Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of forming a metal pattern on a substrate comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said substrate that can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source in a pattern to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal in a pattern on said substrate, where said oxalate has the formula: ##STR3## where M is Ni, Pd or Pt; chal is oxygen or sulfur; and wherein L x and L y are the same or different, and each is a polymer ligand; X and Y are one.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of forming a metal pattern on a substrate comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said substrate that can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source in a pattern to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal in a pattern on said substrate, where said oxalate has the formula: ##STR3## where M is Ni, Pd or Pt; chal is oxygen or sulfur; and wherein L x and L y are the same or different, and each is a polymer ligand; X and Y are one.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 where said polymer ligand is selected from a homopolymer of dialkyl phosphino, dialkyl nitrogen substituted styrenes or copolymers thereof with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the application of a polymer photo resist to said substrate, said polymer photo resist containing free carboxyl groups, after which said oxalate is applied to said polymer photo resist whereby decomposition of said oxalate is catalyzed by said carboxyl groups to form said zero valent Group FIII metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 3 where said polymer photoresist is exposed to a light to obtain a patterned polymer photoresist after which said oxalate is applied to said exposed polymer photoresist whereby said oxalate is decomposed by said carboxyl groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of a nonconductive, semiconductive conductive and superconductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising coating said patterned metal with an electroless or an electrolytic composition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising coating said patterned metal with an electroless or an electrolytic composition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5 where said substrate is a high Tc superconductor and said oxalate is a palladium oxalate so that a zero valent palladium pattern is obtained on said high Tc superconductor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of coating a circuit board with a metal coating comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said board wherein said oxalate can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal coating on said board wherein said coating comprises a circuit pattern or a coated through hole or both a circuit pattern and a coated through hole on said board, where said oxalate has the formula: ##STR4## where M is Ni, Pd or Pt; chal is oxygen or sulfur; and wherein L x and L y are the same or different, and each is a polymer ligand; X and Y are one.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of coating a circuit board with a metal coating comprising applying an oxalate of a Group VIII element on said board wherein said oxalate can be decomposed to a complex of a zero valent Group VIII element or a Group VIII element on exposure to an energy source, and exposing a portion of said oxalate to said energy source to obtain a zero valent Group VIII metal coating on said board wherein said coating comprises a circuit pattern or a coated through hole or both a circuit pattern and a coated through hole on said board, where said oxalate has the formula: ##STR4## where M is Ni, Pd or Pt; chal is oxygen or sulfur; and wherein L x and L y are the same or different, and each is a polymer ligand; X and Y are one.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 where said polymer ligand is selected from a homopolymer of dialkyl phosphino or dialkylnitrogen substituted styrenes of copolymers thereof with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising applying an electroless or an electrolytic composition to said metal coating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 where said metal coating is a catalyst for an electroless composition.