Inkjet printing of palladium alkanethiolates for facile fabrication of metal interconnects and surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

Pd hexadecanethiolate and Pd butanethiolate precursors were patterned using inkjet printing techniques to form metallic Pd interconnects upon thermolysis. Patterns with lateral dimensions of ~50 μm were produced. The surface morphology of the Pd interconnects was examined using scanning electron microscopy. By printing four-probe patterns, the resistance as a function of the precursor concentration was determined, allowing estimates for the resistivity of the printed interconnects. To demonstrate the utility of this fabrication approach, an electronic circuit consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes was inkjet printed and then contacted with Pd pads. These printed patterns have also been applied as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates that exhibit high sensitivity.