Reliability of ICA attachment of SMDs on inkjet-printed substrates

Printable electronics has been attracting considerable attention in recent years as a technology for flexible production of low-cost electrical devices on flexible substrates. Due to the additive nature of the production process, printable electronics offers to be a simple and effective method to manufacture electronics. Because the complexity and functionality of all-printed electrical devices is highly limited mainly by the low performance of semiconductive inks, external components are necessary for complex functionalities required in today’s electrical devices. Such components must be attached to printed structures with connections having adequate electrical and mechanical performance and good long-term reliability. This study evaluated the reliability of isotropically conductive adhesive connections on inkjet-printed substrates and viewed ICA component connections as viable options for attaching SMD components on inkjet-printed circuits.