Application of micro structured photosensitive glass for the gravure printing process

Photosensitive glasses are well known as materials which are micro structurable with a high aspect ratio of 20:1. Typical applications are micro mechanical, fluidic and optical components due to the very good chemical, thermal and mechanical stability of this material. Currently the aim of the work is the development of micro structured cliches made from photosensitive glass for the gravure printing of electrically functionalised inks on flexible substrates. Glass cliches with a geometrical variation of recessed cells were fabricated and tested regarding the chemical and mechanical stability using process comparable conditions. Printing tests using particle less and particle loaded electrically functionalised inks were carried out to investigate the influence of cell geometry on printed ink layers. It was found that precise dot structures will be printable if cell openings are <80 μm and cell depths are <30 μm. Resulting from this ITO was printed on flexible glass substrates with a thickness of 30 μm for high temperature treatments.