High resolution sensing and control of electrohydrodynamic jet printing

A method of high resolution, speed and precision electrohydrodynamic jet printing of a printable fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a nozzle containing a printable fluid;
• providing a substrate having a substrate surface;
• placing the substrate surface in fluid communication with the nozzle;
• applying an electric potential difference between the nozzle and the substrate surface to establish an electrostatic force to said printable fluid in the nozzle, thereby controllably ejecting the printable fluid from the nozzle onto the substrate;
• monitoring a current output during printing;
• wherein the monitoring step further comprises:
• recording the output current during printing;
• identifying off-line a current spike with an individual printed droplet;
• generating a process map by identifying a printing condition from the current spike;
• identifying a process parameter input from said process map for a desired printing condition;
• and
• controlling a process parameter based on the monitored current output to provide electrohydrodynamic jet printing;
• wherein said controlling step further comprises inputting the identified process parameter during printing to provide printing control.