Method of reducing defects in I/C card and resulting card

A method of forming a circuitized substrate comprising the steps of:

• providing a dielectric substrate having a layer of circuitry on at least one side thereof,
• applying a first film of photoimagable dielectric material in dry form having pinholes therein over said layer of circuitry on said substrate,
• photoforming one or more openings in said first film of photoimagable dielectric material to expose one or more selected portions of the circuitry on said substrate,
• applying a second film of photoimagable dielectric material in liquid form having pin holes therein directly on said first film of said photoimagable dielectric material while maintaining the surface of and the one or more openings and the pin holes in said first film free of any conductive material,
• photoforming one or more openings in said second film of said photoimagable dielectric material, each opening in said second film of said photoimagable material being in alignment with each of one of said one or more openings in said first film of photoimagable dielectric material to thereby form one or more continuous openings through both films of photoimagable dielectric material communicating with one or more of said selected portions of said circuitry on said substrate;
• and
• forming a pattern of conductive material on said second film of said photoimagable dielectric material and within each of said one or more continuous openings in both of said films of photoimagable dielectric material and on said selected portion of said circuitry on said substrate including the step of plating a metal onto said second film of photoimagable material and into each of the one or more continuous openings.