Metallization of Non-Conductive Substrates

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2017) | Viewed by 18003

Special Issue Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: microelectronic solders; microelectronic, optoelectronic, thermoelectric packaging; solar cells; electroplating
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advancement in the science and technology associated with metallization of non-conductive substrates. Metallization of non-conductive substrates plays an important role in various application fields including microelectronics and optoelectronics. In some specific applications, such as flexible electronics, metallization of polymeric substrates especially attracts more attention. Vacuum-based deposition method can grow a uniform and adhesive metal or alloy film on non-conductive substrates but expensive facilities are always a big concern. Solution-based deposition method is rather simple and cost-effective but an improvement of the film uniformity and adhesion requires more research works. In this special issue, substrates of interests include, but are not limited to, polymer, glass, ceramic, and silicon. Specific topic areas for manuscript submissions include, but are not limited to, methodology of physical and chemical deposition, structures and properties of deposits, new catalysts and deposition methods, metals and alloys deposition, and adhesion and interfacial properties.

Prof. Dr. Chih-Ming Chen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • deposition
  • adhesion
  • interfacial property
  • microstructure

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4858 KiB  
Article
Simple Fabrication and Characterization of an Aluminum Nanoparticle Monolayer with Well-Defined Plasmonic Resonances in the Far Ultraviolet
by María Del Pilar Aguilar-Del-Valle, Héctor De Jesús Cruz-Manjarrez and Arturo Rodríguez-Gómez
Metals 2018, 8(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/met8010067 - 18 Jan 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3832
Abstract
Currently, aluminum plasmonics face technical challenges for the manufacture of reproducible structures by simple and low-cost techniques. In this work, we used a direct current (DC) sputtering system to grow a set of quasi-spherical aluminum nanoparticles with diameters below 10 nm. Our particles [...] Read more.
Currently, aluminum plasmonics face technical challenges for the manufacture of reproducible structures by simple and low-cost techniques. In this work, we used a direct current (DC) sputtering system to grow a set of quasi-spherical aluminum nanoparticles with diameters below 10 nm. Our particles are uniformly distributed over the surface of quartz and nitrocellulose substrates. We review in detail the methodology for the determination of adequate deposition parameters to allow great reproducibility in different production runs. Likewise, we carry out an exhaustive nanostructural characterization by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The latter allowed us to identify that our depositions are nanoparticle monolayers with thicknesses equal to the average particle diameter. Finally, by means of absorbance spectra we identify the presence of a very well-defined plasmonic resonance at 186 nm that is associated with the dipolar mode in particles smaller than 10 nm. Due to the sharpness of their plasmonic resonances as well as their great manufacturing simplicity and high reproducibility, our aluminum nanoparticles could be used as optical sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallization of Non-Conductive Substrates)
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1832 KiB  
Article
Temperature and Stress Simulation of 4H-SiC during Laser-Induced Silicidation for Ohmic Contact Generation
by Benedikt Adelmann and Ralf Hellmann
Metals 2017, 7(12), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/met7120545 - 05 Dec 2017
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4598
Abstract
We report here on the simulation of temperature and stress evolution of 4H-SiC during laser-induced silicidation to locally generate ohmic contacts between the semiconductor and nickel metallization. The simulation is based on optical free carrier absorption, thermal conduction, and thermal radiation. Our results [...] Read more.
We report here on the simulation of temperature and stress evolution of 4H-SiC during laser-induced silicidation to locally generate ohmic contacts between the semiconductor and nickel metallization. The simulation is based on optical free carrier absorption, thermal conduction, and thermal radiation. Our results show that, during laser irradiation, similar temperatures and correspondingly similar contact resistances, as compared to conventional oven-driven annealing processes, are achievable, yet with the advantageous potential to limit the temperature treatment spatially to the desired regions for electrical contacts and without the necessity of heating complete wafers. However, due to temperature gradients during local laser silicidation, thermal induced stress appears, which may damage the SiC wafer. Based on the simulated results for temperature and stress increase, we identify an optimized regime for laser-induced local silicidation and compare it to experimental data and observations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallization of Non-Conductive Substrates)
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23036 KiB  
Article
Study of Surface Metallization of Polyimide Film and Interfacial Characterization
by Pei-Yu Wu, Ching-Hsuan Lin and Chih-Ming Chen
Metals 2017, 7(6), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/met7060189 - 25 May 2017
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 8863
Abstract
Nickel (Ni) metallization of polyimide (PI) was performed using a solution-based process including imide-ring opening reactions, the implanting of Ni ions, the reduction of catalytic Ni nanoparticles, and the electroless deposition of a Ni film. The start-up imide-ring opening reaction plays a crucial [...] Read more.
Nickel (Ni) metallization of polyimide (PI) was performed using a solution-based process including imide-ring opening reactions, the implanting of Ni ions, the reduction of catalytic Ni nanoparticles, and the electroless deposition of a Ni film. The start-up imide-ring opening reaction plays a crucial role in activating inert PI for subsequent Ni implanting and deposition. A basic treatment of potassium hydroxide (KOH) is commonly used in the imide-ring opening reaction where a poly(amic acid) (PAA) layer forms on the PI surface. In this study, we report that the KOH concentration significantly affects the implanting, reduction, and deposition behavior of Ni. A uniform Ni layer can be grown on a PI film with full coverage through electroless deposition with a KOH concentration of 0.5 M and higher. However, excessive imide-ring opening reactions caused by 5 M KOH treatment resulted in the formation of a thick PAA layer embedded with an uneven distribution of Ni nanoparticles. This composite layer (PAA + Ni) causes wastage of the Ni catalyst and degradation of peel strength of the Ni layer on PI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallization of Non-Conductive Substrates)
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