International Business Machines Corporation

William A Donson

Alfred Viehbeck

Stephen L Buchwalter

Martin J Goldberg

Stephen L Tisdale

Kurt R Grebe

Linda C Matthew

Caroline A Kovac

Michael R Scheuermann

Keith A Snyder

James V Ellerson

John J Glenning

Walter P Pawlowski

Mark J Schadt

Richard B Hammer

William Lafer

Certain organic polymeric materials are capable of reversibly accepting or donating electrons from a reducing entity. The redox sites in the polymer accept electrons and, as a result, a change in the properties of the polymer occurs. This change is useful in modifying or etching the polymeric material The material can be modified by incorporation of metallic seeds into the material at a controlled depth. The seeds are incorporated by interaction of cations of the metals with the redox sites in the polymer, which cause the reduction of the cations to form the neutral metallic seeds. Subsequent exposure of the polymeric material containing the seeds to an electroless bath causes further deposition of metal having the desirable characteristic of good adhesion to the polymeric material. Etching of the polymeric material can be carried out as a result of an increase in solubility of the polymer in aprotic solvents when its redox sites have accepted electrons. The increased solubility allows openings to be etched in certain areas of the polymeric material that have been reduced, leaving other areas unchanged.

Method for conditioning an organic polymeric material

A process for providing circuit lines on a substrate having a non-planar surface is provided. The process includes applying a layer of photoresist material to the substrate, selectively screen printing on non-planar areas of the substrate a screen-printable coating, photoprocessing the layer of photoresist material, and providing electrical conductive pattern on the substrate.

Providing circuit lines on a substrate

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Endicott, NY, United States of America

William A Donson