Noncontact conductivity and dielectric measurement for high throughput roll-to-roll nanomanufacturing

Published

November 23, 2015

Author(s)

Nathan D. Orloff, Christian J. Long, Jan Obrzut, Laurent Millaud, Francesca Mirri, Thomas R. Kole, Robert D. McMichael, Mattei Pasquali, Stephan J. Stranick, James A. Liddle

Abstract

Advances in roll-to-roll processing of graphene [1] and carbon nanotube [2] have at last led to the continuous production of high-quality coatings and filaments, ushering in a wave of applications for flexible [3], [4] and wearable [5] electronics, woven fabrics [6], and wires [2]. These applications often require specific electrical properties, and hence precise control over material micro- and nanostructure. While such control can be achieved, in principle, using closed-loop processing methods, there are relatively few noncontact and nondestructive options for quantifying the electrical properties of materials on a moving web at the speed required in modern nanomanufacturing. Here, we demonstrate a noncontact microwave method for measuring the dielectric constant and conductivity (or geometry for samples of known dielectric properties) of materials in a millisecond. Such measurement times are compatible with current and future industrial needs, enabling real-time materials characterization and in-line control of processing variables without disrupting production [7].

Citation

Nature

Pub Type

Journals

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DOI Link

Keywords

high-speed, high throughput, inline, thickness, electrical, microwave, metrology, roll-to-roll, web processing, noncontact

Citation

Orloff, N. , Long, C. , Obrzut, J. , Millaud, L. , Mirri, F. , Kole, T. , McMichael, R. , Pasquali, M. , Stranick, S. and Liddle, J. (2015), Noncontact conductivity and dielectric measurement for high throughput roll-to-roll nanomanufacturing, Nature, [online], https://doi.org/10.1038/srep17019 (Accessed October 13, 2025)