Rapid PCB prototyping by selective adhesion

A method for producing a circuit, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate having a curable adhesive adjacent a first side of the substrate;
• providing a conductive layer adjacent the curable adhesive opposite the substrate;
• providing a conductive layer support adjacent the conductive layer opposite the curable adhesive;
• forming a circuit pattern on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side such that the circuit pattern obscures portions of the curable adhesive and other portions of the curable adhesive are unobscured;
• exposing the substrate and the circuit pattern to a curing process so that portions of the curable adhesive not obscured by the circuit pattern cure and thereby bond to corresponding portions of the conductive layer and the circuit pattern prevents portions of the curable adhesive obscured by the circuit pattern from curing and thereby do not bond to other portions of the conductive layer;
• and
• separating the substrate and the conductive layer support such that the portions of the conductive layer bonded to the curable adhesive are retained by the curable adhesive and the portions of the conductive layer not bonded to the curable adhesive are retained by the conductive layer support, the substrate, curable adhesive, bonded portions of the conductive layer forming a circuit with bonded portions of the conductive layer forming one or more circuit traces.

A PCB blank comprising:

• a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
• a curable adhesive adjacent the first side of the substrate, the substrate being configured to receive a circuit pattern on its second side via a printer such that the circuit pattern obscures portions of the curable adhesive and leaves other portions of the curable adhesive unobscured, the unobscured portions of the curable adhesive being configured to cure when exposed to light traversing through the circuit pattern;
• a conductive layer adjacent the curable adhesive opposite the substrate, portions of the conductive layer being configured to be bonded to the cured portions of the curable adhesive;
• and
• a conductive layer support adjacent the conductive layer opposite the curable adhesive, the conductive layer support being configured to be separated from the substrate such that the bonded portions of the conductive layer are retained by the substrate and other portions of the conductive layer are retained by the conductive layer support so that the substrate, curable adhesive, and bonded portions of the conductive layer form a circuit with the bonded portions of the conductive layer forming one or more circuit traces, the circuit traces being configured to be soldered to circuit components.