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Title: Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation

Abstract

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.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. 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)
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States)
  3. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-2200 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5296520
Report Number(s):
CONF-9304144-
Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X; CODEN: APCPCS; TRN: 94-005391
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 288:1; Conference: 2. international conference on laser ablation: mechanisms and applications, Knoxville, TN (United States), 19-22 Apr 1993; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 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

Citation Formats

Lowndes, D H, Godbole, M J, Jellison, Jr, G E, and Pedraza, A J. Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Lowndes, D H, Godbole, M J, Jellison, Jr, G E, & Pedraza, A J. Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation. United States.
Lowndes, D H, Godbole, M J, Jellison, Jr, G E, and Pedraza, A J. 1993. "Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation". United States.
@article{osti_5296520,
title = {Ablation, surface activation, and electroless metallization of insulating materials by pulsed excimer laser irradiation},
author = {Lowndes, D H and Godbole, M J and Jellison, Jr, G E and Pedraza, A J},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5296520}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = ,
volume = 288:1,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 1993},
month = {Sun Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 1993}
}

Conference:
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