Flash light sintering of Ag mesh film for printed transparent conducting electrode

Abstract

In this study, the effect of printing dimension on flash light sintering was investigated by analyzing the optical, electrical and microstructural properties and by calculating the transient heat transfer. As a transparent conducting electrode, Ag mesh gride were reverse-offset printed on polycarbonate films and flash-light sintered. Interestingly, the higher flash light energy was needed for the narrower printing line for the similar sheet resistance even though the same Ag nanoparticle ink used. The microstructural development was also retarded dwith the decrease of printing line width at the same condition of flash light sintering. The calculation of temperature rise in the Ag films clearly reveals that the heat dissipation was affected by the printing dimension. To improve the performance of Ag mesh TCEs with 3 um wide lines, a preheating step comprised of multipulse was inserted before a main flash light sintering. The multi-pulsed flash light sintering was effective to decrease the sample temperature as well as to remove the damage of polymer substrate or microstructural defects. As a result, the flash light-sintered Ag mesh TCEs showed a sheet resistance of 27 Ω/sq and optical transmittance of 84.7 % including the substrate.