Investigations on Influence of Micro and Nano Pulse Laser Source for µ-3D Printing of Ceramics Over Flexible Substrates for Functional Applications

Abstract

Micro-manufacturing processes are a burgeoning field of research, especially as Industry 4.0 drives a trend towards miniaturization. Laser-assisted manufacturing has gained prominence for advanced and additive manufacturing, demonstrating significant potential for functional applications. Laser µ-3D printing, a subset of laser-assisted manufacturing, is notable for being a non-contact, one-step, and high-resolution process that efficiently saves time and cost. However, achieving optimal transfer quality deposits remains a challenge. This manuscript focuses on the critical parameter of laser wavelength and its processing parameters for effective material transfer. ZnO ceramic, an exceptional material for opto-electronics applications, is sputtered using RF sputtering on a PDMS sacrificial layer coated silicon wafer, with a 10.6 µm CO2 laser investigated for material ejection effects and functional variations on ZnO ceramic. Additionally, a 532 nm laser source is explored by sputtering ZnO over ITO-coated glass. Key parameters such as pulse overlap, laser fluence, and stand-off distance are studied. Optimal parameters of 11.5 cm SOD, 75 J/cm2 laser fluence, and 65% laser fluence were identified with the 10.6 µm CO2 laser, while short pulse lasers are being investigated. The impact of processing parameters on feature size and controllability is examined, highlighting their application in opto-electronics through UV-Visible outputs. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.