Electroless Plating Method Using Halide for Conductive Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming conductive patterns in display devices, such as touch screens, are costly and inefficient due to the use of expensive materials like indium tin oxide (ITO) and complex vacuum deposition processes, and there is a need for more affordable and reliable techniques to achieve transparent and conductive patterns.
Innovation Solution
The use of reactive polymers with pendant tertiary alkyl ester groups, acid-generating compounds, and crosslinking agents to form conductive metal patterns through electroless plating, allowing for pattern-wise exposure and crosslinking, followed by metal ion deposition and plating, which reduces material costs and processing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ITO coatings are used to create capacitive patterns for touch screens, then transparent conductive patterns can be formed, but the material cost increases due to expensive rare earth metal indium and the processing complexity increases due to expensive vacuum deposition methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive ITO coatings with organic-inorganic hybrid materials that can be deposited from solution rather than requiring vacuum deposition. This uses cheaper, more abundant materials and simpler processing methods to achieve the same transparent conductive function in touch screen applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material state from inorganic ceramic ITO to organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials, allowing deposition from solution at lower temperatures. This parameter change enables simpler manufacturing processes while maintaining or improving the transparent conductive properties needed for touch screens
2Manufacturing precision
If photolithography and mask materials are used to provide conductive patterns, then precise pattern formation can be achieved, but the manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the expensive photolithography and mask materials steps from the manufacturing process. By using self-assembling organic-inorganic hybrid materials that form patterns directly during deposition, the method eliminates entire process steps while maintaining pattern precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary pattern formation through the self-organizing properties of the hybrid materials during the deposition process itself, rather than requiring subsequent photolithography steps. The materials inherently form the desired conductive patterns as they are deposited, eliminating later patterning operations
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 method enables the formation of conductive metal patterns with improved cost-effectiveness and manufacturing efficiency, using less expensive materials and eliminating the need for high-vacuum processes, while maintaining high conductivity and transparency.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the first exposed regions of the polymeric layer with a halide to react with the electroless seed metal ions and to form corresponding electroless seed metal halide
Implementation Method 2
patternwise exposing the polymeric layer to radiation having a λmax of at least 150 nm and up to and including 450 nm, to provide a polymeric layer comprising non-exposed regions and first exposed regions comprising a polymer comprising carboxylic acid groups
Implementation Method 3
electrolessly plating the corresponding electroless seed metal nuclei in the first exposed regions, the second exposed regions, or both of the first exposed regions and the second exposed regions, of the polymeric layer with a metal
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive pattern is formed using a reactive polymer comprising pendant tertiary alkyl ester groups, a compound that provides an acid upon exposure to radiation, and a crosslinking agent. A polymeric layer is patternwise exposed to form first exposed regions with a polymer comprising carboxylic acid groups that are contacted with electroless seed metal ions, and then contacted with a halide to form corresponding electroless seed metal halide. Another exposure converts electroless seed metal halide to electroless seed metal nuclei and forms second exposed regions. A reducing agent is used to develop the electroless seed metal nuclei in the second exposed regions, or to develop the electroless seed metal halide in the first exposed regions. Fixing is used to remove any remaining electroless seed metal halide. The electroless seed metal nuclei are then electrolessly plated in various exposed regions.