In-process orientation of particles in a direct-write ink to control electrical characteristics of an electrical component being fabricated

• US 20110033632A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Vance, Jonathan B., Johnston, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/472
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/025 Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0257 Nanoparticles inks comprising nanoparticles H05K1/097
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/026 Nanotubes or nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0323 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/105 Using an electrical field; Special methods of applying an electric potential electroplating H05K2203/0723
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/125 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/14 using spraying techniques to apply the conductive material , e.g. vapour evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/611 using printing deposition, e.g. ink jet printing

Abstract

A system for in-process orientation of particles used in direct-write inks for fabricating a component may include a device for polarizing direct-write particles in an aerosol. An outlet may direct the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles on a substrate to form a component. An apparatus may cause the polarized direct-write particles to be aligned in a selected orientation to form the component with predetermined characteristics when deposited on the substrate.

Claims

1. A system for in-process orientation of particles used in direct-write inks for fabricating a component, the system comprising:

a device for polarizing direct-write particles in an aerosol;

an outlet to direct the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles on a substrate to form a component; and

an apparatus to cause the polarized direct-write particles to be aligned in a selected orientation to form the component with predetermined characteristics when deposited on the substrate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device for polarizing the direct-write particles in the aerosol comprises:

a holding chamber for retaining the aerosol including the direct-write particles;

a positive electrically chargeable element; and

a negative electrically chargeable element disposed on an opposite side of the holding chamber from the positive electrically chargeable element.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a device to move either the holding chamber or the positive electrically chargeable element and the negative electrically chargeable element relative to one another to cause electrostatic induction of the aerosol within the holding chamber to polarize the direct-write particles in the aerosol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the direct-write particles are aligned in the selected orientation in a deposition stream or column before being deposited on the substrate.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus to cause the polarized direct-write particles to be aligned in a selected orientation comprises:

a positive electrically chargeable plate; and

a negative electrically chargeable plate disposable on an opposite side of the deposition stream or column to produce an electric field to cause alignment of the polarized direct-write particles in the aerosol.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the positive electrically chargeable plate and the negative electrically chargeable plate are spaced relative to one another and from the deposition column based on at least a set of characteristics of the direct-write particles, and wherein the electric field is substantially orthogonal to the deposition column.

7. A system for in-process orientation of particles used in direct-write inks for fabricating an electrical component, the system comprising:

a holding chamber for retaining an aerosol, wherein the aerosol includes direct-write particles;

a structure to generate an electric field in the holding chamber to cause electrostatic induction of the aerosol to polarize the direct-write particles in the aerosol;

an exit nozzle to direct the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles on a substrate to form an electrical component; and

another structure to generate another electric field, wherein the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles is directed through the other electric field toward the substrate and wherein the other electric field causes the polarized direct-write particles to be aligned in a selected orientation to form the electrical component with predetermined electrical characteristics when deposited on the substrate.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the structure to generate the electric field in the holding chamber comprises a positive electrically chargeable element and a negative electrically chargeable element disposed on opposite sides of the holding chamber.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the structure to generate the electric field in the holding chamber further comprises a device to move either the holding chamber or the positive electrically chargeable element and the negative electrically chargeable element relative to one another to cause the electrostatic induction of the aerosol within the holding chamber.

10. The system of claim 9, where each of the positive electrically chargeable element and the negative electrically chargeable element comprise one of an electrically conductive plate or an electrically conductive brush.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the holding chamber comprises a substantially cylindrical container formed from an electrically conductive material or semiconductor material and wherein the structure to generate the electrical field in the holding chamber comprises:

a positive electrically charged element;

a negative electrically charged element disposable on an opposite side of the holding chamber from the positive electrically charged element; and

a motor to rotate either the holding chamber or the positive electrically charged element and the negative electrically charged element relative to one another to cause the electrostatic induction of the aerosol within the holding chamber.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein each of direct-write particles comprise a nanomaterial.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the direct-write particles comprise a carbon nanotube.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the exit nozzle is adapted to form the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles in a deposition column for directing the direct-write particles on the substrate in a predetermined pattern to form the electrical component.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the other structure to generate the other electrical field to cause the polarized direct-write particles to be aligned comprises:

a positive electrically chargeable plate; and

a negative electrically chargeable plate disposable on an opposite side of the deposition column to cause alignment of the polarized direct-write particles in the aerosol.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the positive electrically chargeable plate and the negative electrically chargeable plate are spaced relative to one another and from the deposition column based on a composition of the direct-write particles, and wherein the positive electrically chargeable plate and the negative electrically chargeable plate are positioned relative to one another to generate the other electric field substantially orthogonal to the deposition column.

17. The system of claim 7, further comprising a controller to control at least one of characteristics of the electric field in the holding chamber, characteristics of the other electric field for aligning the direct-write particles, a flow of a deposition column formed by the aerosol including the direct-write particles exiting the exit nozzle, and a concentration of the direct-write particles in the aerosol.

18. A method for in-process orientation of particles used in direct-write inks for fabricating an electrical component, the method comprising:

polarizing direct-write particles in an aerosol;

directing the aerosol including the polarized direct-write particles in a deposition column on a substrate to form an electrical component;

aligning the polarized direct-write particles in the deposition column in a selected orientation to form the electrical component with predetermined electrical characteristics.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising aligning the polarized direct-write particles without contacting the polarized direct-write particles.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising placing the aerosol comprising the direct-write particles in a first electric field to cause electrostatic induction of the aerosol to polarize the direct-write particles in the aerosol.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising directing the deposition column through a second electric field to align the polarized direct-write particles in the selected orientation to form the electrical component with the predetermined electrical characteristics.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein aligning the polarized direct-write particles in the selected orientation comprises directing the deposition column through an electric field to cause the polarized direct-write particles to align themselves in the selected orientation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the electric field is substantially orthogonal to the deposition column.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein aligning the polarized direct-write particles in the selected orientation comprises directing the deposition column between a positive electrically charged plate and a negative electrically charged plate to generate an electric field substantially orthogonal to the deposition column to cause the polarized direct-write particles to align themselves in the selected orientation.

25. A method to make an electrical component, comprising:

providing a substrate;

producing an aerosol comprising a plurality of direct-write particles;

placing the aerosol comprising the plurality of direct-write particles in a first electric field to cause electrostatic induction of the aerosol to polarize the direct-write particles in the aerosol;

directing the aerosol comprising the polarized direct-write particles in a deposition column on a substrate to form an electrical component; and

directing the deposition column through a second electric field to align the polarized direct-write particles in a selected orientation to form the electrical component with a predetermined electrical characteristic.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second electrical field is substantially orthogonal to the deposition column.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising placing the aerosol comprising the plurality of direct-write particles in a holding chamber disposed between a positive electrically chargeable element and a negative electrically chargeable element, wherein one of the holding chamber and the electrically chargeable elements are rotated relative to one another to polarize the direct-write particles in the aerosol.