Precursor compositions for the deposition of electrically conductive features

• US 20030124259A1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cabot Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cabot Corporation
• Inventors: Vanheusden, Karel, Kunze, Klaus, Atanassova, Paolina, Hampden-Smith, Mark J., Kodas, Toivo T., Stump, Aaron D., Schult, Allen B., Denham, Hugh
• Granted Patent: US 6,951,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/376.6
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/08 characterised by the deposition of metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/026 Alloys based on copper
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/06506 Precursor compositions therefor, e.g. pastes, inks, glass frits
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/06533 composed of oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/06573 characterised by the permanent binder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/288 from a liquid, e.g. electrolytic deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31691 with perovskite structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/097 Inks comprising nanoparticles and specially adapted for being sintered at low temperature H05K1/095 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/105 by conversion of non-conductive material on or in the support into conductive material, e.g. by using an energy beam

Abstract

A precursor composition for the deposition and formation of an electrical feature such as a conductive feature. The precursor composition advantageously has a viscosity of at least about 1000 centipoise and can be deposited by screen printing. The precursor composition also has a low conversion temperature, enabling the deposition and conversion to an electrical feature on low temperature substrates. A particularly preferred precursor composition includes silver and/or copper metal for the formation of highly conductive features.

Claims

33. A method for the fabrication of a conductive feature on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a precursor composition comprising a metal precursor compound, wherein said precursor composition has a viscosity of at least about 1000 centipoise;

(b) depositing said precursor composition on a substrate; and

(c) heating said precursor composition to a conversion temperature of not greater than about 200°

C. to form a conductive feature, wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 10 times the resistivity of the pure bulk metal.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said viscosity is at least about 5000 centipoise.

35. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said conductive feature has a minimum feature size of not greater than about 100 μ

m.

36. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said metal precursor compound comprises silver.

37. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said metal precursor compound is a metal carboxylate compound.

38. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver halogenocarboxylate precursor compound.

39. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said metal precursor compound is silver trifluoroacetate.

40. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said precursor composition further comprises a crystallization inhibitor.

41. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said precursor composition further comprises a vehicle.

42. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said precursor composition further comprises metallic particles.

43. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said precursor composition further comprises metallic nanoparticles.

44. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said deposition step comprises screen printing.

45. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 185°

C.

46. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said heating step is performed using a laser.

47. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said heating step is performed using a furnace.

48. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 6 times the pure bulk metal.

49. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 4 times the pure bulk metal.

50. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 2 times the pure bulk metal.

51. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyfluorinated compounds, polyimides, epoxies (including glass-filled epoxy), polycarbonate, cellulose-based materials (i.e. wood or paper), acetate, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile, butadiene (ABS), flexible fiber board, non-woven polymeric fabric and cloth.

52. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein said precursor composition further comprises a polymer.

53-1. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 250°

C.