Gravure-offset-printing technique for the fabrication of solid films

The development of the modified thick-film technique, gravure-offset printi ng, was studied. It is a printing technique which has been developed to fil l the gap between thin and thick film technologies when considering the con ductor line widths. Several factors of the technique which affect the fabri cation of solid films were considered. These factors include printing plate s, silicone rubber pads, printing inks, printing parameters and substrates. After optimising, the technique was used to print narrow conductor lines o n ceramic (also on low-temperature co-fired ceramic, LTCC) and glass substr ates. The narrowest width of Au and Ag conductors was 50 mu m and their typ ical fired thickness was around 2 mu m. Some sensor and high-frequency appl ications realised by the gravure-offset-printing technique are also discuss ed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.