Apparatus comprising conductive portions and a method of making the apparatus

Abstract

A method comprising: creating first conductive traces over a substrate by selective creation of metallization over the substrate using selective direct structuring of a material configured for selective direct structuring; and creating second conductive areas over the substrate directly in contact with at least parts of the first conductive traces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a substrate;   first conductive areas formed at the substrate by selective creation of metallization at the substrate using selective direct structuring of a material configured for selective direct structuring or using selective material deposition; and   second conductive areas formed by metallization over portions of the material and in contact with at least parts of the first conductive areas.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material configured for selective direct structuring comprises material configured to respond to irradiation provided during selective direct structuring to convert to an irradiated state in which the material functions, where the material has been irradiated, as a substrate for metallization. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising:
 a first upper surface portion of the material being selectively irradiated, wherein the selected irradation converts the first upper surface portion of the material from a first state to a second state in which the material is a substrate for metallization, and wherein the first upper surface portion of the first layer of material in the second state is selectively metallized.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , the material is converted from the first state to the second state by ablation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the material comprises a reducing agent dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization in a second state. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the material comprises metal oxide dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization in a second state. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the material comprises transition metal oxide dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization in a second state. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the material comprises an accelerator dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization in a second state. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the accelerator is AM x B y O z  A is one or more elements selected from Groups 10 and 11 of the Periodic Table, M is one or more metal elements in oxidation state  3 +selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Mn, Al, Ga, In, Ti and rare earth elements, O is oxygen, B is boron, x=0 to 2, y=0.01 to 2 and z=1 to 4;   or   wherein the accelerator is A′M′ m B y O n      and wherein A′ is one or more elements selected from Groups 9, 10 or 11 of the Periodic Table, M′ is one or more metal elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo, W, Se, Te and Po, O is oxygen, m=0.01 to 2 and n=2 to 4.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the accelerator A′M′ m B y O n  is a spinel-structure oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the material comprises multi-metal oxide dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization in a second state, wherein the multi-metals of the multi-metal oxide are transition metals. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first conductive areas are formed by selective creation of metallization over portions of the material, and wherein the second conductive areas formed over the substrate are substantially directly in contact with at least parts of the first conductive areas. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein conductive areas comprise conductive ink. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein conductive areas comprise transparent conductive ink. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a reducing agent dispersed in a dielectric medium that provides for metallization when the material is irradiated. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a housing for an electronic device,
 an input device for an electronic device; or   at least one capacitance sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first layer of the material is deposited on the substrate, wherein the first layer of material is configured for selective direct structuring. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein metallization comprises electroless plating. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a three-dimensional injection-molded plastic substrate configured as a cover for a hand-portable electronic device. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a supporting substrate;   a dielectric configured to respond to irradiation to convert to an irradiated state in which the dielectric functions, where the dielectric has been irradiated, as a substrate for metallization;   first conductive traces formed over portions of the dielectric that have been subject to laser direct structuring; and   patterned second conductive areas formed over the substrate and directly in contact with at least parts of the first conductive traces.