Nanometer Sized Direct Laser-Induced Gold Printing for Precise 2D-Electronic Device Fabrication

Small Methods. 2023 Jul;7(7):e2201221. doi: 10.1002/smtd.202201221. Epub 2023 May 12.

Abstract

Flexible electronics manufacturing technologies are essential and highly favored for future integrated photonic and electronic devices. Direct laser induced writing (DIW) of metals has shown potential as a fast and highly variable method in adaptable electronics. However, most of the DIW procedures use silver structures, which tend to oxidize and are limited to the micrometer regime. Here, a DIW technique is introduced that not only enables electrical gold wiring of 2D van-der-Waals materials with sub-µm structures and 100 nm interspacing resolution but is also capable of fabricating photo switches and field effect transistors on various rigid and elastic materials. Light sensitive metalloid Au32 -nanoclusters serve as the ink that allows for low-power cw-laser exposure without further post-treatment. With a simple lift-off procedure, the unexposed ink can be removed. The technique realizes ultrafast, high resolution, and high precision production of integrated electronics and may pave the way for personalized circuits even printed on curved surfaces.

Keywords: 2D-electronics; confocal microscopy; direct laser induced writing; material science; nano structuring.