Method of forming a conductive image on a non-conductive surface

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.

1 . A method of forming a conductive layer on a surface, comprising:
 activating at least a portion of a non-conductive substrate surface;   depositing a metal coordination complex on at least a part of the activated portion of the surface under the influence of an applied 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.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the substrate surface comprises etching the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein etching the surface comprises at least one of: chemical etching, mechanical etching, plasma etching, and laser etching. 
     
     
         4 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein etching comprises etching in a pre-determined pattern according to at least one of: an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a mixed-signal circuit, and an RF circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where the magnetic field has a magnetic flux density of at least 1000 gauss. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field is orthogonal to the surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , where depositing a metal coordination complex on at least a portion of the surface comprises using a mask. 
     
     
         12 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , where reducing the metal coordination complex to a zero oxidation state metal comprises using a combination of metals and/or catalysts. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing unreduced metal coordination complex from the surface comprises washing the surface with a solvent. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drying the surface comprises drying at ambient temperature or drying at elevated temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein drying the surface at ambient or elevated temperature comprises using a vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         23 . 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. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein electrolytic deposition of a metal onto the portion of the surface comprising the reduced metal coordination complex:
 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.   
     
     
         25 . 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. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . 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. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the entire non-conductive substrate surface is activated and the metal coordination complex is deposited onto the entire surface. 
     
     
         30 . 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.