Using real-time feedback from the imager, we demonstrated linewidth correction, ensuring accurate printing. This approach enhances the stability and precision of extrusion printing.