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 copper metal for the formation of highly conductive copper features.
1. A method for the fabrication of a conductive feature on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a precursor composition comprising a copper metal precursor compound, wherein said precursor composition has a viscosity not greater than 1000 centipoise;
(b) depositing said precursor composition on said substrate using a direct-write tool; and
(c) heating said precursor composition to a conversion temperature of not greater than about 300° C. to form a conductive feature having a resistivity of not greater than about 40 times the resistivity of bulk copper.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 250° C.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 200° C.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conversion temperature is not greater than about 185° C.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature has a minimum feature size of not greater than about 200 μm.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature has a minimum feature size of not greater than about 100 μm.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of modifying a first portion of said substrate, wherein said first portion is adapted to confine said deposited precursor composition.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of modifying a first portion of said substrate, wherein said first portion is modified to have a surface energy that is different than the surface energy on a second portion of said substrate, and wherein said first portion is adapted to confine said deposited precursor composition.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a second metal precursor compound and wherein said conductive feature comprises a copper metal alloy.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said copper metal precursor compound comprises Cu-formate.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises an organic complexing agent.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a complexing agent that is an amine compound.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a complexing agent that is 3-amino-1-propanol.
14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a complexing agent that is a metal precursor compound.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a complexing agent selected from the group consisting of alcohols, amines, amides, boranes, borohydrates, borohydrides, and organosilanes.
16. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a crystallization inhibitor.
17. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a crystallization inhibitor that is ethylene glycol.
18. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step comprises heating at a rate of at least about 100° C. per minute.
19. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step comprises heating at a rate of at least about 1000° C. per minute.
20. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature is cooled after said heating step at a cooling rate of at least about 100° C. per minute.
21. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature is cooled after said heating step at a cooling rate of at least about 1000° C. per minute.
22. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a surface tension modifier.
23. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises a surface tension modifier that is an alcohol.
24. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a reducing agent.
25. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a reducing agent is formed in-situ in said precursor composition.
26. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a reducing agent that is formic acid.
27. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a reducing agent that is an amine compound.
28. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises a reducing agent that is 3-amino-1-propanol.
29. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step is performed in a reducing atmosphere.
30. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step is performed in an inert atmosphere.
31. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises particles.
32. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises metallic particles.
33. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises metallic nanoparticles.
34. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises nanoparticles that are capped with an organic compound.
35. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises nanoparticles that are capped with an amine-based organic compound.
36. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition further comprises from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent nanoparticles.
37. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said direct-write tool is selected from the group consisting of an ink-jet device, a syringe and an aerosol jet.
38. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said direct-write tool is an ink-jet device.
39. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step comprises heating said precursor composition using a laser.
40. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said heating step comprises heating said precursor composition in a furnace.
41. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 20 times the resistivity of bulk copper.
42. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 10 times the resistivity of bulk copper.
43. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conductive feature has a resistivity of not greater than about 6 times the resistivity of bulk copper.
44. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition has a viscosity not greater than 100 centipoise.
45. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition has a viscosity not greater than 50 centipoise.
46. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyfluorinated compounds, polyimides, epoxies (including glass-filled epoxy), polycarbonate, cellulose-based materials (i.e. wood or paper), acetate, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile, butadiene (ABS), flexible fiber board, non-woven polymeric fabric, cloth, metallic foil, semiconductors, ceramics, glass and combinations thereof.