Direct fabrication of patterned PbS and CdS on organic sheets at ambient temperature by on-site reaction using inkjet printer

Patterned crystalline films of lead sulfide (PbS) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) have been fabricated on a paper as one of organic sheets by a direct solution reaction at room temperature. A drop-on-demand inkjet printer, which is particularly interesting because it is a noncontact technique, was used to fabricate them. The projected drop of ink travels directly through air to the substrate where a reactant solution is immersed homogeneously. Then, the interfacial reaction between the two solutions can produce solid target materials with a desired pattern on the substrate. This is regarded as a simultaneous process of synthesis and patterning or an on-site fabrication of patterned ceramics. All of the films were fabricated at room temperature without any postfiring/postheating treatments. The optional patterning of these materials with widths of 100 μm has been successful. In addition, it was confirmed that the patterned materials were crystalline and had adequate optical properties. It indicates this method to be effective for direct patterning of various functional materials.