Excimer laser induced CVD and its application to selective non-planar metallization

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Abstract
Ultraviolet laser induced selective chromium metallization of a non-planar microscopic surface is established. The chromium film deposited from the gas phase Cr(CO)6 precursor showed low electric conductivity because of impurities such as carbon oxygen produced as side-products of the photochemical reaction of the precursor. In order to obtain highly conductive metallization on non-planar surface, a two-step patterning method is studied. As the first step, conductive nickel film is formed around three-dimensional polyurethane substrates by using an electroless plating method. In the second step, chromium is selectively deposited on the nickel layer employing the UV laser induced CVD method. The nickel layer is then selectively etched using the chromium as a mask. The conductive nickel pattern is successfully achieved employing the two-step patterning method. As an application example of these new fabrication techniques, we propose a built-in tactile sensor at the probe-head of a catheter. A fabricated prototype of the tactile sensor is reported.