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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Brady, Stephen L. Buchwalter, Richard J. Gambino, Martin J. Goldberg, Kam L. Lee, Alfred Viehbeck
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The invention is directed to a method for forming a metal coating on a substrate by applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element from the Periodic Table of the Elements to the substrate. The oxalate is selected so that it will decompose to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source. Microelectronic circuits, etch masks or metal contacts on superconductors can be formed by the method when the oxalate coating is exposed to an energy source through a mask or the energy source beamed at the oxalate to trace a pattern on it. The metal thus obtained can be subsequently coated by electroless compositions especially where the Group VIII element is a catalyst for electroless coatings such as palladium. Additionally, the metal coating may be coated by an electrolytic composition. Through hole plating can also be achieved by applying the oxalates of a Group VIII element in the through hole of a circuit board followed by exposure to an energy source optionally followed by the application of an electroless and/or electrolytic metal composition.
A method of forming a metal pattern on a substrate comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said substrate that can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source in a pattern to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal in a pattern on said substrate, where said oxalate has the formula:
A method of coating a circuit board with a metal coating comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said board wherein said oxalate can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal coating on said board wherein said coating comprises a circuit pattern or a coated through hole or both a circuit pattern and a coated through hole on said board, where said oxalate has the formula:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.