Method of generating precious metal-reducing patterns

Abstract

Abstract A PATTERN CAPABLE OF REDUCING THEREON A PRECIOUS METAL IS GENERATED ON A SUITABLE SUBSTRATE BY FIRST COATING SELESTED PORTIONS OF THE SUBSTRATE WITH A SOLUTION, CALLED A PHOTOPROMOTER, WHICH CONTAINS A METAL SALT. THE METAL SALT POSSESSES TWO CHARACTERISTICS: (A) THE OXIDATION STATE OF THE SALT (I.E., OF THE METAL ION) IS ALTERABLE (EITHER INCREASABLE OR DECREASEABLE) BY EXPOSURE OF THE SALT TO RADIATION OF THE PROPER WAVELENGTH; AND (B) IN EITHER THE ORIGINAL OR THE ALTERED OXIDATION STATE (BUT NOT IN BOTH STATES) THE SALT IS CAPABLE OF REDUCING A PRECIOUS METAL, E.G., A METAL OF THE PLATINUM GROUP SUCH AS PALLADIUM, PLATINUM OR RHODIU, FROM A SALT THEREOF. THE PHOTOPROMOTER-COATED SUBSTRATE IS NEXT SELECTIVELY EXPOSED TO THE PROPER WAVELENGTH RADIATION TO PRODUCE A PATTERN OF THE PHOTOPROMOTER SALT CAPABLE OF REDUCING THE PRECIOUS METAL. THE REMAINDER OF THE SALT IS INCAPABLE OF REDUCING THE PRECIOUS METAL. THE PATTERN MAY THEN BE EXPOSED TO A SOLUTION CONTAINING A SALT OF THE PRECIOUS METAL TO REDUCE THEREON THE PRECIOUS METAL. ULTIMATELY, THE PRECIOUS METAL PETTERN MAY BE USED TO REDUCE ELECTROLESSLY A METAL, SUCH AS COPPER, TO PRODUCE A METALLIC PATTERN, SUCH AS AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT PATTERN.

Inventors

• 👤 Michael Anthony Deangelo
• 👤 Donald Jex Sharp

Bibliographic Details