System and method for formation of electrical conductors on a substrate

A method of forming an electrical conductor on a substrate comprising:

• printing a first pattern on a substrate with an electrically non-conductive material to form a second pattern on the substrate that is substantially free of the electrically non-conductive material, the substrate having a surface area that is essentially comprised of the first pattern and the second pattern;
• applying by vacuum evaporation an electrically conductive material to the surface area of the substrate to cover the electrically non-conductive material of the first pattern and the substrate essentially free of the electrically non-conductive material to enable the electrically conductive material covering the second pattern to operate as an electrical conductor electrically isolated from the electrically conductive material covering the electrically non-conductive material applied in the first pattern;
• and
• heating the substrate and the electrically non-conductive material to a temperature higher than a softening point of the electrically non-conductive material prior to and during the vacuum evaporation, the electrically non-conductive material essentially comprising one of an emulsion aggregation toner and a phase-change ink.