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2025. 04. 17 -

Laser Specialist Advancing Electronic Components, V. Fiodorov, Earns a PhD in Technological Sciences

Dr Vitalij Fiodorov. Photo from personal archive
This week, our Center is witnessing as many as three PhD dissertation defenses. On April 16th, the first successful defense was delivered by Vitalij Fiodorov, a researcher at the FTMC Department of Laser Technologies.
 
His dissertation is titled “Laser-Assisted Selective Fabrication of Metal Traces on Polymers by Electroplating.” The academic advisor was Dr Gediminas Račiukaitis.
 
We congratulate our colleague and wish him continued success in pursuing impactful scientific work!
 
“This dissertation explores a technology that allows forming electrically conductive tracks on polymer surfaces using lasers. The advantage of this technology lies in its capability to create conductive tracks on complex 3D surfaces, where conventional methods are no longer effective. It is a fast and relatively inexpensive method,” says Vitalij.
 
As the physicist writes in his dissertation, the technological progress of recent decades in the semiconductor industry has led to the miniaturization of various electronic devices, enabling the production of increasingly smaller components. Moreover, the demand for producing such components on flexible or 3D-shaped substrates is growing steadily.
 
Conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs), which serve to connect electronic components and ensure their functionality, are typically manufactured in a flat, two-dimensional form using traditional fabrication techniques. This makes them difficult to integrate into devices where internal space is limited.
 
As V. Fiodorov notes, this issue could partly be resolved by utilizing technologies that allow the formation of conductive tracks on three-dimensional surfaces. The aim of the FTMC researcher’s work was precisely this - to develop a laser-assisted method for the selective formation of conductive paths on complex-shaped 3D polymer surfaces.
 
 
(Graphene - the 21st century material with vast potential in electronics. Dr Vitalij Fiodorov also uses lasers to form graphene. Illustration by AlexanderAlUS / Wikipedia.org)
 
“The method consists of several steps: first, an electric circuit pattern is written with a laser onto a polymer part. Then, the part is immersed into a bath containing a metal solution (the desired metal), where the metal is deposited by electroplating onto the laser-treated areas.
 
Electroplating works only on electrically conductive surfaces, while polymers are inherently non-conductive. However, there is a group of polymers whose conductivity can be significantly increased by laser irradiation. In some polymers, under certain laser parameters, laser-induced graphene (LIG) can be formed - a material that conducts electricity.
 
Although LIG is not sufficiently conductive for direct use in electronic devices, its conductivity is sufficient for enabling metal deposition via electroplating,” Vitalij explains.
 
In summary, the goal of the dissertation was achieved: it was determined that laser-induced graphene is suitable for electroplating - applying a metal layer on the surface using electric current. The practical value is clear: this laser-assisted technology has real potential for applications in the electronics industry.
 
Info: FTMC
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