A reel-to-reel method to laser-ablate a circuitry pattern on the fly in a reel-to-reel machine as part of a process to fabricate a printed flexible circuit. The laser ablation method includes using an appropriate laser to irradiate a metal sheet thus ablating the edges of an intended circuitry pattern. Slugs can be removed by using an optional sacrificial liner, and the slugs can be optionally ablated into smaller parts first. The laser ablation can also include an optional method of creating tie bars to provide structural support to the web of circuitry patterns.

An apparatus is disclosed for transferring a pattern of a composition containing particles of an electrically conductive material and a thermally activated adhesive from a surface of a flexible web to a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: respective drive mechanisms for advancing the web and the substrate to a nip through which the web and the substrate pass at the same time and where a pressure roller acts to press the surfaces of the web and the substrate against one another, a heating station for heating at least one of the web and the substrate prior to, or during, passage through the nip, to a temperature at which the adhesive in the composition is activated, a cooling station for cooling the web after passage through the nip, and a separating device for peeling the web away from the substrate after passage through the cooling station, to leave the pattern of composition adhered to the surface of the substrate.

The conductive composition of the present embodiment contains metal nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of 30 nm to 600 nm, metal particles having an average particle diameter larger than that of the metal nanoparticles, a thermosetting resin having an oxirane ring in a molecule, a curing agent, and a cellulose resin. Then, the specific resistance of the conductor formed by applying and calcining the conductive composition on the substrate is preferably 5.0×10.sup.−6 Ω.Math.cm or less, and the conductor does not peel from the substrate when a tape having an adhesive force of 3.9 N/10 mm to 39 N/10 mm is pressed against the conductor and peeled off.

A molecular ink contains a silver carboxylate (e.g. silver neodecanoate), a solvent (e.g. terpineol) and a polymeric binder comprising a polyester, polyimide, polyether imide or any mixture thereof having functional groups that render the polymeric binder compatible with the solvent. Such an ink may have good thermal stability with higher silver carboxylate content.

A method is disclosed for applying an electrical conductor to a solar cell, which comprises providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of groove formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising conductive particles. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back of a solar cell. A pressure is then applied between the solar cell and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded to the grooves adheres to the solar cell. The membrane(s) and the solar cell are separated and the composition in the groove is left on the solar cell surface. The electrically conductive particles in the composition are then sintered or otherwise fused to form a pattern of electrical conductor on the solar cell, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

Provided is an ink for use in electronic component production making use of screen printing, which is suitable for actually allowing fine lines with high precision to be drawn in screen printing, and for actually allowing successive screen printing operations to be performed. The ink for screen printing of the present invention includes surface-modified silver nanoparticles (A) and a solvent (B), and has a viscosity at a shear rate of 10 (1/s) and 25° C. of 60 Pa.Math.s or more. The surface-modified silver nanoparticles (A) each include a silver nanoparticle and an amine-containing protective agent coating the silver nanoparticle. The solvent (B) includes at least a terpene solvent. In solvent (B), a content of solvents having a boiling point of less than 130° C. is 20 wt % or less based on the total amount of solvents.

A circuit board is formed from a catalytic laminate having a resin rich surface with catalytic particles dispersed below a surface exclusion depth. Trace channels and apertures are formed into the catalytic laminate, electroless plated with a metal such as copper, filled with a conductive paste containing metallic particles, which are then melted to form traces. In a variation, multiple circuit board layers have channels formed into the surface below the exclusion depth, apertures formed, are electroless plated, and the channels and apertures filled with metal particles. Several such catalytic laminate layers are placed together and pressed together under elevated temperature until the catalytic laminate layers laminate together and metal particles form into traces for a multi-layer circuit board.

The present invention relates to an assembly to be used in an inkjet printer, an inkjet printer and a method for printing. The assembly comprises (i) a first fixture configured to hold a first print head; and (ii) at least two processing lines A, B, C, D, wherein each processing line A, B, C, D includes a first printing section in which a functional layer is printed on a surface of an electronic device, a sintering section spaced apart from the first printing section and configured to sinter the functional layer, wherein the sintered functional layer exhibits a crystal lattice structure, and a transport mechanism (4) configured to move from the printing section to the sintering section. The first fixture is movable from one processing line A, B, C, D to another processing line A, B, C, D.

A manufacturing apparatus that includes a conveyance device that moves a stage, where an electronic device shaped by multiple layers is placed, in X-axis and Y-axis directions. A first shaping unit, a second shaping unit, and a component mounting unit are arranged within a range in which the stage can move. The manufacturing apparatus performs additive manufacturing of the electronic device on the stage by performing a sequential movement of the stage to respective working positions of different units. As a result, in this manufacturing apparatus, a workpiece on the stage does not have to be removed and repositioned during each work process such as shaping by a first shaping unit, shaping by a second shaping unit, and electronic component mounting by a component mounting unit.

Process for producing an electronic subassembly by low-temperature pressure sintering, comprising the following steps: arranging an electronic component on a circuit carrier having a conductor track, connecting the electronic component to the circuit carrier by the low-temperature pressure sintering of a joining material which connects the electronic component to the circuit carrier, characterized in that, to avoid the oxidation of the electronic component or of the conductor track, the low-temperature pressure sintering is carried out in a low-oxygen atmosphere having a relative oxygen content of 0.005 to 0.3%.