Lecture 12

Direct Write Technologies

Additive Manufacturing 7 Families

Powder Bed Material Vat-Photo-

Fusion Extrusion polymerization

Material Beam Binder

Jetting Deposition Jetting

Sheet
Lamination
Direct
Write
Contents

1. Introduction – Direct Write technology

2. Ink Based Direct Write
3. Liquid Phase Direct Write
4. Beam Deposition Direct Write
5. Conclusion
6. Questions and Answers
1 . Introduction – Direct Write Technologies
• Various Definitions of Direct Write Technologies

1. small-scale.

2. Create meso, micro, and nano-scale structures using a freeform

deposition tool.

3. Freeform surface modification using lasers and other

treatments technologies which add material to a surface.

4. Designed to build freeform structures in dimensions of 5 mm or

less, with feature resolution in one or more dimensions below
50 um.
• Examples of real applications of direct write technologies – small scale

Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Types of Direct Write Technologies

1. Ink-based

2. Laser transfer

3. Thermal spray

4. Beam deposition

5. Liquid-phase

6. Beam tracing processes

2 . Ink-Based – Direct Write
• It is most varied, least expensive, and most simple approaches.

• Principle:
1. Inks are deposited on a surface.
2. These inks solidify due to evaporation, gelation, solvent-driven reactions, or
thermal energy to leave a deposit of the desired properties

• Types of Ink
1. Colloidal inks
2. Nanoparticle-filled inks
3. Fugitive organic inks
4. Polyelectrolyte inks
5. Sol–gel inks.

• Required property of Ink

1. Flow through the deposition apparatus
2. Retain shape after deposition
3. Either span voids/gaps or fill voids/gaps, as the case may be
• Two most common methodologies for DW ink dispensing

1. Continuous Filament Writing 2. Droplet Jetting

1. A continuous cross-sectional area 1. Done in a very rapid fashion

2. A wider range of ink rheologies 2. Cross-sections are discontinuous
possible 3. The rheological properties must be
3. Nozzle dispensing and Quill within a tighter range
processes 4. Inkjet Printing and aerosol
deposition
 1. Nozzle Dispensing Processes

• It uses a pump or syringe mechanism

to push DW inks through an orifice
for deposition onto a substrate.

• Nozzle has a 3-axis motion ===

deposition onto complex surfaces or
to build-up scaffolds or other 3D
geometry

• A scanning system is also available

with nozzle === to determines the
topology of the substrate

• Company names using this types of

Nozzle: Micropen and nScrypt
The main differentiating factors between
devices:

(1) Nozzle design ====

• Determines the size and shape of the
deposit,
• Feature size,
• Types of inks which can be used

(2) Motion control system ==

• The dimensional accuracy and
• Repeatability

(3) Pump design ===

• The volumetric control and
• Repeatability of Dispensing,
• Accuracy and speed at which deposition can
occur
Advantages of Nozzle DW processes
1. Deposit fine line traces on nonplanar
substrates
2. Can work with the largest variety of
inks
3. Built-up from interchangeable low-cost
components
4. Integrated easily onto various types of
multi-axis motion control systems

Disadvantages of Nozzle DW processes

1. Inks must typically be thermally
postprocessed

Applications of Nozzle DW processes

1. Integrated RC filters,
2. Multilayer voltage transformers,
3. Resistor networks,
4. Porous chemical sensors,
5. Biological scaffolds, and
6. Other components
 2. Quill-Type Processes - Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN) technique

Pen

1. A quill pen can be used to deposit writing ink on a piece of paper.

2. Pen (atomic force microscope (AFM) tip) dips into a container of ink.
3. When the pen is put near the substrate, the ink is transferred from the pen
to the substrate.
4. By controlling the pen motion, an accurate pattern can be produced.

Capabilities
Width: 14 nm and Spatial resolution: 5 nm
 3. Inkjet Printing Processes

Principle:

1. The print heads and motion control

systems are optimized for printing
high accuracy electronic traces.

2. By setting up arrays of print heads,

very large areas can be printed
rapidly.

3. In order to produce consistent

conductive paths, for instance, the
droplets need a repeatable degree
of overlap.
Advantages

1. Form complex electronic circuitry on flat surfaces.

2. Higher speed and low cost.

Disadvantages/Challenges

1. Deposition onto a conformal substrate/three-dimensional objects is

difficult.
2. More stringent requirements on ink rheology than other ink processes
3. A limited droplet size range.
4. The fundamental building block is hemispherical --- due to droplet by
droplet Manner.
5. In order to produce consistent conductive paths, for instance, the
droplets need a repeatable degree of overlap.
6. Deposits that are at an angle --- a classic “stair-step” effect.

Applications

1. Form complex electronic circuitry on flat surfaces

 4. Aerosol DW

Aerosol == Suspension of solid/liquid in Air enclosed under pressure and

released as a fine spray by means of a propellant gas

1. Liquid material is placed into an atomizer, creating a dense aerosol of

tiny droplets.

2. The aerosol is carried by a gas flow to the deposition head.

3. Within the deposition head, the aerosol is focused by a second gas flow
and the resulting high velocity stream is jetted onto the substrate
creating features as small as 10 um in size.
Advantages

1. High stand-off distance and large working distance. 1-5 mm.

2. Deposits are possible on substrates which have steps or other geometrical
features on their surface.
3. A wide range of material viscosities (0.7– 2,500 cPs),

Disadvantages

1. Its complexity compared to other ink-based processes

Applications

1. Form complex electronic circuitry on flat surfaces

 Aerosol Jet Inkjet Technology

1. About Technology → Invented in 2000s. 1. About Technology → 1950s, the ink-jet

2. Resolution → 5 to 10 micron printing more advanced technology
3. Viscosity → 0.5 to 2000 cP → larger 2. Resolution → 20 to 25 micron
amount of materials (including ceramics, 3. Viscosity → less than 20 cP
metals, etc.) can be printed by using an 4. The distance from the print head to
aerosol jet the substrate → less than 1 mm
4. The distance from the print head to 5. Cost → inkjet printer about 200k USD
the substrate → 1-5 mm → Therefore, it
is possible to print on non-flat (non-
smooth) substrates.
5. Cost → 500k USD
• Key benefits and drawbacks of ink-based approaches to DW
3 . Liquid-Phase Direct Deposition – Direct Write

• Thermal or electrical energy can be used to convert liquid-phase

materials into solid materials.

