US5079600A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High resolution patterning on solid substrates
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1988-04-14
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Granted: 1992-01-07
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Expires: 2008-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing metal plated paths on a solid substrate of the kind which has polar functional groups at its surface, utilizing a self-assembling film that is chemically absorbed on the substrate's surface. The solid substrate may, for example, be an insulator of the kind used for substrates in printed circuitry or may, as another example, be a semiconductor of the kind used in semiconductor microcircuitry. The chemical reactivity in regions of the ultra-thin film is altered to produce a desired pattern in the film. A catalytic precursor which adheres only to those regions of the film having enough reactivity to bind the catalyst is applied to the film's surface. The catalyst coated structure is then immersed in an electroless plating bath where metal plates onto the regions activated by the catalyst.
Inventors
- 👤 Joel M. Schnur
- 👤 Paul E. Schoen
- 👤 Martin C. Peckerar
- 👤 Christie R. K. Marrian
- 👤 Jeffrey M. Calvert
- 👤 Jacque H. Georger, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:01
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/16; G03F7/165; B; B05; B05D; B05D1/00; B05D1/18; B05D1/185; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y30/00; B82Y40/00; C; C09; C09D; C09D4/00; C12; C12N; C12N5/00; C12N5/0068; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/1601; C23C18/1603; C23C18/1607; C23C18/1608; C23C18/1612; C23C18/18; C23C18/1851; C23C18/1872; C23C18/1886; C23C18/1893; G03F7/004; G06; G06N; G06N3/00; G06N3/002; G06N99/00; G06N99/007; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/181; H05K3/182; H05K3/185; H10; H10K; H10K10/00; H10K10/701; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/46; H10P14/47; B01; B01J; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/00277; B01J2219/00351; B01J2219/00427; B01J2219/00432; B01J2219/00583; B01J2219/00603; B01J2219/00605; B01J2219/0061; B01J2219/00612; B01J2219/00614; B01J2219/00617; B01J2219/00621; B01J2219/00623; B01J2219/00626; B01J2219/0063; B01J2219/00632; B01J2219/00637; B01J2219/00659; B01J2219/00709; B01J2219/00711; B82Y5/00; C12N2535/00; C12N2535/10; C40; C40B; C40B60/00; C40B60/14; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12014; Y10T428/12028; Y10T428/12049; Y10T428/12056; Y10T428/26; Y10T428/263; Y10T428/264; Y10T428/265
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A process for producing conductive paths on a substrate of the kind having polar functional groups at its surface, comprising the steps of; (a) causing a self-assembling monomolecular film to be chemically adsorbed on the surface of the substrate, (b) altering the reactivity in regions of the film to produce a predetermined pattern in the film, (c) causing a catalytic precursor to adhere only to those regions of the film that have sufficient reactivity to bind the catalytic precursor, and (d) placing the substrate in an electroless metal plating bath whereby a metal plate is produced in those regions having the catalytic precursor thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing conductive paths on a substrate of the kind having polar functional groups at its surface, comprising the steps of; (a) causing a self-assembling monomolecular film to be chemically adsorbed on the surface of the substrate, (b) altering the reactivity in regions of the film to produce a predetermined pattern in the film, (c) causing a catalytic precursor to adhere only to those regions of the film that have sufficient reactivity to bind the catalytic precursor, and (d) placing the substrate in an electroless metal plating bath whereby a metal plate is produced in those regions having the catalytic precursor thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substance and wherein the self-assembling monomolecular film is a silane of the R n SiX m type where; R is an organic functional group; n=1,2 or 3; m=4-n; and X is selected from the class consisting of a halogen, alkoxy or amine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a solid of semiconductive silicon and wherein the self-assembling monomolecular film is produced on the solid by adsorption from a solution containing a chlorosilane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 3, wherein the chlorosilane in solution is 7-octenyldimethylchlorosilane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 3, wherein the chlorosilane in solution is 5-hexenyldimethylchlorosilane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 2, wherein the catalytic precursor is a colloid containing palladium and tin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 6, wherein the substrate is treated sequentially with chemical compounds of tin and palladium to produce a catalytic precursor thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the reactivity in regions of the film is altered by irradiating those regions with irradiation that promotes photolytic cleavage of the irradiated regions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 8, wherein the wafer is situated in a vacuum or an inert atmosphere during the irradiation procedure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 9, wherein the irradiation is UV light whose wavelength is less than 200 nm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 10, wherein the self-assembling film is a silane layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a solid of semiconductive silicon having hydroxyl groups on its surface and wherein the self-assembling monomolecular film is bound to the substrate by siloxane bridges to those hydroxyl groups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
