Eastman-kodak Company

Mitchell Lawrence Wright

Yongcai Wang

John Andrew Lebens

Ronald S Cok

Roger Guy Markham

Julie A Cummings

Donald O Bigelow

Kevin J Klees

Thomas F Powers

Craig A Caprio

A method of making a thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure includes providing a substrate and a layer on the substrate with one or more micro-channels having a width less than or equal to 20 microns. A conductive material including silver nano-particles and having a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight is located in the micro-channels and cured to form an electrically conductive micro-wire. The electrically conductive micro-wire has a width less than or equal to 20 microns and a depth less than or equal to 20 microns. Each micro-wire is electrolessly plated to form a plated layer located at least partially within each micro-channel between the micro-wire and the layer surface in electrical contact with the micro-wire. The plated layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the micro-wire so that the micro-wire and plated layer form the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire.

Making thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure

Conductive articles and devices have conductive micro-wires formed by curing a photocurable layer on a transparent flexible substrate that has a distortion temperature of less than 150&#xb0; C. The photocurable layer has a viscosity &#x3c;5,000 Pascal-seconds at the temperature micro-channels formation and the micro-channels having an average width of less than or equal to 4 &#x3bc;m and an average depth to average width ratio that is greater than or equal to 1. The photocurable layer is exposed to curing ultraviolet radiation to form a pattern of photocured micro-channels and a conductive composition comprising metal nano-particles is formed in the photocured micro-channels. The conductive composition is cured in the pattern of photocured micro-channels to provide a pattern of conductive micro-wires in the pattern of photocured micro-channels on the transparent flexible substrate. Each of at least 50% of the conductive micro-wires has a sheet resistance of less than 0.025 ohms/sq.

Articles with conductive micro-wire pattern

A thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure includes a substrate and a layer located on the substrate or forming a part of the substrate. One or more micro-channels are located in the layer. Each micro-channel has a width less than or equal to 20 microns. A cured electrically conductive micro-wire is located only within each micro-channel. The micro-wire has a thickness less than or equal to 20 microns, including silver nano-particles, and having a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight. An electrolessly plated layer is located at least partially within each micro-channel between the micro-wire and the layer surface and in electrical contact with the micro-wire. The plated layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the micro-wire so that the micro-wire and plated layer form the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire.

Thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure

Preparation of articles with conductive micro-wire pattern

A pattern of conductive micro-wires as in a conductive pattern can be prepared using photo-lithography, or imprint technology. A photocurable composition is cured to form a pattern of photocured micro-channels. A conductive composition comprising metal nano-particles is added to the photocured micro-channels and excess conductive composition outside the photocured micro-channels is removed. The conductive composition in the photocured micro-channels is then dried at a temperature of less than 60&#xb0; C. The dried conductive composition in the photocured micro-channels is treated with hydrogen chloride vapor to form conductive micro-wires in the photocured micro-channels at a temperature of less than 60&#xb0; C. The outer surface of the conductive micro-wires is then polished in the presence of water, to form a micro-wire pattern.

Method of forming conductive films with micro-wires

Apparatus for exposing reference calibration patches onto photosensitive medium, includes: a light source; a plurality of optical fibers, one fiber for each element to be exposed; a light collector having an input port for receiving light emitted by the light source and an output port for delivering light to one end of the optical fibers; a plurality of light attenuators located with respect to the optical fiber for individually attenuating the light transmitted by each fiber; a projection print head located at the other end of the optical fibers for directing light from the fiber onto the photosensitive medium; and a controller connected to the light source for measuring and controlling the light output of the light collector.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Mitchell Lawrence Wright