Precursor compositions for the deposition of electrically conductive features
A precursor composition for the deposition and formation of an electrical feature such as a conductive feature. The precursor composition advantageously has a viscosity of at least about 1000 centipoise and can be deposited by screen printing. The precursor composition also has a low conversion temperature, enabling the deposition and conversion to an electrical feature on low temperature substrates. A particularly preferred precursor composition includes silver and/or copper metal for the formation of highly conductive features.
1 . A metal precursor composition having a viscosity of at least about 1000 centipoise, comprising:
a. a metal precursor compound; and
b. a conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition by at least about 25° C. as compared to the dry metal precursor compound, wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 200°
2 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is at least about 5000 centipoise.
3 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is at least about 10,000 centipoise.
4 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a metal carboxylate compound.
5 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a halogenated metal carboxylate compound.
6 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a metal oxide.
7 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is an inorganic metal compound.
8 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is silver trifluoroacetate.
9 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor.
10 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor that is lactic acid.
11 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is a liquid that functions as a vehicle for said metal precursor composition.
12 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is a liquid that functions as a solvent for said metal precursor compound.
13 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, amines, amides, boranes, borohygrates, borohydrides and organosilanes.
14 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE).
15 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises terpineol.
16 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc).
17 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc).
18 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) and terpineol.
19 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises a palladium compound.
20 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of palladium acetate and palladium triflouroacetate.
21 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE) and the molar ratio of DEGBE to said metal carboxylate compound is from about 0.75 to about 1.25.
22 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle.
23 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a solvent, wherein said metal precursor compound is dissolved in said solvent.
24 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising water as a solvent.
25 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising particles.
26 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising substantially spherical particles.
27 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising micron size particles having an average particles size of from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm.
28 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising metallic particles.
29 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising silver metal particles.
30 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles having a volume median particle size of not greater than 100 nanometers.
31 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises said conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor compound by at least about 50° C.
32 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises said conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor compound by at least about 100° C.
33 - 64 . (canceled)