Laser Ablation of Thin Films for Flexible Sensor Manufacturing

Abstract.This study investigates a mask-free and inkless method using nanosecond pulsed UV laser ablation for sensor manufacturing. This method greatly simplifies the patterning process into a single step and allows for a short turnaround time for custom designs. In general, the quality of the fabricated sensor depends on laser power, scanning speed, pulse frequency, and scanning strategy. In this study, the influence of these laser parameters on the ablation width and edge quality of NiCr thin films is investigated. The laser ablation process is optimized to obtain high-quality thin-film sensors that have the potential to offer custom sensor production at a low cost and with short lead times.