METHOD OF FORMING LOW-RESISTANCE METAL PATTERN, PATTERNED METAL STRUCTURE, AND DISPLAY DEVICES USING THE SAME

1 . A method of forming a low-resistance metal pattern, in which the metal pattern is formed by forming a plurality of metal cores by:

performing sensitization treatment of a surface of a substrate with a copper compound,

activating the sensitized surface of the substrate by activation treatment of the substrate, and

forming a plated layer on the activated surface of the substrate.

2 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

forming a lower conductive patterned film on a surface of an insulated substrate;

performing sensitization treatment on the lower conductive pattern film using a copper compound;

activating the sensitized substrate to form an activated multi-layered catalyst film comprising a plurality of catalyst metal cores thereon; and

forming one or more plated layers on the surface of the activated multi-layered catalyst film.

3 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein forming the lower conductive pattern film comprises:

forming a metal thin film on a surface of the insulated substrate;

forming a photosensitive film on a surface of the metal thin film opposite the insulated substrate;

patterning the photosensitive film by selectively exposing and developing the photosensitive film using a mask; and

etching the exposed underlying regions of metal thin film in the patterned photosensitive film.

4 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein the copper compound is copper, a copper alloy, copper sulfate, or copper chloride.

5 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein activating the sensitized substrate is performed using palladium, a palladium alloy, or palladium chloride.

6 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein forming a plated layer is performed using a wet electroless plating method or a wet electrolytic plating method.

7 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein, in forming a plated layer, a metal for plating is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, and alloys thereof.

8 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 2 , wherein forming a plated layer is performed by immersing the sensitized and activated lower conductive pattern film into a copper electroless plating solution including a copper salt, a complexing agent, a reductant, and a pH adjuster.

9 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 3 , wherein the metal thin film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, nickel, copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, and alloys thereof.

10 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a protective layer on the plated layer.

11 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 10 , wherein the protective layer comprises nickel or a nickel alloy.

12 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 1 , further comprising annealing a low-resistance metal pattern after the formation of the low-resistance metal pattern by forming a plated layer.

13 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to claim 12 , wherein annealing is performed under a nitrogen, argon or vacuum atmosphere at about 40 to about 400° C. for about 15 to about 120 minutes.

14 . A patterned metal structure, comprising:

a substrate;

a lower conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the substrate; and

an upper conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate,

wherein the patterned metal structure comprises a seed layer, including a copper compound and a palladium compound, disposed between the lower conductive pattern film and the upper conductive pattern film.

15 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the structure comprises:

a lower conductive pattern film disposed on a surface of a substrate;

a seed layer, including a copper compound and a palladium compound, formed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate; and

an upper conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the seed layer opposite the lower conductive pattern film.

16 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the lower conductive pattern film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, nickel, copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, and alloys thereof.

17 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the upper conductive pattern film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, silver, gold, and alloys thereof.

18 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the seed layer comprises both a copper seed layer including a copper compound and a palladium seed layer including a palladium compound, wherein the copper seed layer is disposed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate, and the palladium seed layer is disposed on a surface of the copper seed layer opposite the lower conductive pattern film.

19 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the copper compound is selected from the group consisting of copper, a copper alloy, copper sulfate, and copper chloride.

20 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the palladium compound is selected from the group consisting of palladium, a palladium alloy, and palladium chloride.

21 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , further comprising a protective layer formed on a surface of the upper conductive pattern film.

22 . The patterned metal structure according to claim 14 , wherein the protective layer comprises nickel or a nickel alloy.

23 . A display device comprising the patterned metal structure according to claim 14 .

24 . The display device according to claim 23 , wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.