For handling the continuous growing amount of data, the DFG-funded research group OPTAVER is developing an efficient and low-cost approach to manufacture Opto-Mechatronic Interconnect Devices. The first step consists of printing conditioning lines onto a carrier substrate by means of flexographic printing. Secondly an aerosol jetting process applies the polymeric optical waveguide material between two parallel conditioning lines. Due to their low surface energy, a self-centering effect causes the material to flow between the lines to form a high quality polymer optical waveguide (POW). Since the form of the POW correlates directly with the form of the conditioning lines and therefore with its quality, the flexographic printing process of the conditioning lines is the most important step in this process. To improve the printing results, the printing form can be functionalized and the material transferring behavior adjusted.

Therefore, in this work the printing form is divided into three different areas: First the elevated, material transferring structures (1); second the rising edges between the printing form substrate and the elevated structures(2) and third the transition area (3) between (1) and (2). These three areas are laser functionalized by inserting a defined micro pattern. Subsequently the printing results are investigated and categorized in groups. The groups indicate which functionalized surfaces (1,2,3) have what kind of influence on the printing result. Lastly a way is presented, how the waviness of the conditioning lines can be reduced significantly by laser functionalizing to improve the quality of the waveguides.