Plasma-Induced Decomposition of Copper Complex Ink for the Formation of Highly Conductive Copper Tracks on Heat-Sensitive Substrates

The use of Cu-formate-2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol ink and low-pressure plasma for the formation of highly conductive patterns on heat sensitive plastic substrates was studied. It was found that plasma results in decomposition of copper complex to form metallic copper without heating at high temperatures. Ink composition and plasma parameters (predrying conditions, plasma treatment duration, gas type, and flow rate) were optimized to obtain uniform conductive metallic films. The morphology and electrical characteristics of these films were evaluated. Exposing the printed copper metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) ink to 160 W plasma for 8 min yielded resistivity as low as 7.3 ± 0.2 μω cm, which corresponds to 23% bulk copper conductivity. These results demonstrate the applicability of MOD inks and plasma treatment to obtain highly conductive printed patterns on low-cost plastic substrates and 3D printed polymers.