US 7,320,936 B2
Plating of multi-layer structures
Magall Brunet, Bellegarde (France); Andrew Mark Connell, Cork (Ireland); Paul McCloskey, Cork (Ireland); Terence O'Donnell, Cork (Ireland); Stephen O'Reilly, County Cork (Ireland); and Sean Cian O'Mathuna, Limerick (Ireland)
Assigned to University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork, Cork (Ireland)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/156,544.
Application 11/156544 is a continuation of application No. PCT/IE03/00176, filed on Dec. 23, 2003.
Claims priority of application No. 2002/0997 (IE), filed on Dec. 23, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2005/0233593 A1, Oct. 20, 2005
Int. Cl. H01L 21/44 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 438—678  [257/E21.114; 257/E21.464; 427/437; 427/443.1] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of applying layers to conductive areas of a substrate comprising the steps of:
(a) electrophoretically depositing an insulator onto said conductive areas of the substrate to provide an insulating layer, wherein a catalyst is co-deposited with the insulating layer, and wherein the insulating layer is electrophoretically deposited from an emulsion of insulator particles, and the catalyst is dissolved in solution in the emulsion; and
(b) electroless plating a conductive layer onto the insulating layer, in which the catalyst activates the electroless plating;
wherein the insulating layer is activated before electroless plating of the conductive layer; and wherein the insulating layer is activated by plasma etching to remove a surface portion of the insulating layer to expose the catalyst.