Plasma printing – a new technique for the cost-efficient manufacture of flexible printed circuits

Abstract:
A new potentially cost-efficient technology combining patterned atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment, here referred to as plasma printing, and galvanic plating for the production of flexible printed circuits (FPC) is presented in this contribution. The technology is being jointly developed by partners from industry and academia, a major aim being the realization of the processes in a reel-to-reel production system. So far, plasma printing experiments have been carried out using lab-scale batch plants. Using suitable electroless plating baths, RFID tag and interdigital structures with line widths and spaces down to 200 µm could already be produced. Adhesion of copper on DBD treated polyimide foil reached up to about 1 N/mm, as was determined in a peel test similar to that described in the DIN 53494.