Low viscosity precursor compositions and methods for the deposition of conductive electronic features

Abstract

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 silver metal for the formation of highly conductive silver features.

1 . A metal precursor composition having a viscosity of not greater than 1000 centipoise, comprising: 
 a) a metal precursor compound; and    b) a conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition by at least about 25° C. compared to the dry metal precursor compound, wherein the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition is not greater than about 200° C.    
   
   
       2 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is not greater than about 100 centipoise.  
   
   
       3 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said viscosity is not greater than about 50 centipoise.  
   
   
       4 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver metal carboxylate compound.  
   
   
       5 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver metal oxide.  
   
   
       6 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is an inorganic silver compound.  
   
   
       7 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is a silver halogenated carboxylate compound.  
   
   
       8 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor compound is silver trifluoroacetate.  
   
   
       9 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said metal precursor composition comprises at least 40 wt. % percent metal.  
   
   
       10 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor.  
   
   
       11 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a crystallization inhibitor selected from the group consisting of glycerol, glycolic acid, lactic acid, humectants and surfactants.  
   
   
       12 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is a liquid that functions as a vehicle for said metal precursor composition.  
   
   
       13 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is a liquid that functions as a solvent for said metal precursor compound.  
   
   
       14 . Metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, amines, amides, boranes, borohydrates, borohydrides, and organosilanes.  
   
   
       15 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an alcohol.  
   
   
       16 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an amine.  
   
   
       17 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises an amide.  
   
   
       18 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises terpineol.  
   
   
       19 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE).  
   
   
       20 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc).  
   
   
       21 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc).  
   
   
       22 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) and terpineol.  
   
   
       23 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent comprises a palladium compound.  
   
   
       24 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of palladium acetate, palladium tetra-amine hydroxide, and palladium trifluoroacetate.  
   
   
       25 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said conversion reducing agent comprises diethyleneglycol butylether (DEGBE) and the molar ratio of DEGBE to said metal precursor compound is from about 0.75 to about 1.25.  
   
   
       26 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle.  
   
   
       27 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a solvent wherein said metal precursor compound is dissolved in said solvent.  
   
   
       28 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a solvent wherein said metal precursor compound is suspended in said solvent.  
   
   
       29 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an aqueous-based solvent.  
   
   
       30 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising particles.  
   
   
       31 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising substantially spherical particles.  
   
   
       32 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising metallic particles.  
   
   
       33 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising silver metal particles.  
   
   
       34 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles having a volume median particle size of not greater than 100 nanometers.  
   
   
       35 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles having a volume median particle size of not greater than about 75 nanometers.  
   
   
       36 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises said conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor compound by at least about 50° C.  
   
   
       37 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said precursor composition comprises said conversion reaction inducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor compound by at least about 100° C.  
   
   
       38 . A metal precursor composition having a viscosity of not greater than about 1000 centipoise, comprising: 
 a) a silver metal compound;    b) silver particles; and    c) a conversion reaction inducing agent in amount sufficient to reduce the conversion temperature of said metal precursor composition by at least about 25° C. as compared to the dry silver metal compound, wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than about 250° C.    
   
   
       39 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said silver metal compound is a silver carboxylate compound.  
   
   
       40 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is an alcohol.  
   
   
       41 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is ethylene glycol.  
   
   
       42 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said conversion reaction inducing agent is terpineol.  
   
   
       43 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a viscosity of not greater than 100 centipoise.  
   
   
       44 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said particles have a volume median particle size of not greater than 100 nanometers.  
   
   
       45 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than 225° C.  
   
   
       46 . A metal precursor composition as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said metal precursor composition has a conversion temperature of not greater than 200° C.