Array of densely packed discrete metal microspheres coated on a substrate

Claim 2

A substrate having a discontinuous metal coating, said metal coating comprising an array of discrete, metal microspheres, said microspheres having a diameter of about 0.1-10 micrometers; said microspheres are crowded closely together such that when one microsphere of the array is substantially deformed it will make contact with one or more neighboring spheres; said metal having a Brinell Hardness of less than about 50; wherein said microspheres are individually electrically conductive but said discontinuous metal coating is not electrically conductive in the plane of the coating.

Claim 3

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein said microspheres have a diameter of about 0.1-5 micrometers.

Claim 4

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 2 wherein said microspheres have a diameter of about 0.1-2 micrometers.

Claim 5

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein said metal has a Brinell Hardness of about 24 or less.

Claim 6

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lead, tin, indium, bismuth, zinc, cadmium, thallium, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyimides, and aluminum oxide coated aluminum.

Claim 8

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein said metal coating allows passage of visible light.

Claim 9

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 1 wherein the projected area of the metal microspheres comprises at least 60% of the surface area of said substrate.

Claim 10

A substrate having a discontinuous metal coating, said metal coating comprising an array of discrete, metal microspheres, said microspheres having a diameter of about 0.1-10 micrometers; said metal having a Brinell Hardness of less than about 50; wherein said microspheres are individually electrically conductive but said discontinuous metal coating is not electrically conductive in the plane of the coating; said metal coating produced by a method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a depositing surface in a chamber; (b) forming a metal vapor in said chamber; and (c) depositing said metal vapor on said depositing surface; wherein an array of densely-packed discrete metal microspheres is formed on said depositing surface.

Claim 11

A substrate having a discontinuous metal coating, said metal coating comprising an array of discrete, metal microspheres, said microspheres having a diameter of about 0.1-10 micrometers; said metal having a Brinell Hardness of less than about 50; wherein said microspheres are individually electrically conductive but said discontinuous metal coating is not electrically conductive in the plane of the coating; said metal coating produced by a method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate having a depositing surface in a chamber; (b) forming a metal vapor in said chamber; and (c) depositing said metal vapor on said depositing surface; wherein an array of densely-packed discrete metal microspheres is formed on said depositing surface.

Claim 12

The substrate having a discontinuous metal coating of claim 9 wherein said metal has a melting temperature T m , and said depositing surface has an effective temperature of T m or above when said metal is deposited onto said depositing surface.