'Silver Bullet' Eyed In Print Tech

Xerox sees its silver inkjet ink as a breakthrough in printed electronics.

The company claims its technology could bring the cost of printing entire radio frequency identification tags to a penny a piece -- long a goal of the printed electronic industry. Among the advantages are a much lower fusing temperature and the ability to print under non-clean room conditions.

Based in Norwalk, Ct., Xerox employs over 54,000 people worldwide. The company has been struggling financially, with its production business revenue for the first half of 2009 down $500 million, to $2.1 billion.

But the ink may be the “silver bullet” the company needs to end its financial doldrums. This new development could pave the way for the commercialization and low-cost manufacturing of printable electronics.

Market analysts for years have been saying printable electronics offers manufacturers a very low-cost way to add "intelligence" or computing power to a wide range of flexible surfaces, such as plastic films or a variety of fabrics.

The silver pigment particles are only 5 nanometers in size and can be sintered on substrates below 140°C. This is well below current silver ink technology that sinters around 1100°C. The huge difference is because of the shape and size of the pigment particles as well as their proprietary ink formulation.

Bringing low-cost electronics to the masses has been hampered by logistics and costs associated with silicon chip manufacturing.

Integrated circuits are made up of three components: a semiconductor, a conductor, and a dielectric element. The ICs are fabricated in hugely expensive factories requiring billions of dollars of investment. By using ink jet technology, it is now possible to inexpensively produce all three components via state-of-the-art ink formulations.

Xerox claims its scientists have improved the company’s previously developed semiconductor inks by formulating the ink so the molecules precisely align themselves in an optimal configuration to conduct electricity.

Printed circuits can be used in a broad range of products, including low-cost radio frequency identification tags, light and flexible e-readers and signage, sensors, solar cells and novelty applications, including wearable electronics.

By using this new silver ink technology, it will be easier than ever to print circuits in almost any size, from smaller custom-sized circuits to larger formats, such as wider rolls of plastic sheets.

If this breakthrough technology delivers as promised, it could replace today’s silicon-wafer industry.

Note to readers: This post came to me via e-mail from a contributor who calls himself TechMan.