Laser-based droplet array jetting of high viscous materials

1. A method of laser-based droplet jetting, comprising coating a substantially uniform layer of a viscous ink on a mesh-like transport screen, said ink being retained within spaces of the mesh-like transport screen, conveying the ink-coated mesh-like transport screen to a working area, and, with the ink-coated mesh-like transport screen positioned within the working area, heating the ink within the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen with a laser beam through a transparent substrate disposed over said working area, said heating creating micro-vapor bubbles within the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen, thereby causing ink droplets to be jetted from the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen,

wherein the substantially uniform layer of viscous ink is coated on the mesh-like transport screen in an ink application area in which the ink is injected into the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen from a top portion of the mesh-like transport screen and excess portions of the ink are removed from a bottom portion of the mesh-like transport screen, and

wherein the excess portions of the ink are removed from the bottom portion of the mesh-like transport screen by a squeegee arrangement located downstream, from a standpoint of translation of the mesh-like transport screen with respect to a position at which the ink is injected into the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen, from the position at which the ink is injected into the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a structure on a receiving substrate arranged near the working area by jetting the ink droplets in an aggregation across a gap from the mesh-like transport screen to the receiving substrate and displacing the mesh-like transport screen and the laser beam relative to one another at times between the jetting of the droplets; or by jetting those of the ink droplets that will not contribute to the structure from the mesh-like transport screen and subsequently directly printing remaining ones of the ink droplets onto the receiving substrate while the receiving substrate is in contact with the mesh-like transport screen.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein within the working area, the laser beam is made incident upon the ink disposed within the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen, or the laser beam is made incident upon an area adjacent to the ink disposed within the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the mesh-like transport screen under lateral strain while the laser beam is used to heat the ink within the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the transparent substrate on a top surface of the mesh-like transport screen after the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen have been filled with the ink.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, prior to arranging the transparent substrate on the top surface of the mesh-like transport screen, coating a bottom surface of the transparent substrate with a heat absorbing layer.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, prior to arranging the transparent substrate on the top surface of the mesh-like transport screen, introducing a heat absorbing layer between a bottom surface of the transparent substrate and the mesh-like transport screen.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the heat absorbing layer is introduced by coating the heat absorbing layer on a top surface of the mesh-like transport screen after the spaces of the mesh-like transport screen have been filled with the ink.