Dan Soltman and Vivek Subramanian, researchers at the University of California announced on Friday (1st February 2008) a breakthrough making possible the use of low-cost inkjet printer technology to produce electronic circuits for today's growing number of consumer devices.
The technology has been impractical to date for the precision demanded for electronic circuits. The two researchers say they've been able to overcome the obstacle.
"We have studied inkjet-printed drops of a conductive polymer. We have shown how varying drop spacing and temperature lead to several different printed line morphologies and offer a simple geometric explanation for these various forms. Also, by controlling the evaporation profile of drying drops and lines, we demonstrate control of the coffee ring effect by which solute is transferred to the rim. Under appropriate conditions, we are able to enhance or eliminate the coffee ring effect in our drying features.
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