Patterns of conductive objects on a substrate and method of producing thereof

• US 20070226994A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Israel, Ltd. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hanita Coatings RCA Ltd (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Inventors: Carmi, Yoash, Eisenstadt, Dany, Wollach, Gal
• Granted Patent: US 7,578,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/022 using masking means
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/48 After-treatment of electroplated surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/06 Wires; Strips; Foils
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/003 Manufacturing lines with conductors on a substrate, e.g. strip lines, slot lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0315 Oxidising metal
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/108 by semi-additive methods; masks therefor characterised by metallic etch mask H05K3/062; electroplating methods or apparatus H05K3/241
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0094 being light-transmitting, e.g. transparent, translucent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a pattern of conductive elements on a substrate is provided. The method includes depositing in a vacuum deposition chamber an electrically conductive material onto the substrate to form a base layer. Then, the method includes selectively applying an electric insulating agent on selective areas of the base layer. Then, areas of the base layer that are not covered with the insulating material are electroplated with a second electrically conductive layer. The electric insulating agent is then removed from the substrate and the base layer is chemically etched thus removing the base layer that was covered with the insulating material and selectively exposing the substrate to create the pattern of conductive objects on the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a pattern of conductive objects (elements), the method comprising:

depositing in a vacuum deposition chamber an electrically conductive material onto a substrate to form a base layer;

applying an electric insulating agent on selective areas of the base layer, wherein the selective areas are substantially complementary to areas pre-designed to carry the conductive objects;

electroplating the areas pre-designed to carry the conductive objects with a second electrically conductive layer;

removing the electric insulating agent from the substrate; and

chemically etching so as to remove the base layer from the selective areas and a top layer of the of the second electrically conductive layer to create the pattern of conductive objects on the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern of conductive object being an array of radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern of conductive object being a transparent conductive electrode, a heater or an electromagnetic interference shield.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising:

applying a coating layer onto the substrate prior to depositing the electrically conductive material, wherein the coating layer comprises conductive polymers.

5. The method of claim 3 comprising:

applying a coating layer onto the substrate prior to depositing the electrically conductive material, wherein the coating layer comprises electrically conductive transparent inorganic compounds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the electrically conductive material comprises depositing a metal.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising:

applying a coating layer onto the substrate prior to depositing the electrically conductive material.

8. The method of claim 3 comprising:

applying a coating layer onto the substrate layer after the etching, wherein the coating layer comprises one or more conductive polymers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the conductive polymers includes, Polyaniline (PANI), Polyethylenedithiophene (PEDT), Polyethylenedioxidethiophene (PEDOT) or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 3 comprising:

applying a coating layer onto the substrate after the etching, wherein the coating layer comprises one or more electrically conductive transparent inorganic compounds.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive transparent inorganic compounds includes indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, zinc doped indium oxide, indium oxide, flourinated tin oxide and any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 3 comprising:

electroplating the second electrically conductive with a third electrically conductive layer.

13. The method of claim 3 comprising:

after the etching, performing an oxidation reaction to produce a metal-oxide layer on a top surface of the electrically conductive layer.

14. The method of claim 3 comprising:

after the etching, applying an insulating coating layer onto the second electrically conductive layer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the electrically conductive material comprises using resistive vacuum metallization, inductive vacuum metallization sputtering or electron beam gun deposition.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the electrically conductive material comprises depositing copper, aluminum, nickel, silver, stainless steel, indium oxide, indium-tin oxide, metallic alloy deposition or co-deposition of metals or metallic alloys.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein electroplating comprises depositing copper, tin, nickel, silver, chromium, brass, bronze or a combination thereof.