Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 13;7:40087. doi: 10.1038/srep40087.
Patterned transparent electrode with a continuous distribution of silver nanowires produced by an etching-free patterning method.
Shin K1, Park JS1, Han JH2, Choi Y1, Chung DS3, Kim SH4.
Nano Materials &Components Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), Seongsam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13509, Republic of Korea.
School of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea.
School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 156-756, Republic of Korea.
School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea.
The outstanding electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of silver nanowire transparent electrodes are attractive for use in many optoelectronic devices, and the recent developments related to these electrodes have led to their commercialization. To more fully utilize the advantages of this technology, developing new process technologies in addition to performance improvements is important. In this report, we propose a novel ultra-simple patterning technology to generate a silver nanowire transparent layer and a unique patterned structure with continuously distributed silver nanowires without any etched areas. The patterning is conducted by exposure to ultraviolet light and rinsing. The exposed and unexposed regions of the resulting layer have dramatically different electrical conductivities, which produces an electrical pathway without using any etching or lift-off processes. The unique patterned structure produced by this etching-free method creates hardly any optical difference between the two regions and results in excellent visibility of the patterned transparent electrode layer.
(a) The preparation procedure for the patterned transparent electrode layer with a continuous distribution of AgNWs. (b) The dependence of the UV absorbance on the exposure dose. (c) The confocal microscopy image of the patterned layer. (d,e) The SEM images of the unexposed and exposed regions in the patterned layer, respectively. The inset of each image is a magnification.
Patterned transparent electrode with a continuous distribution of silver nanowires produced by an etching-free patterning method
Sci Rep. 2017;7:40087.
(a) The confocal optical microscopy images of the patterned transparent electrode layer with a continuous distribution of AgNWs. The inset is the 3D confocal image. (b) The cross-sectional image of the exposed region of (a).
The AFM images of the boundary between the exposed and unexposed regions.
(a) The image captured in the height mode. (b) The image captured in the current mode. The white line in (b) shows the electrical current pathways.
(a–d) The optical microscopy images of the patterned layer. The inset of each image is a picture of the mask pattern. (e) The picture of the patterned transparent electrode film with dimensions of 200 mm*200 mm. (f) The test patterns of bar-type electrodes with different electrode widths. (g) The measured electrical resistance and the calculated resistance of each bar-type electrode with different widths shown in (f).
(a) An illustration showing that the UV light scattered and reflected by the AgNWs and the interfaces during the exposure step. (b) The transmittance spectra of the PET substrates. The black trace is without the UV-absorbing layer, and the red trace is with the UV-absorbing layer. (c) The diffuse reflection spectra of photosensitive the AgNW composite layers on each substrate. (d) The measured electrical resistance and the calculated resistance of each bar-type electrode with different widths shown in Fig. 5(f).
The electromechanical properties of the transparent AgNW electrode.
(a) The resistance variations depending on the number of bending deformations. The bending radius was 5 mm. (b) The resistance and transmittance variations depending on the number of peel tests. (c) The resistance variations during the long-term environmental stability test under high temperature and high humidity conditions (85 °C, 85% relative humidity).
(a) The upper figure shows the structure of the GFF-type TSP, which consisted of a cover glass and two TCF films. The lower figures show the Rx pattern (sensing line, y-axis pattern) and Tx pattern (driving line, x-axis pattern). (b) The capacitance of each electrode node of the TSP sensor, and a comparison of our TSP with the commercialized ITO one.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.