Full-3D printed electronics process using stereolitography and electroless plating

This paper presents a new process for 3D circuit fabrication based on two main steps: additive manufacturing of the plastic or ceramic substrate, through a stereolitographic 3D printer, and a copper electroless plating metalization process. Some of the available printable materials have been characterized in order to find permittivity and losses of the dielectrics. The metalization part has also been evaluated by measuring the square resistance of different samples. The capabilities of the process have been demonstrated with a full-3D circuit.