• Two Types:
1. Thermochemical technique
2. Electrochemical technique

• Study conducted at Drexel University, Pennsylvania

• To produce complex geometry solids at small length scales

1. ThermoChemical Liquid Deposition (TCLD)

1. liquid reactants are sprayed through a nozzle onto a hot

substrate

2. The reactants thermally decompose or react with one

another on the hot surface to form a solid deposit on the
substrate.

3. Requires a high-temperature substrate during deposition.

Drawbacks

1. Need for a heated substrate and the use of chemical precursors which
may be toxic or corrosive
 2. Electrochemical Liquid Deposition (ECLD)

1. A conductive substrate is submerged in a plating bath and connected to a DC

power source as the cathode
2. A pin made up of the material to be deposited is used as the anode.
3. The pin is submerged in the bath near the substrate and applying an
appropriate voltage and current
4. A deposit of the pin material onto the substrate
5. By moving the pin, a prescribed geometry can traced.

Drawbacks

1. The slow deposition rate

4 . Beam Deposition – Direct Write
• This technology uses vapor deposition technologies ==== converts vapor into
solid.
• E.g. == CVD – Chemical Vapor Deposition
• In CVD == Thermal energy is utilized to convert a reactant gas to a solid at a
substrate.

• How solid formed from gas?

1. In the regions where a heat source has raised the temperature above a certain
threshold, solid material is formed from the surrounding gaseous precursor
reactants.
2. The chemical composition and properties of the deposit are related to the
thermal history during material deposition.
3. By moving a localized heat source across a substrate (such as by scanning a
laser) a complex geometry can be formed.

• Three types:
1. Laser CVD
2. Focused Ion Beam CVD
3. Electron Beam CVD
 1. Laser CVD

• Developed at Georgia
Institute of Technology
• This uses heat from a
laser to selectively
transform gaseous
reactants into solid
materials
• Multi-material gases =
multimaterial
structures
• metals and ceramics
can be deposited
Advantages

• This small, separated reaction chamber has multiple benefits:

1. Quickly change between reagent gas materials for multimaterial deposition,
2. Better protection of the hardware from corrosion.

• Process parameters can be controlled to create deposits of desired geometry

and material properties.

• Metal : carbon, silicon carbide, boron, boron nitride, and molybdenum

Disadvantages

1. LCVD has a very low deposition rate

2. High cost
 2. Focused Ion Beam CVD

@3D Printing @Machining

How ion beam is created?

1. A beam of ionized gallium atoms created
2. Gallium metal source is placed in contact with a tungsten needle and heated
3. Liquid gallium wets the needle, and the imposition of a strong electric field
causes
4. Ionization and emission of gallium atoms.
How 3D Printing/deposition occur?

1. FIB source scans over a substrate in the presence of CVD gaseous precursors
2. This causes solid materials are deposited onto the substrate
3. These deposits can be submicron in size and feature resolution.
How machining occur?

1. As high-energy gallium ions striking a substrate will cause sputtering and

removal of atoms.
2. This enables FIB to be used as a nanomachining tool.

Applications:

1. Metallic and dielectric materials to create three-dimensional

structures and circuitry.
2. To repair faulty circuitry.
3. The machining and deposition features of FIB are used for IC repairs
4. FIB CVD can be used to draw conductive traces to connect electrical
circuitry.
• FIB-CVD direct write = examples
3. Electron Beam CVD

Working Principle

1. Electron beams can be used to induce CVD in a manner similar to

FIB CVD and LCVD.

2. FIB CVD and electron beam CVD both have a better resolution

than LCVD.
5 . Summary– Direct Write Technologies

1. Definition – Designed to build freeform structures in dimensions of 5

mm or less, with feature resolution in one or more dimensions below
50 um.

• 6 Main Types : Ink-based, Laser trasfer, thermal spray, beam deposition,

liquid-phase, beam-tracing process

• We saw three types: Ink-based, beam deposition, and Liquid-phase

1. Ink Based - Inks are deposited on a surface.

2. Liquid Bonding – Thermal or electrical energy can be used to

convert liquid-phase materials into solid materials.

3. Beam Depositon - This technology uses vapor deposition

technologies ==== converts vapor into solid.
6. Questions and Discussion – Direct Write
Technologies

1. What is Direct Write technology?

2. What are 3 main types? Describe each process?
3. Aerosol vs Inkjet technology
4. What are the Ink-based approach?
5. What is liquid phase direct deposition?
6. What are the types of liquid phase deposition?
7. What is beam deposition? And its types?
8. What are the applications of direct write technologies?
Thank You!
 Homework - 1

Q.1 Nano-dimensions – Electrifying Additive Manufacturing

1. About company – only AM
2. Techniques used
3. Machines available
4. Applications of their machines
5. How this technology can change the industry

Q.2 Explain in 3 Case Studies on Design for Additive Manufacturing

1. Who has done?
2. What was the purpose?
3. Which software they used?
4. Which technology they used?
5. How AM has become very helpful?
6. What can we do similar to this?