A method for growing a transparent conductive metal layer on a substrate, comprising: activating the substrate using plasma irradiation for a predetermined amount of time; applying crystal growth ink to a surface of the substrate, wherein the crystal growth ink includes a metal ionic precursor; exposing the substrate to plasma irradiation to cause the growing of the transparent conductive metal layer comprised of a crystalline metal framework on the substrate, wherein the exposure is based on a set of predefined exposure parameters; wherein the substrate is a PET substrate; wherein the crystal growth ink comprises a structuring liquid component and a spreading liquid component, both of which are an organic solvent or a combination of organic solvents; and wherein either: i) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 13.56 MHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate, wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink, wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 4 ohm/sq and transparency of 50%, and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises large crystalline metal dendritic flakes each having a crystal node in the center; or ii) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 40 kHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate; wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 3.5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink; wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 15 ohm/sq and transparency of 80%; and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises a randomized interconnected network of metal nanocrystals. activating the substrate using plasma irradiation for a predetermined amount of time; applying crystal growth ink to a surface of the substrate, wherein the crystal growth ink includes a metal ionic precursor; exposing the substrate to plasma irradiation to cause the growing of the transparent conductive metal layer comprised of a crystalline metal framework on the substrate, wherein the exposure is based on a set of predefined exposure parameters; wherein the substrate is a PET substrate; wherein the crystal growth ink comprises a structuring liquid component and a spreading liquid component, both of which are an organic solvent or a combination of organic solvents; and wherein either: i) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 13.56 MHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate, wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink, wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 4 ohm/sq and transparency of 50%, and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises large crystalline metal dendritic flakes each having a crystal node in the center; or ii) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 40 kHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate; wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 3.5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink; wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 15 ohm/sq and transparency of 80%; and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises a randomized interconnected network of metal nanocrystals. i) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 13.56 MHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate, wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink, wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 4 ohm/sq and transparency of 50%, and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises large crystalline metal dendritic flakes each having a crystal node in the center; or ii) the set of predefined exposure parameters comprises RF frequency of 40 kHz, 150 W of power, and 30 SCCM gas flow rate; wherein the metal ionic precursor is silver nitrate with a concentration of 3.5 wt. % of the crystal growth ink; wherein the formed conductive metal layer has a resistivity of 15 ohm/sq and transparency of 80%; and wherein the crystalline metal framework comprises a randomized interconnected network of metal nanocrystals.