Nonvacuum, Maskless Fabrication of a Flexible Metal Grid Transparent Conductor by Low-Temperature Selective Laser Sintering of Nanoparticle Ink

TLDR

We introduce a facile approach to fabricate a metallic grid transparent conductor on a flexible substrate using selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle ink. The method uses selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle ink in a maskless direct‑writing process, allowing grid shape and parameters to be easily altered via CAD data. The resulting metallic grid transparent conductors exhibit >85 % transmittance, 30 Ω/sq sheet resistance, excellent adhesion and bending stability, and enable touch‑screen panels that operate reliably under continuous mechanical stress.

Abstract

We introduce a facile approach to fabricate a metallic grid transparent conductor on a flexible substrate using selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle ink. The metallic grid transparent conductors with high transmittance (>85%) and low sheet resistance (30 Ω/sq) are readily produced on glass and polymer substrates at large scale without any vacuum or high-temperature environment. Being a maskless direct writing method, the shape and the parameters of the grid can be easily changed by CAD data. The resultant metallic grid also showed a superior stability in terms of adhesion and bending. This transparent conductor is further applied to the touch screen panel, and it is confirmed that the final device operates firmly under continuous mechanical stress.