US4519876A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrolytic deposition of metals on laser-conditioned surfaces
Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
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Filing: 1984-06-28
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Granted: 1985-05-28
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Expires: 2004-06-28
Abstract
Abstract An improved laser-based method of depositing a metal on an electrically insulated metallic substrate is disclosed. Selected areas of the insulated plate such as an anodized aluminum plate are irradiated with laser energy to fracture the anodized layer and expose underlying aluminum. The plate is immersed in a solution containing copper ions and negatively biased so that a thin layer of copper is electrolytically deposited in the selected areas to form copper features. The method is particularly suited to the rapid production of high quality, durable photographic printing plates with long shelf life.
Inventors
- 👤 Chung H. Lee
- 👤 John Fronduto
- 👤 Peter E. Oettinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:35
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41C; B41C1/00; B41C1/10; B41C1/1008; B41C1/1033; B41N; B41N3/00; B41N3/08; C; C25; C25D; C25D11/00; C25D11/005; C25D5/00; C25D5/02; C25D5/024; C25D5/34; C25D5/42; C25D5/44; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S204/00; Y10S204/07; Y10S205/00; Y10S205/918
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of depositing a metal on spatially selected regions of a workpiece comprising the following steps in the order given: providing a workpiece having an electrically conductive substrate and an electrically insulative surface layer, irradiating the surface layer in said selected regions of said workpiece with laser energy to fracture portions of said surface layer in said regions, thereby providing in said regions a path to the substrate along which electric current may flow upon immersion of the workpiece into an electrolyte; and immersing said workpiece in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said substrate to electrolytically deposit a coating of said metal onto said selected regions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of depositing a metal on spatially selected regions of a workpiece comprising the following steps in the order given: providing a workpiece having an electrically conductive substrate and an electrically insulative surface layer, irradiating the surface layer in said selected regions of said workpiece with laser energy to fracture portions of said surface layer in said regions, thereby providing in said regions a path to the substrate along which electric current may flow upon immersion of the workpiece into an electrolyte; and immersing said workpiece in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said substrate to electrolytically deposit a coating of said metal onto said selected regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said irradiation step reduces the thickness of the surface layer in said selected regions and wherein the amount of metal applied to said regions in said deposition step is controlled such that the top of said metal coating in said selected regions is recessed relative to the top of the non-irradiated portions of said surface layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said metal is copper and said workpiece is an anodized aluminum plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein said irradiating step includes rapidly scanning said workpiece with a pulsed beam of laser energy to fracture portions of said anodized surface layer in a multiplicity of selected regions corresponding to spatially separated areas where printing features are desired and wherein in said deposition step copper is deposited on each of said selected regions to produce said printing features.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein said irradiating step includes scanning said plate at a speed of at least 15-20 centimeters per second with a laser beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 5 wherein said anodized layer consists of porous aluminum oxide less than about 25 micrometers in thickness and having pores containing a colored dye.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 4 wherein said printing features comprise a multiplicity of resolvable copper-coated dots.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of producing copper printing features on a plate comprising the following steps in the order given: providing an aluminum plate having an electrically insulative anodized surface layer; in an atmospheric, vacuum, or inert gas environment, irradiating spatially selected regions of said surface layer on which printing features are to be produced with a laser beam of energy sufficient to fracture portions of said surface layer of aluminum oxide in said regions; and immersing said plate in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said plate to electrolytically deposit a thin coating of copper in said regions to produce copper printing features on said plate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of producing copper printing features on a plate comprising the following steps in the order given: providing an aluminum plate having an electrically insulative anodized surface layer; in an atmospheric, vacuum, or inert gas environment, irradiating spatially selected regions of said surface layer on which printing features are to be produced with a laser beam of energy sufficient to fracture portions of said surface layer of aluminum oxide in said regions; and immersing said plate in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said plate to electrolytically deposit a thin coating of copper in said regions to produce copper printing features on said plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said irradiating step includes rapidly scanning said plate with a pulsed beam of laser energy to fracture portions of said surface layer in a multiplicity of dot-like regions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said irradiation step reduces the thickness of the surface layer in said selected regions and wherein said electrolytic deposition step includes controlling the amount of copper applied in said regions such that the top of said copper coating in said printing features is recessed relative to the top of the non-irradiated portions of said surface layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said anodized layer of aluminum oxide consists essentially of porous aluminum oxide having pores filled with a colored dye and the surface of said anodized layer is sealed to contain the dye in said pores.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said deposition step comprises depositing in said regions a copper layer having a thickness of about 2 to 10 micrometers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said electrolytic deposition is completed in a time interval of less than about 30 seconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said irradiating step is performed in an atmospheric environment.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of producing copper printing features on a plate comprising the following steps: providing an aluminum plate having an electrically insulative, anodized surface layer; immersing said plate in an electrolyte containing copper ions; irradiating selected regions of said surface layer on which copper printing features are to be produced with a laser beam of energy sufficient to fracture portions of said surface layer in said selected regions; and immersing said plate in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said plate to electrolytically deposit a thin coating of copper in said regions to produce copper printing features on said plate.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of producing copper printing features on a plate comprising the following steps: providing an aluminum plate having an electrically insulative, anodized surface layer; immersing said plate in an electrolyte containing copper ions; irradiating selected regions of said surface layer on which copper printing features are to be produced with a laser beam of energy sufficient to fracture portions of said surface layer in said selected regions; and immersing said plate in an electrolytic plating bath and applying a negative electrical bias to said plate to electrolytically deposit a thin coating of copper in said regions to produce copper printing features on said plate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-27 | 1988-11-26 | 1989-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-27 | 1992-11-26 | 1993-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-27 | 1996-11-26 | 1997-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |