Digitally Printing Electronics with Piezo Ink Jet

As an effort to reduce cost and lead-time and to increase flexibility and responsiveness, manufacturers are using digital printing in numerous process steps. Typically, these processes require the precise dispensing of various fluids. Piezo ink jet printheads are proving to be reliable tools for depositing active materials such as light emitting polymers (LEP) for mobile phone displays and color filter inks for liquid crystal displays. Ink jets are also being used to provide uniform coatings of polyimide alignment layers and spacers for LCDs. Success with legend printing on PCBs using ink jets has encouraged the design of equipment for directly printing both etch resist and solder mask for PCBs. Development of printers for passive components such as capacitors and resistors is underway. This paper will present the attributes of an ink jet printhead designed to a precision deposition tool and discuss how it is being used to digitally print electronic and flat panel display components. Status of commercialization of digital printing will be discussed along with issues to be resolved before wide adoption takes place.