Electroless Plating Method Using Bleaching for Conductive Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming conductive patterns in display devices, such as touch screens, face challenges with high costs, limited availability of indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings, and the need for expensive vacuum deposition processes, which hinder the development of cost-effective and reliable electromagnetic shielding solutions.
Innovation Solution
A method using reactive polymers with pendant tertiary alkyl ester groups, exposed to radiation to generate carboxylic acid groups, which are then crosslinked and used for electroless plating to form conductive metal patterns, reducing the reliance on expensive materials and processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ITO coatings are used for transparent conductive patterns, then transparency and conductivity are achieved, but cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases due to expensive vacuum deposition processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive ITO coatings with inexpensive organic dyes that can be applied through simple dip-coating or spray methods. The dye layers are thin and can be easily deposited without requiring expensive vacuum deposition equipment, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining the required transparent conductive properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical vacuum deposition process with chemical absorption and adsorption mechanisms. The organic dyes are deposited through chemical absorption onto the substrate and crosslinked through photochemical reactions, eliminating the need for complex mechanical vacuum systems and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ITO coatings are used for transparent conductive patterns, then electromagnetic shielding is provided, but device cost increases due to expensive materials and processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive organic dyes instead of expensive ITO materials to create transparent conductive patterns that provide electromagnetic shielding. The dyes can be applied through low-cost dip-coating or spray methods, significantly reducing material and processing costs while maintaining the required electromagnetic wave blocking properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters from inorganic ITO to organic dyes, and changes the deposition parameters from vacuum-based to surface-based methods. This parameter change enables cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining the electromagnetic shielding function through optimized dye concentration, layer thickness, and crosslinking conditions.
3Reliability
If conventional electroless plating is used, then conductive patterns are formed, but the process is complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary steps from conventional electroless plating processes. By using photo-crosslinkable dyes that can be directly deposited and patterned, the process removes complex multi-step procedures including vacuum deposition, extensive rinsing, and multiple processing stages, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining reliable conductive pattern formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary photo-crosslinking to the dye layers before final metal deposition. This preliminary action creates a stable, crosslinked polymer matrix that guides subsequent metal plating, eliminating the need for complex mask removal and multiple processing steps, thereby reducing process complexity while ensuring reliable conductive pattern formation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the formation of conductive metal patterns with improved cost efficiency and reliability, using high-speed roll-to-roll machines, and enhances the manufacturing process by minimizing the use of expensive high-vacuum processes, while maintaining transparency and conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
reactive polymers with pendant tertiary alkyl ester groups, exposed to radiation to generate carboxylic acid groups, which are then crosslinked
Implementation Method 2
used for electroless plating to form conductive metal patterns
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive pattern can be formed a reactive polymer comprising pendant tertiary alkyl ester groups, (b) a compound that provides an acid upon exposure to radiation, (c) a crosslinking agent that is capable of reacting in the presence of the acid, and (d) optionally, a photosensitizer. The polymeric layer is patternwise exposed to provide non-exposed regions and exposed regions comprising a polymer comprising carboxylic acid groups. Both the non-exposed regions and the exposed regions of the polymeric layer are contacted with a reducing agent, bleached to remove surface amounts of the reducing agent in both non-exposed and exposed regions of the polymeric layer, and contacted with electroless seed metal ions to oxidize the reducing agent and to form corresponding electroless seed metal nuclei in the exposed regions. The corresponding electroless seed metal nuclei are then electrolessly plated with a conductive metal.