Laser printing of large-scale metal micro/nanoparticle array: Deposition behavior and microstructure

• Published in: International journal of machine tools & manufacture Vol. 173; p. 103845
• Main Authors: Luo, Guohu, Wu, Di, Zhou, Yu, Hu, Yongxiang, Yao, Zhenqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Irradiation; Large-scale fabrication; Laser arrays; Laser-induced forward transfer; Lasers; Metal microdroplet; Micro/nanoparticle array; Microparticles; Microstructure; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Printing; Substrates; Thickness; Ultrafines; Valence; Laser-induced forward transfer; Large-scale fabrication; Micro/nanoparticle array; Metal microdroplet
• ISSN: 0890-6955; 1879-2170
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2021.103845

In this study, a novel printing process is proposed to efficiently fabricate a large-scale micro/nanoparticle array via laser-induced forward transfer of femtoliter metal voxels. A sputtering metal film with sub-micrometer thickness was initially patterned to an independent voxel array using a picosecond laser. Then, an ultraviolet nanosecond laser induced the voxel transfer from the donor substrate to the receiver entirely after it was irradiated by a single laser pulse. The results indicated that single laser irradiation can print a microparticle array that covers an area of several millimeters. The printed microparticle size varied from 5 μm to 580 nm. Furthermore, the proposed printing process exhibited high controllability by adjusting the voxel volume. The morphology of the cross section of the printed copper microparticles exhibited a lower porosity and oxidation state, and ultrafine nanograins were generated within an amorphous shell. The location deviations of the printed microparticles obeyed the chi-square distribution with a mean value of 1 μm. Moreover, the proposed process can avoid the satellite microdroplets and debris for reducing the resolution because unstable jetting and microdroplet separation are eliminated. The proposed approach enables the printing of a large-scale microstructure array with high efficiency and flexibility. [Display omitted] •We proposed a novel voxel-based laser-induced forward transfer process to print a large-scale micro/nanoparticle array.•Single laser irradiation can print a debris-free microparticle array covering several millimeters with about 1-μm deposition deviation.•The printed microparticles exhibit a lower porosity and oxidation state and ultrafine nano-grains.•A new transfer mode in the VB-LIFT that the metal voxels can first detach and then melt avoids unstable jetting and separation to generate satellite microdroplets.