Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for conditioning at least one surface of an organic polymeric material that is capable of transporting electrons in a reversible manner which comprises contacting said organic polymeric material with tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene to thereby reduce redox sites of said polymeric material to the radical anion form and to oxidize said tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene to a cation form.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for conditioning at least one surface of an organic polymeric material that is capable of transporting electrons in a reversible manner which comprises contacting said organic polymeric material with tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene to thereby reduce redox sites of said polymeric material to the radical anion form and to oxidize said tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene to a cation form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said polymeric material is a polyimide whereby said polyimide is cured by any method by which imide ring cyclization can be obtained, including thermal and chemical dehydration curing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said polyimide material is a free-standing or supported film derived from a dianhydride selected from the group of pyromellitic dianhydride, 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride, 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, naphthalene-tetracarboxylic dianhydride, perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride, 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis-phthalic anhydride, and bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)sulfide dianhydride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the thickness of said polyimide material is about 100 angstroms to 5 mil.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said organic polymeric material is a polyimide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said organic polymeric material is a cured polyimide form 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and a diamine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said organic polymeric material is a polyester.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said organic polymeric material includes a through-hole and/or blind via structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein only the polymeric material at the sidewalls of said through-holes have electrons supplied to redox sites thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1 which further includes then contacting said organic polymeric material with a solution that contains cations of a metal which will penetrate the said organic polymeric material and contact the redox sites, thereby transferring electrons tot he cation that is energetically disposed to receiving electrons from said redox sites to thereby reduce the cation to metal atoms in the zero oxidation sate; and then depositing a metal from an electroless bath onto the zero oxidation metal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said cation of said metal is selected from the group of palladium, platinum, ruthenium, silver, gold, copper, nickel, cobalt and tin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said metals are at a depth no greater than 2000 angstroms below the surface of said polymeric material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said metals are at a depth no greater than 800 angstroms below the surface of said polymeric material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said metals are at a depth no greater than 200 angstroms below the surface of said polymeric material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the said organic polymeric material surface is patterned with a photoresist, metal, or non-electroactive coating to act as a mask and thereby expose specific areas of the organic polymer surface to the said tetrakis (dimethylamino) ethylene and thereby depositing zero valent metal only in the exposed areas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the said photoresist or said metal mask is removed by dissolution, leaving a two-dimensional metal pattern remaining on the polymeric surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 11 which further comprises, prior to contacting with said tetrakis (dimethylamino) ethylene, coating metal onto said organic polymeric material, resulting in pinholes and exposed organic polymeric material.