Deposition of conductive polymer and metallization of non-conductive substrates

1. A process for metallizing a surface of a dielectric substrate with electrolytically plated copper metallization, the process comprising:

contacting the dielectric substrate with an initiator composition comprising an oxidant to thereby form an oxide film on the surface of the dielectric substrate;

contacting the surface of the dielectric substrate having the oxide film thereon with a catalyst composition comprising at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule for forming an electrically conductive polymer on the oxide film on the surface of the dielectric substrate, an acid, and a source of Mn(II) ions in an amount sufficient to provide an initial concentration of Mn(II) ions of at least about 0.85 g/L to form an electrically conductive polymer on the oxide film on the surface of the dielectric substrate;

contacting the surface of the dielectric substrate having the oxide film and electrically conductive polymer thereon with an electrolytic deposition composition comprising a source of copper ions and an acid; and

supplying an external source of electrons to electrolytically depositing copper from said electrolytic deposition composition over said electrically conductive polymer.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the source of Mn(II) ions is added in an amount sufficient to provide an initial concentration of Mn(II) ions of at least about 0.85 g/L and less than 30 g/L.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the source of Mn(II) ions is added in an amount sufficient to provide an initial concentration of Mn(II) ions of at least about 2 g/L.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the source of Mn(II) ions is added in an amount sufficient to provide an initial concentration of Mn(II) ions of between about 2 g/L and about 10 g/L.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the source of Mn(II) ions is selected from the group consisting of MnSO 4 , manganese hypophosphite, and a combination thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst composition further comprises a source of copper ions for said electrolytically depositing copper.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxide film on the surface of the dielectric substrate and the acid in the catalyst composition initiate a reaction with the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule to thereby form the electrically conductive polymer.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the initiator composition comprises permanganate in a concentration between about 40 and about 70 g/L as the oxidant, the oxide film on the surface of the dielectric substrate is a manganese (IV) oxide film, and said manganese(IV) oxide film on the dielectric substrate and the acid in the catalyst composition initiate a reaction with the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule to thereby form the electrically conductive polymer.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule for forming the electrically conductive polymer is derived from a cyclopentadiene.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule for forming the electrically conductive polymer has the structure:

wherein:

X is selected from among O, S, and N; and

R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from among hydrogen; a halogen; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule for forming the electrically conductive polymer is 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene represented by the formula:

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid contained in said catalyst composition is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfonic acid, alkyl sulfonic acids, polymeric sulfonic acids, polystyrene sulfonic acid, polyphosphoric acid, isethionic acid, sulfosuccinic acid, p-toluene sulfonic acids, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst composition further comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, higher alcohols, polyalcohols, DMF (dimethyl formamide), methylethylketone, cumene sulfonate, N-methyl pyrrolidone, Triglyme, Diglyme, alkali metal salts of toluene sulfonates or their ethyl esters, aqueous alkaline solutions, and combinations thereof.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the external source of electrons is supplied at a current density between about 8 A/dm 2 and about 20 A/dm 2 .

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the process is carried out in a horizontal way.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heterocyclic aromatic molecule for forming the electrically conductive polymer has the structure:

wherein:

X is selected from among O, S, and N; and

R 1 and R 2 together with the atoms to which they are bonded form a five-membered or six-membered ring.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the five-membered or six-membered ring is formed through a substituted or unsubstituted alkyldioxy group having 1 or 2 carbon atoms.