LOW VISCOSITY PRECURSOR COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THE DEPOSITION OF CONDUCTIVE ELECTRONIC FEATURES
A precursor composition for the deposition and formation of an electrical feature such as a conductive feature. The precursor composition advantageously has a low viscosity enabling deposition using direct-write tools. 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 metal for the formation of highly conductive silver features.
1 . A metal precursor composition having a viscosity of not greater than 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. compared to the dry metal precursor compound, wherein the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition is not greater than about 200° C.
2 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is not greater than about 100 centipoise.
3 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is not greater than about 50 centipoise.
4 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver metal carboxylate compound.
5 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver metal oxide.
6 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is an inorganic silver compound.
7 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver halogenated carboxylate 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 , wherein said metal precursor composition comprises at least 40 wt. % percent metal.
10 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor.
11 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor selected from the group consisting of glycerol, glycolic acid, lactic acid, humectants and surfactants.
12 . 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.
13 . 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.
14 . 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, borohydrates, borohydrides, and organosilanes.
15 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an alcohol.
16 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an amine.
17 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an amide.
18 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises terpineol.
19 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE).
20 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc).
21 . 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).
22 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) and terpineol.
23 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises a palladium compound.
24 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of palladium acetate, palladium tetra-amine hydroxide, and palladium trifluoroacetate.
25 . 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 precursor compound is from about 0.75 to about 1.25.
26 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle.
27 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a solvent wherein said metal precursor compound is dissolved in said solvent.
28 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a solvent wherein said metal precursor compound is suspended in said solvent.
29 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an aqueous-based solvent.
30 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising particles.
31 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising substantially spherical particles.
32 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising metallic particles.
33 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising silver metal particles.
34 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles having a volume median particle size of not greater than 100 nanometers.
35 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles having a volume median particle size of not greater than about 75 nanometers.
36 . 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.
37 . 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.
38 . A metal precursor composition having a viscosity of not greater than about 1000 centipoise, comprising:
a) a silver metal compound;
b) silver particles; and
c) a conversion reaction inducing agent in amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition by at least about 25° C. as compared to the dry silver metal compound, wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than about 250° C.
39 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said silver metal compound is a silver carboxylate compound.
40 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is an alcohol.
41 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is ethylene glycol.
42 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is terpineol.
43 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a viscosity of not greater than 100 centipoise.
44 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said particles have a volume median particle size of not greater than 100 nanometers.
45 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than 225° C.
46 . A metal precursor composition as recited in claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than 200° C.