US5300208A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fabrication of printed circuit boards using conducting polymer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-08-14
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Granted: 1994-04-05
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Expires: 2009-08-14
Abstract
Abstract A process for fabricating a printed circuit board concerns the use of a soluble, air-stable conducting polymer applied to plated through holes, blind holes or vias or to a predetermined portion of the printed circuit board surface for selectively metal plating on the polymer without the necessity of either an electroless plating bath or the use of precious metal seeds. A preferred conducting polymer is polyaniline. A preferred metal plating is preferably copper or a noble metal such as palladium or silver.
Inventors
- 👤 Marie Angelopoulos
- 👤 Wu-Song Huang
- 👤 Jae M. Park
- 👤 James R. White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:26
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/188; C; C08; C08G; C08G73/00; C08G73/02; C08G73/026; C08G73/0266; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/54; C25D5/56; H05K3/40; H05K3/42; H05K3/423; H05K3/424; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/032; H05K2201/0329; H05K3/108; H05K3/425; H05K3/426
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying an inherently electrically conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system which polymer is capable of being applied from a non-aqueous or aqueous solvent and is capable of being applied by casting, painting, spin-coating or dip-coating, to a predetermined portion of said substrate, and electroplating a metal film from a conventional aqueous electroplating solution onto said conducting polymer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying an inherently electrically conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system which polymer is capable of being applied from a non-aqueous or aqueous solvent and is capable of being applied by casting, painting, spin-coating or dip-coating, to a predetermined portion of said substrate, and electroplating a metal film from a conventional aqueous electroplating solution onto said conducting polymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of drilling and cleaning at least one hole in said substrate and applying said conducting polymer to said at least one hole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: applying, exposing and developing a photoresist on said conducting polymer; stripping said photoresist after said electroplating, and etching said conducting polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the steps of: applying, exposing and developing a photoresist on said conducting polymer; stripping said photoresist after said electroplating, and etching said conducting polymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 5.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 6.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claims 1, 3, 5 or 6 wherein the conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted polyaniline, substituted polyparaphenylenevinylenes, substituted and unsubstituted polythiophenevinylene, substituted and unsubstituted polyfuranvinylene, substituted and unsubstituted polypyrrolevinylene, substituted and unsubstituted polythiophenes, polyazines, substituted polyfurans, substituted polyselenophenes, substituted and unsubstituted poly-p-phenylene sulfides and polyacetylenes formed from soluble percursors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 9, wherein the metal film is a film comprising a metal having a redox potential which is more positive than the redox potential of the conducting polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 10, wherein the metal film is a noble metal film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 11, wherein said metal film is a precious metal film selected from group consisting of silver and palladium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 10, wherein the metal film is copper film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 10.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 1, 3, 5 or 6 wherein said predetermined portion of said substrate is at least one circuit line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 9, wherein said predetermined portion of said substrate is at least one circuit line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 15.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 16.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 1, 3, 5, or 6, wherein said applying a conducting polymer is by casting, painting, spin-coating or dip coating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board as set forth in claim 9 wherein said applying a conducting polymer is by casting, printing spin-coating or dip coating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying a conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system and containing a substance which decomposes upon being exposed to a source of energy for producing a dopant for the polymer to said substrate; selectively exposing a predetermined region of the polymer to a source of energy for rendering said predetermined region conductive, and electroplating a metal film from a conventional aqueous electroplating solution onto said conductive predetermined region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for fabricating a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying a conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system and containing a substance which decomposes upon being exposed to a source of energy for producing a dopant for the polymer to said substrate; selectively exposing a predetermined region of the polymer to a source of energy for rendering said predetermined region conductive, and electroplating a metal film from a conventional aqueous electroplating solution onto said conductive predetermined region.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein said source of energy is electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein said source of energy is an electron beam.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process as set forth in claim 22 wherein said source of energy is heat.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein said predetermined portion is at least one circuit line.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A printed circuit board fabricated according to the process set forth in claim 21.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of spontaneous plating precious metals on a conducting polymer comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying an inherently electrically conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system coating, which polymer is capable of being applied from a non-aqueous or aqueous solvent and is capable of being applied by casting, painting, spin-coating or dip-coating, to a predetermined portion of said substrate; and disposing the polymer coated substrate in a plating bath containing a precious metal salt, where the potential of the conducting polymer is lower than the redox potential of the precious metal, whereby the precious metal spontaneous plates on the conducting polymer.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of spontaneous plating precious metals on a conducting polymer comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; applying an inherently electrically conducting polymer containing a partially conjugated π system coating, which polymer is capable of being applied from a non-aqueous or aqueous solvent and is capable of being applied by casting, painting, spin-coating or dip-coating, to a predetermined portion of said substrate; and disposing the polymer coated substrate in a plating bath containing a precious metal salt, where the potential of the conducting polymer is lower than the redox potential of the precious metal, whereby the precious metal spontaneous plates on the conducting polymer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of spontaneous plating precious metals on a conducting polymer as set forth in claim 27, wherein said conducting polymer is polyaniline.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of spontaneous plating precious metals on a conducting polymer as set forth in claim 27, wherein said precious metal is selected from the group consisting of silver and palladium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of spontaneous plating precious metals on a conducting polymer as set forth in claim 29, wherein said conducting polymer is polyaniline.
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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) | 1997-04-04 | 1997-10-04 | 1998-04-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-04 | 2001-10-04 | 2002-04-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-04 | 2005-10-04 | 2006-04-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |