Atypical Properties of a Thin Silver Layer Deposited on a Composite Textile Substrate

Abstract

Thin layers are widely used in electronics and protective coatings. They are also increasingly used in wearable electronics. A major challenge affecting the use of thin layers is their connection to flexible substrates, particularly textile products. This article describes the stability of the resistance of a silver layer with a thickness of 250 nm in a wide temperature range of 15–295 K. The aim was to determine the temperature dependence of the resistance of layers formed on a composite textile substrate compared with that of layers produced on an Al2O3 substrate. The results showed that the electrical parameters of the layer formed on the composite textile substrate changed in a manner atypical for metallic layers. This may have been due to the polyurethane base layer. The roughness and ability to deform under the influence of heat of the substrate can significantly affect the electrical parameters of a thin metal layer produced by the PVD coating process, which is important for the design of textronic applications.

The Influence of Buffer Layer Type on the Electrical Properties of Metallic Layers Deposited on Composite Textile Substrates in the PVD Process

“…As was described in Section 2.1 , Cordura is a composite substrate with a complex structure. The weave of nylon threads is covered with a thin layer of polyurethane [ 31 ]. In the case of Cordura, polyurethane plays a key role as a binder.…”

“…chanical stress or uncontrolled heat transfer, the test samples were mounted in a special rack used in the previous authors' work [31]. A special stand ensured that the sample was supported with thin threads without tension and with minimal thermal contact [31].…”

“…This assumption allowed for a comparison of the samples, regardless of their resistance and type of metallic layer. To limit the influence of external factors, such as mechanical stress or uncontrolled heat transfer, the test samples were mounted in a special rack used in the previous authors’ work [ 31 ]. A special stand ensured that the sample was supported with thin threads without tension and with minimal thermal contact [ 31 ].…”

“…To limit the influence of external factors, such as mechanical stress or uncontrolled heat transfer, the test samples were mounted in a special rack used in the previous authors’ work [ 31 ]. A special stand ensured that the sample was supported with thin threads without tension and with minimal thermal contact [ 31 ]. The sample and external heater were supplied from dual, independently controlled current sources HM8142 (Hameg Instruments, A Rohde & Schwarz Company, Frankfurt, Germany).…”

“…The quality of the interface is very important for ensuring reliable microelectronic devices [ 30 ]. Applying thin metallic structures in wearable electronics systems is also influenced by the connections made between the elements of the systems [ 31 ], so, due to previous work, the glued connections are used in current research.…”