# US 8,784,953 B2 · Method of forming a conductive image on a non-conductive surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,953 B2 - Document ID: US8784953B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/587,785 - Filed: 2012-08-16 - Published: 2013-02-21 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-19 - Assignees: Earthone Circuit Technologies Corporation - Applicants: William Wismann - Inventors: William Wismann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784953B2 ## CPC - H10W 20/057: {by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating} - C23C 18/1673: {Magnetic field} - C23C 18/18: Pretreatment of the material to be coated - H05K 3/105: {by conversion of non-conductive material on or in the support into conductive material, e.g. by using an energy beam} - H05K 3/185: {by making a catalytic pattern by photo-imaging} - H10P 14/46: using a liquid - H10W 20/01: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10W 20/081: {by forming openings in the dielectric parts} - C23C 18/22: Roughening, e.g. by etching - H05K 3/381: {by special treatment of the substrate} - H05K 2203/104: Using magnetic force, e.g. to align particles or for a temporary connection during processing - H05K 2203/1157: Using means for chemical reduction - H10W 20/031: {of conductive parts of the interconnections} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method for forming a raised conductive image on a non-conductive or dielectric surface, the method comprising placing a metal coordination complex on a surface of the substrate, exposing the surface to electromagnetic radiation, reducing the exposed complex. removing unexposed complex leaving an elemental metal image, removing unexposed metal complex and then plating the resulting elemental metal image with a highly conductive material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a layer of conductive material on a substrate surface, the method comprising: activating at least a portion of the substrate surface; depositing a metal coordination complex on a part of the activated portion of the surface; applying a magnetic field to the metal coordination complex that is located on part of the activated portion of the substrate surface to align molecules of the metal coordination complex with the magnetic field; exposing the metal coordination complex to electromagnetic radiation; reducing the metal coordination complex to elemental metal; removing unreduced metal coordination complex from the surface; drying the surface; and depositing a conductive material onto the surface; wherein the magnetic field is removed prior to the depositing the conductive material onto the surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the substrate surface comprises etching the surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein etching the surface comprises chemical etching. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein chemical etching comprises acid etching, base etching or oxidative etching. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein etching the surface comprises mechanical etching. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein etching the surface comprises plasma etching. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein etching the surface comprises laser-etching. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein plasma etching comprises etching in a pre-determined pattern. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is orthogonal to the surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where depositing a metal coordination complex on at least a portion of the surface comprises using a mask. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the mask comprises an electronic circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic circuit is selected from the group consisting of an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a mixed-signal circuit and an RF circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the metal coordination complex to electromagnetic radiation comprises microwave radiation, infrared radiation, visible light radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-ray radiation or gamma radiation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where reducing the metal coordination complex to elemental metal comprises using a combination of metals and/or catalysts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein removing unreduced metal coordination complex from the surface comprises washing the surface with a solvent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein drying the surface comprises drying at ambient temperature or drying at elevated temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein drying the surface at ambient or elevated temperature comprises using a vacuum chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein depositing a conductive material onto the surface comprises electrolytic deposition of a metal onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein electrolytic deposition of a metal onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex comprises: contacting a negative terminal of a direct current power supply with at least the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex; providing an aqueous solution comprising a salt of the metal to be deposited, an electrode made of the metal immersed in the aqueous solution or a combination thereof; contacting a positive terminal of the direct current power supply with the aqueous solution; contacting at least the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex with the aqueous solution; and turning on the power supply. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein depositing a conductive material onto the surface comprises electroless deposition of a metal onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein electrolessly depositing a metal onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex comprises contacting at least the portion of the surface comprising the metal coordination complex with a solution comprising a salt of the metal, a complexing agent and a reducing agent. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein depositing a conductive material onto the surface comprises deposition of a non-metallic conductive substance onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the non-metallic conductive material is deposited onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex by electrostatic dispersion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the entire substrate surface is activated and the metal coordination complex is deposited onto the entire surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the entire non-conductive substrate surface is activated and the metal coordination complex is deposited on a part of the activated surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein etching the surface comprises laser etching in a pre-determined pattern. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is applied during the step of depositing the metal coordination complex. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of subjecting the metal coordination complex to the magnetic field, ligands of the metal coordination complex are aligned with the magnetic field. ### Claim 29 A method of fabricating a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: activating at least a portion of the substrate surface; depositing a metal coordination complex on a part of the activated portion of the surface; applying a magnetic field to the metal coordination complex that is location on part of the activated portion of the substrate surface to align molecules of the metal coordination complex with the magnetic field; exposing the metal coordination complex to electromagnetic radiation after the applying; reducing the metal coordination complex to elemental metal after the exposing; removing unreduced metal coordination complex from the surface. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The substrate according to claim 29, wherein the magnetic field is applied during the step of depositing the metal coordination complex. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The substrate according to claim 29, wherein in the step of subjecting the metal coordination complex to the magnetic field, ligands of the metal coordination complex are aligned with the magnetic field.