A process for producing metal paths on a substrate comprising, selecting a monomolecular film forming the surface of said substrate, altering the reactivity in regions of said film by irradiating to produce a predetermined pattern in the film, causing a catalytic reaction to occur only at those regions of the film that have sufficient reactivity to a predetermined catalyst and placing the substrate in an electroless metal plating bath whereby a metal plate is produced in those regions which have been catalyzed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
A process for producing metal paths on a substrate comprising, selecting a monomolecular film forming the surface of said substrate, altering the reactivity in regions of said film by irradiating to produce a predetermined pattern in the film, causing a catalytic reaction to occur only at those regions of the film that have sufficient reactivity to a predetermined catalyst and placing the substrate in an electroless metal plating bath whereby a metal plate is produced in those regions which have been catalyzed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 13 wherein the substrate is dielectric silicon oxide and the film is produced on the substrate by absorption from a solution containing a chlorosilane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is alumina and the film is produced from a chlorosilane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is a conducting metal and the film is produced by absorption from a chlorosilane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with the process of claim 15 wherein the chlorosilane is UTF1.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process in accordance of the process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the class consisting of semiconductive silicon, dielectric silicon oxide, alumina, metal and quartz and said film is absorbed from a solution containing a silane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the silane is 4-aminobutyldimethylmethoxysilane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process in accordance with the process of claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of semiconductive silicon, dielectric silicon, alumina, metal and quartz, said monomolecular film is absorbed from a solution consisting of a silane or a titanate, said catalytic precursor is a colloid containing palladium and tin, and said metal plate is selected from the group consisting of metals that can be deposited by electroless plating copper, gold, cobalt, nickel, permalloy (iron-nickel-boron alloy) and palladium, and further comprising placing the substrate in a reactive ion etch to transfer patterns to the substrate followed by stripping the metal with an oxidizing acid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
9 words
A product produced by the process of claim 1.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electrical device having high resolution metal plate lines produced by the process of claim 13.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process of producing patterned molecular assemblies on a substrate comprising, providing a substrate having at least one layer of radiation reactive material having substantially equal reactivity over a surface, exposing said one layer of radiation reactive material to patterned radiation to create spatially separated first and second areas of different reactivity, building at least one additional layer of material directly on one of said first and second areas to create a patterned on the substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
76 words
A process of producing patterned molecular assemblies on a substrate comprising, providing a substrate having at least one layer of radiation reactive material having substantially equal reactivity over a surface, exposing said one layer of radiation reactive material to patterned radiation to create spatially separated first and second areas of different reactivity, building at least one additional layer of material directly on one of said first and second areas to create a patterned on the substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process in accordance with the process of claim 23 wherein said additional layer is selected from inorganic materials, organic materials, semiconductive materials, metals or combinations thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process in accordance with the process of claim 23 wherein said at least one additional layer is a metal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claim 23 wherein said at least one additional layer comprises two different metal layers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
A process in accordance with claim 23 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substance and wherein the layer of radiation reactive material is a silane of the R n SiX m type where: R is an organic functional group; n=1,2 or 3; m=4-n; and X is selected from the class consisting of a halogen, alkoxy or amine.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 wherein said at least one additional layer comprises a conductive metal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process in accordance with claim 28 wherein said silane is a chlorosilane.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process in accordance with claim 23 wherein said building step comprises an electroless plating step.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process in accordance with claim 30 wherein said first mentioned at least one layer is a radiation reactive material and said substrate comprises a second material underlying said reactive material layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process in accordance with claim 31 wherein said at least one additional layer comprises a conductive metal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
9 words
A product produced by the process of claim 23.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electrical device having high resolution metal plate lines produced by the process of claim 32.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-06 | 1995-07-08 | 1996-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-06 | 1999-07-08 | 2000-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-06 | 2003-07-08 | 2004-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |