Plasma Jet Printing: An Introduction

Plasma jet printing is an emerging alternative to popular 2-D printing techniques, such as inkjet and aerosol jet printing. The inherent nature of the plasma provides films with good adhesion upon printing without the need for thermal sintering. The reduced logistics and the ability to print a wide range of materials on rigid and flexible substrates make it a valuable technique for printed and flexible electronics. In this tutorial article, we discuss the principles behind plasma printing, printer hardware, and printing mechanisms and provide representative print results.