Pd+2/Poly(acrylic acid) Thin Films as Catalysts for Electroless Copper Deposition: Mechanism of Catalyst Formation

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Abstract
The mechanism involved in the initiation of electroless copper deposition onto dielectric substrates using Pd+2/ poly(acrylic acid) thin films is described. Dielectric substrates are catalyzed by dip‐coating in aqueous poly(acrylic acid) to deposit a 50–300 nm thick film of the polymer on the surface; the coated substrate is then immersed in aqueous . It is shown that uptake of palladium in the poly(acrylic acid) film occurs by H+/Pd+2 ion exchange. The active catalyst is identified by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy as zerovalent palladium, formed when the Pd+2‐exchanged polymer film is immersed in an electroless copper deposition bath.