Guidelines for Finer Lines in Thick Film Circuitry

Abstract

Screen quality, ink, behaviour, printersettings, substrate surface condition and dry and sinterconditions determine print results. For high density printing the quality of each of those parameters is important. It was found, that ink and screen play the most important part. The metal gauze screen provided with the mask must have a flat surface (roughness < 5/μm) and an even thickness and gauze tension. For a number of inks the viscosity at low shear-rates defines the fine line capabilities. Some tolerance on printersettings is found to be acceptable. The application of a surfactant son the substrate surface proves to be a solution to gain a better line definition. During levelling the evaporation of solvents at room temperature has to be favoured for an optimum result. © 1983, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, Inc.