Ink‐Jet Printing of In 2 O 3 /ZnO Two‐Dimensional Structures from Solution

• Published in: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Vol. 94; no. 9; pp. 2834 - 2840
• Main Authors: Tellier, Jenny, Malic, Barbara, Kuscer, Danjela, Trefalt, Gregor, Kosec, Marija
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-09-2011
• ISSN: 0002-7820; 1551-2916
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04425.x

In
2
O
3
–ZnO two‐dimensional (2D) structures were processed by ink‐jet printing and heating at 150°C and 450°C with the aim for implementation in transparent electronics. The In–Zn‐solution precursor, based on In‐alkoxide and Zn‐acetate in 2‐methoxyethanol, was originally designed for chemical solution deposition of thin films. To adapt it for piezoelectric ink‐jet printing, the viscosity and surface tension were adjusted by the addition of a more viscous 1,3‐propanediol. The optimum values were obtained for the ink consisting of 55 vol% of 1,3‐propanediol. The printing parameters including the temperatures of the cartridge and the substrate, and the drop spacing were adjusted to allow patterning with a 40 μm resolution on SiO
x
/Si and glass substrates. The ink‐jet‐printed 2D structures heated at 150°C were amorphous and according to infrared spectroscopy organics‐free, and upon heating at 450°C they crystallized without any preferential orientation, similarly as the spin‐coated thin films, which were studied as a reference.