| Abstract [eng] |
This thesis investigates the capabilities of Selective Surface Activation Induced by Laser (SSAIL) technology for forming narrow copper tracks, only several micrometres wide, on dielectric surfaces. The SSAIL process comprises three primary steps: laser-induced surface modification, chemical activation of the modified areas in a solution, and electroless copper deposition onto the activated sites. Two optical systems were employed for the laser modification of the dielectric surface: (1) a beam focussed by a microscope objective (0.5 NA) and (2) a Bessel beam generated by an axicon (130° apex angle). In both cases, the laser beam is focussed into a spot with a diameter of several micrometres (in the case of the Bessel beam, this refers to the diameter of the central peak). Two types of materials were selected as dielectric substrates: a polymer (PET) and glass (soda-lime and D263 borosilicate). By adjusting various laser processing parameters (pulse energy, scanning speed, repetition rate, polarisation, etc.), the feasibility of metallisation and the resulting trace widths were evaluated. Following the metallisation process, the electrical and thermal properties of the narrow traces formed via SSAIL were characterised. Finally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed, providing the first fundamental explanation of the underlying physical and chemical mechanisms of this technology on glass substrates. |
