Method for applying metal catalyst patterns onto ceramic for electroless copper deposition

A method for applying catalytically active metal clusters onto an alumina substrate for subsequent catalysis of electroless copper deposition, for the purpose of providing fine line, high resolution, geometries of copper on the alumina substrate, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a film of a metallo-organic solution onto the alumina substrate, said metallo-organic solution comprising a xylene-soluble platinum amine compound;
• selectively irradiating said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound with deep ultraviolet light including the wavelength of about 254 nanometers for a duration sufficient to selectively transform said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound into a xylene-insoluble platinum compound;
• rinsing said substrate in xylene for a duration sufficient to remove said remaining xylene-soluble platinum amine compound from said substrate;
• and
• pyrolyzing said xylene-insoluble platinum compound in an oxygen-containing environment at a temperature between about 300.degree. and 1000.degree. C. for a duration sufficient to thermally decompose said xylene-insoluble platinum compound into clusters of catalytically active platinum;
• such that said catalytically active platinum provides the catalyst for subsequent electroless copper deposition at said selectively irradiated regions, which thereby produce fine line, high resolution, geometries of copper on said substrate.

A method for electrolessly depositing copper onto an alumina substrate comprising the steps of:

• selectively depositing a metal catalyst onto said alumina substrate prior to the electroless deposition of copper onto said alumina substrate, so that said selective contact defines said desired regions of subsequent electroless copper deposition,
• wherein the improvement comprises the following steps for depositing said metal catalyst onto said alumina substrate:
• depositing a film of a metallo-organic solution onto said alumina substrate, said metallo-organic solution being a xylene-soluble platinum amine compound;
• selectively irradiating said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound with deep ultraviolet light so as to selectively transform said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound into a xylene-insoluble platinum compound;
• removing said remaining xylene-soluble platinum amine compound from said substrate;
• and
• pyrolyzing said xylene-insoluble platinum compound in an oxygen-containing environment at a temperature sufficient to thermally decompose said xylene-insoluble platinum compound into catalytically active platinum at said selectively irradiated regions.

A method for electrolessly depositing copper onto an alumina substrate comprising the steps of:

• selectively depositing a metal catalyst onto said alumina substrate prior to the electroless deposition of copper onto said alumina substrate, so that said selective contact defines said desired regions of subsequent electroless copper deposition,
• wherein the improvement comprises the following steps for depositing said metal catalyst onto said alumina substrate:
• depositing a film of a metallo-organic solution onto said alumina substrate, said metallo-organic solution being a xylene-soluble platinum amine compound;
• selectively irradiating said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound with deep ultraviolet light containing the wavelength of about 254 nanometers, so as to selectively transform said xylene-soluble platinum amine compound into a xylene-insoluble platinum compound;
• rinsing said substrate in xylene for a duration sufficient to remove said remaining xylene-soluble platinum amine compound from said substrate;
• and
• pyrolyzing said xylene-insoluble platinum compound in an oxygen-containing environment at a temperature between about 300.degree. C. and 1000.degree. C. for a duration sufficient to thermally decompose said xylene-insoluble platinum compound into catalytically active platinum at said selectively irradiated regions.