Fabricating functional circuits on 3d freeform surfaces via intense pulsed light-induced zinc mass transfer

A method of forming an electronic circuit on a target surface using intense pulsed light-induced mass transfer (IPLMT) of metal nanoparticles (NPs), the method comprising:

• coating a first side of a carrier film with metal NPs;
• applying a pliable mask to at least a portion of a target surface;
• mounting the coated first side of the carrier film to the target surface and the pliable mask so that the pliable mask is sandwiched between the target surface and the metal NPs;
• and
• exposing the metal NPs to light energy to cause atoms of the metal NPs to evaporate and transport through openings of the pliable mask and condense on the target surface, producing a conductive pattern of condensed metal on the target surface.

An electronic circuit, comprising:

• a pattern of electrically conductive traces formed on a three dimensional (3D) structure, the traces defined by openings in a kirigami-patterned mask mounted to a surface of the 3D structure, wherein at least a portion of the pattern of electrically conductive traces comprises one or more of
• zinc (Zn) formed by intense pulsed light-induced mass transfer of Zn nanoparticles (NPs) to the surface of the 3D structure;
• silver (Ag) formed through a replacement reaction by immersing the conductive pattern in a solution of silver nitrate;
• and
• copper (Cu) formed through a replacement reaction by immersing the conductive pattern in copper sulfate.

A controllably transient degradable electronic circuit, comprising:

• a pattern of electrically conductive traces formed on a target surface, the traces defined by openings in a pliable mask mounted to the target surface, wherein at least a portion of the pattern of electrically conductive traces comprise:
• a metal comprising one or more of Zn, Mg, Mo, and W, formed by intense pulsed light-induced mass transfer (IPLMT) of corresponding one or more Zn, Mg, Mo, and W nanoparticles (NPs) to the target surface;
• and
• an encapsulation layer covering at least a portion of the electrically conductive traces.