Making thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure

1. A method of making a thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure, comprising:

providing a substrate having a substrate surface;

providing a layer on the substrate surface or as part of the substrate, the layer having a layer surface and one or more micro-channels formed in the layer, each micro-channel having a width less than or equal to 20 microns;

coating a conductive material over the layer surface and in the one or more micro-channels, the conductive material including silver nano-particles;

removing the coated conductive material from the layer surface but not the one or more micro-channels;

curing the conductive material in the one or more micro-channels to form an electrically conductive micro-wire located only within each micro-channel, the micro-wire having a width less than or equal to 20 microns and a depth less than or equal to 20 microns, wherein the micro-wire has a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight, each micro-wire includes micro-wire segments having one or more electrically open micro-gaps between the micro-wire segments; and

electrolessly plating each micro-wire to form a plated layer located at least partially within each micro-channel between the micro-wire and the layer surface, the plated layer being in electrical contact with the micro-wire and having a thickness less than a thickness of the micro-wire so that the micro-wire and plated layer form the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including forming the one or more electrically open micro-gaps with a length less than the width of each micro-channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including forming the one or more electrically open micro-gaps between the micro-wire segments with a length less than one micron.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including electrolessly plating each micro-wire segment to form a plated conductive bridge in each micro-gap to electrically connect the micro-wire segments.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including electrolessly plating each micro-wire so that the thickness of the plated layer is less than one half the thickness of the corresponding micro-wire.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including providing the layer surface with a surface energy of 50 dynes/cm or greater or a water contact angle of greater than 60 degrees.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including providing the layer surface and the one or more micro-channels with the same surface energy.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including providing the first conductive material with a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 50%.

9. The method of claim 1 , further including forming each micro-wire to have a thickness of one micron or more.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure forms an antenna, at least a portion of an RFID, a bus line, an electrode, or at least a portion of an electrode in a touch sensor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the electroless plating further includes using a solution that includes copper, a copper alloy, tin, or a tin alloy in a sufficient amount to permit the antenna to radiate and receive electromagnetic signals.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a layer with one or more micro-channels formed therein on the substrate surface further includes locating a curable layer on the substrate surface, imprinting one or more micro-channels in the curable layer, and curing the curable layer to form a cured layer having one or more imprinted micro-channels.

13. A method of making a thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure, comprising:

providing a substrate having a substrate surface;

providing a layer on the substrate surface or as part of the substrate, the layer having a layer surface and one or more micro-channels formed in the layer, each micro-channel having a width less than or equal to 20 microns;

coating a first conductive material over the layer surface and in the one or more micro-channels, the first conductive material including silver nano-particles;

removing the coated first conductive material from the layer surface but not the one or more micro-channels;

curing the first conductive material in the one or more micro-channels to form an electrically conductive first micro-wire located only within each micro-channel, the first micro-wire having a width less than or equal to 20 microns and a depth less than or equal to 20 microns, wherein the first micro-wire has a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight; and

electrolessly plating each first micro-wire to form a plated layer located only within each micro-channel, the plated layer being in electrical contact with the first micro-wire and having a thickness less than a thickness of the first micro-wire;

locating a second conductive material over the layer surface and over the plated layer in each micro-channel after each first micro-wire is electrolessly plated, the second conductive material including silver nano-particles;

removing the second conductive material from the layer surface but not the one or more micro-channels;

curing the second conductive material in the one or more micro-channels to form a cured second material, wherein the cured second material has a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cured second material is a light-absorbing material.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cured second material is an electrically conductive second micro-wire located only within each micro-channel, the second micro-wire being in electrical contact with the plated layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plated layer is a first plated layer and further including electrolessly plating each second micro-wire to form a second plated layer located at least partially within each micro-channel between the second micro-wire and the layer surface, the second plated layer being in electrical contact with the second micro-wire.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second plated layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the second micro-wire or the first micro-wire.

18. The method of claim 15 , further including forming each first micro-wire with first micro-wire segments having one or more electrically open first micro-gaps between the first micro-wire segments in first location(s) within each micro-channel, forming each second micro-wire with second micro-wire segments having one or more electrically open second micro-gaps between the second micro-wire segments in second location(s) within each micro-channel different from the first location(s).

19. The method of claim 15 , further including forming each first micro-wire with micro-wire segments having different conductivities and wherein electrolessly plating each micro-wire segment reduces the conductivity variability of the micro-wire segments.

20. A method of making a thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure, comprising

providing a substrate having a substrate surface;

locating a curable layer on the substrate surface, imprinting one or more micro-channels in the curable layer, and curing the curable layer to form a cured layer having one or more imprinted micro-channels, each micro-channel having a width less than or equal to 20 microns, the cured layer having a layer surface;

coating a conductive material over the layer surface and in the one or more micro-channels, the conductive material including silver nano-particles;

removing the coated conductive material from the layer surface but not the one or more micro-channels;

curing the conductive material in the one or more micro-channels to form an electrically conductive first micro-wire located only within each micro-channel, the first micro-wire having a width less than or equal to 20 microns and a depth less than or equal to 20 microns, wherein the first micro-wire has a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight;

electrolessly plating each first micro-wire to form a plated layer located at least partially within each micro-channel between the first micro-wire and the layer surface, the plated layer being in contact with the first micro-wire and having a thickness less than a thickness of the first micro-wire; and

locating a curable material in the one or more micro-channels and curing the curable material to form a cured material in each micro-channel, the cured material being in contact with the plated layer on a side of the plated layer opposite the first micro-wire.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the cured material within each of the one or more micro-channels is light-absorbing or is an electrically conductive second micro-wire that includes silver nano-particles and has a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plated layer is a first plated layer and further including electrolessly plating each second micro-wire to form a second plated layer within each micro-channel between the second micro-wire and the layer surface, the second plated layer being in electrical contact with the second micro-wire and having a thickness less than a thickness of the second micro-wire so that the first and second micro-wires and first and second plated layers form the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein each first micro-wire includes first micro-wire segments having one or more electrically open first micro-gaps between the micro-wire segments in first location(s) within each micro-channel and each second micro-wire includes second micro-wire segments separated by one or more electrically open second micro-gaps between the second micro-wire segments in second location(s) within each micro-channel different from the first location(s).