Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States) Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-2200 (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States)
- Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-2200 (United States)
Pulsed-laser irradiation of wide bandgap ceramic substrates, using photons with sub-bandgap energies, activates the ceramic surface for subsequent electroless copper deposition. The copper deposit is confined within the irradiated region when the substrate is subsequently immersed in an electroless copper bath. However, a high laser fluence (typically several J/cm[sup 2]) and repeated laser shots are needed to obtain uniform copper coverage by this direct-irradiation process. In contrast, by first applying an evaporated SiO[sub [ital x]] film (with [ital x][similar to]1), laser ablation at quite low energy density ([similar to]0.5 J/cm[sup 2]) results in re-deposition on the ceramic substrate of material that is catalytic for subsequent electroless copper deposition. Experiments indicate that the re-deposited material is silicon, on which copper nucleates. Using an SiO[sub [ital x]] film on a laser-transparent substrate, quite fine ([similar to]12 [mu]m) copper lines can be formed at the boundary of the region that is laser-etched in SiO[sub [ital x]]. Using SiO[sub [ital x]] with an absorbing (polycrystalline) ceramic substrate, more-or-less uniform activation and subsequent copper deposition are obtained. In the later case, interactions with the ceramic substrate also may be important for uniform deposition.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5296520
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9304144-; CODEN: APCPCS; TRN: 94-005391
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 288:1; Conference: 2. international conference on laser ablation: mechanisms and applications, Knoxville, TN (United States), 19-22 Apr 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation
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Related Subjects
CERAMICS
ABLATION
COPPER
DEPOSITION
SILICON OXIDES
ETCHING
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
LASER RADIATION
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
360101* - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication
360206 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Radiation Effects