Dip Pen Nanolithography® of Silver Nanoparticle Inks for Printed Electronics

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Precision nanoscale deposition of biological, organic, and inorganic materials is a fundamental need in nanoscience research. Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®) is an inherently additive, SPM-based technique, capable of producing nanoscale features with high resolution and registry under ambient conditions. Therefore, DPN is suitable for deposition of a wide range of biological, organic and inorganic materials. In this talk, we examine the multi-step process for developing a silver nanoparticle-based inks to obtain conductive traces for printed electronics. We experimentally highlight the effects of essential ink properties such as slow evaporation rates, ink homogeneity and surface affinity (both cantilever and substrate) on controlled and continuous ink transfer from the cantilever to the substrate. We utilize the micro-scale alignment feature of InkCAD™ to return to the same deposition area on the substrate for imaging after annealing. Post annealing, metal features that are 300 nm – 5 um wide and 7 – 26 nm tall are obtained, as imaged by close-contact AFM. We present data on the conductivity of these metal lines based on four point probe measurements. In addition, the versatility of DPN will be demonstrated using a user-based “Just Add DNA™” protocol for DNA deposition.

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Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 1, Nanotechnology 2008: Materials, Fabrication, Particles, and Characterization – Technical Proceedings of the 2008 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 1
Published: June 1, 2008
Pages: 654 - 657
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topics: Advanced Manufacturing, Nanoelectronics
ISBN: 978-1-4200-8503-7