Continuous fine pattern formation by screen-offset printing using a silicone blanket

• Published in: Journal of micromechanics and microengineering Vol. 24; no. 9; pp. 95021 - 7
• Main Authors: Nomura, Ken-ichi, Kusaka, Yasuyuki, Ushijima, Hirobumi, Nagase, Kazuro, Ikedo, Hiroaki, Mitsui, Ryosuke, Takahashi, Seiya, Nakajima, Shin-ichiro, Iwata, Shiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.09.2014; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Blanketing; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; continuous printing; Deterioration; Effectiveness; electrodes; Exact sciences and technology; Formations; Physics; polydimethylsiloxane; Printing; screen-offset printing; screen-printing; silicone blanket; Silicones; Solid-fluid interfaces; Solvents; Surface chemistry; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Wetting; Dimethylsiloxane polymer; Screen printing; Patterning; Wetting; Organic solvents; Boiling; Masks
• ISSN: 0960-1317; 1361-6439
• DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/24/9/095021

Screen-offset printing combines screen-printing on a silicone blanket with transference of the print from the blanket to a substrate. The blanket absorbs organic solvents in the ink, and therefore, the ink does not disperse through the material. This prevents blurring and allows fine patterns with widths of a few tens of micrometres to be produced. However, continuous printing deteriorates the pattern's shape, which may be a result of decay in the absorption abilities of the blanket. Thus, we have developed a new technique for refreshing the blanket by substituting high-boiling-point solvents present on the blanket surface with low-boiling-point solvents. We analyse the efficacy of this technique, and demonstrate continuous fine pattern formation for 100 screen-offset printing processes.