High-throughput inkless printing: Laser-generated dry aerosols enable green manufacturing of electronics

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have unveiled a novel inkless printing method that could transform the way functional materials and devices are manufactured. The technique, called Laser Ablation Dry Aerosol Printing (LADAP), generates nanoparticles directly from solid targets using pulsed laser ablation, and then focuses them aerodynamically to print metals and oxides without the need for solvent-based inks.

"Traditional ink-based direct writing methods are limited by the need to prepare stable inks, which can be wasteful and environmentally taxing," explained Prof. Shuo Yin from the School of Engineering at Trinity. "Our approach completely removes inks from the equation, providing a greener and faster pathway to device manufacturing."

In their study, the team demonstrated that LADAP can produce silver features as narrow as 20 micrometers while also building up structures with thicknesses exceeding 50 micrometers in a single pass. This versatility enables both fine-resolution microstructures and thick deposition, all within a high-throughput process.

Doctoral researcher Weiming Su, the first author of the work, noted: "LADAP is compatible with a broad spectrum of materials and substrates, including metals, ceramics, polymers, and flexible papers. This versatility allows the process to support both microscale electronic features and large-area circuit fabrication, which makes it a very scalable technology."

To highlight its application potential, the team fabricated functional devices including letter-shaped silver circuits that successfully powered LED belts, strain and temperature sensors on flexible Kapton films, and even a ceramic-based X-band dipole antenna whose performance closely matched simulations. These demonstrations underscore LADAP's relevance for electronics, sensing, and radio-frequency applications.

The research, published in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, suggests that LADAP could serve as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to current ink-based direct-write technologies. Looking ahead, the team aims to further optimize aerosol transport, broaden the range of printable materials, and enhance spatial resolution.

Prof. Rocco Lupoi, who led the study, emphasized: "This is just the beginning. We believe LADAP can open up entirely new directions in additive manufacturing, not only for green electronics but also for next-generation functional materials."

International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (IJEM, IF: 21.3) is dedicated to publishing the best advanced manufacturing research with extreme dimensions to address both the fundamental scientific challenges and significant engineering needs.

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