Adhesiveless flexible laminate and process for making adhesiveless flexible laminate

An adhesiveless flexible laminate, comprising:

• a flexible polyimide film having a thickness of up to about 5 mils and a plasma treated surface, the plasma used for treating said polymeric film comprising ionized oxygen generated by a non-metallic cathode;
• a nickel tie coat layer comprising nickel or a nickel alloy adhered to said plasma treated surface, said nickel tie coat layer having a thickness of about 30 to about 500 angstroms;
• a copper seed coat layer adhered to said nickel tie coat layer, said copper seed coat layer having a thickness of about 200 to about 20000 angstroms;
• and
• another layer of copper adhered to said copper seed coat layer, said another layer of copper having a thickness of up to about 70 μm.

A process for making an adhesiveless flexible laminate, comprising:

• (A) contacting at least one side of a polymeric film with a plasma comprising ionized oxygen produced from a non-metallizing cathode to provide a plasma treated surface;
• (B) depositing a tie coat layer of nickel or nickel alloy on said plasma treated surface;
• and
• (C) depositing a seed coat layer of copper on said nickel tie coat layer.

A process for making an adhesiveless flexible laminate, comprising:

• contacting at least one side of a polyimide film with a plasma comprising ionized oxygen produced from a non-metallizing cathode to provide a plasma treated surface;
• depositing a tie coat of nickel or nickel alloy on said plasma treated surface;
• depositing a seed coat of copper on said nickel tie coat, said copper seed coat having a thickness in the range of about 200 to about 20000 angstroms;
• and
• depositing another layer of copper on said copper seed coat, said another layer of copper having a thickness of up to about 70 μm.