Metal-film laminate resistant to delamination
AssigneeSheldahl, Inc.
InventorRichard L. Swisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible metal-film laminate can comprise a layered film structure having a metal layer securely bonded to a film layer. The laminate contains a unique metal-oxide attachment structure between the film and metal layer comprising randomly distributed regions of metal-oxide. The peel strength of such a laminate is significantly improved over prior laminates and is resistant to peel strength reduction due to environmental stress. The preferred metal-film laminates made with polyester or polyimide can be used in the manufacture of high-quality, low cost, flexible printed circuit boards.
Claims45
A metal-film laminate, resistant to the delamination of the metal from the film, which laminate comprises:
- (a) a film layer having at least one through hole, said layer bearing a non-continuous random distribution of metal-oxide, said metal-oxide selected from the group consisting of oxides of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, zirconium and mixtures thereof, said distribution less than 20 atomic layers in thickness;
- and
- (b) a metal surface adhered to the film and through-hole through the random distribution, said metal surface comprising:
- (i) a first metal layer, formed on the metal-oxide regions by vapor metallization, having a thickness of about 50 to 500 nanometers;
- and
- (ii) a second metal layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 40 .mu.m formed on the first metal layer;
- wherein the peel strength of the metal-film laminate is at least 3 pounds per inch.
A metal-film laminate, resistant to the delamination of the metal from the film, which laminate comprises:
- (a) a polymeric film having at least one through-hole;
- (b) a non-continuous random distribution on the polymeric film, having a thickness of less than 5 atomic layers, said distribution comprising a metal-oxide, said metal-oxide selected from the group consisting of oxides of chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, zirconium and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (c) a metal surface adhered to the film through the random distribution, said surface comprising:
- (i) a copper metal layer formed by vapor metallization having a thickness of about 50 to 500 nanometers;
- and
- (ii) a second metal layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 40 .mu.m formed on the metallized layer;
- wherein the peel strength of the metal-film laminate is at least 3 pounds per inch.
A metal-film laminate, resistant to delamination of the metal from the film, which laminate comprises:
- (a) a film layer having at least one through-hole, the film surface bearing a non-continuous random distribution of metal-oxide, said metal-oxide selected from the group consisting of oxides of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, zirconium and mixtures thereof, said distribution less than 5 atomic layers in thickness;
- and
- (b) a copper surface adhered to the film through the random distribution, said copper surface comprising:
- (i) a first copper layer, formed on the metal-oxide regions by vapor metallization, having a thickness of about 50-500 nanometers;
- and
- (ii) a second copper layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 40 .mu.m formed on the first copper layer;
- wherein the peel strength of the metal-film laminate is at least 3 pounds per inch.
A metal-film laminate, resistant to the delamination of metal from the film, which laminate comprises:
- (a) a film layer having at least one through-hole the film surface bearing a non-continuous random distribution of a metal and a metal-oxide, said metal-oxide selected from the group consisting of oxides of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, zirconium and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (b) a metal surface adhered to the film through the random distribution, said metal surface comprising:
- (i) a first copper layer, formed on the metal-oxide by vapor metallization, having a thickness of about 50 to 500 nanometers;
- and
- (ii) a second metal layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 40 .mu.m formed on the first copper layer;
- wherein the laminate is free of a metal tie-coat and a peel strength of the metal-film laminate is at least 3 pounds per inch.
A metal-film laminate, resistant to the delamination of metal from the film, which laminate comprises:
- (a) a polymeric film having at least one through-hole;
- (b) a non-continuous random distribution on the polymeric film, comprising a metal and a metal-oxide, said metal-oxide selected from the group consisting of oxides of chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, zirconium and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (c) a metal surface adhered to the film through the random distribution, said surface comprising:
- (i) a copper metal layer formed by vapor metallization having a thickness of about 50 to 500 nanometers;
- and
- (ii) a second copper layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 40 .mu.m formed on the metallized copper layer;
- wherein the laminate is free of a metal tie-coat and a peel strength of the metal film laminate is at least 5 pounds per inch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.