Method of forming low-resistance metal pattern, patterned metal structure, and display devices using the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of forming low-resistance metal pattern, which can be used to obtain a metal pattern having stable and excellent characteristics by performing sensitization treatment using a copper compound before an activation treatment for forming uniform and dense metal cores, a patterned metal structure, and display devices using the same.

1 . A method of forming a low-resistance metal pattern, in which the metal pattern is formed by forming a plurality of metal cores by:
 performing sensitization treatment of a surface of a substrate with a copper compound,   activating the sensitized surface of the substrate by activation treatment of the substrate, and   forming a plated layer on the activated surface of the substrate.   
   
   
       2 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 forming a lower conductive patterned film on a surface of an insulated substrate;   performing sensitization treatment on the lower conductive pattern film using a copper compound;   activating the sensitized substrate to form an activated multi-layered catalyst film comprising a plurality of catalyst metal cores thereon; and   forming one or more plated layers on the surface of the activated multi-layered catalyst film.   
   
   
       3 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein forming the lower conductive pattern film comprises:
 forming a metal thin film on a surface of the insulated substrate;   forming a photosensitive film on a surface of the metal thin film opposite the insulated substrate;   patterning the photosensitive film by selectively exposing and developing the photosensitive film using a mask; and   etching the exposed underlying regions of metal thin film in the patterned photosensitive film.   
   
   
       4 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein the copper compound is copper, a copper alloy, copper sulfate, or copper chloride. 
   
   
       5 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein activating the sensitized substrate is performed using palladium, a palladium alloy, or palladium chloride. 
   
   
       6 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein forming a plated layer is performed using a wet electroless plating method or a wet electrolytic plating method. 
   
   
       7 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein, in forming a plated layer, a metal for plating is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, and alloys thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 2 , wherein forming a plated layer is performed by immersing the sensitized and activated lower conductive pattern film into a copper electroless plating solution including a copper salt, a complexing agent, a reductant, and a pH adjuster. 
   
   
       9 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 3 , wherein the metal thin film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, nickel, copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, and alloys thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a protective layer on the plated layer. 
   
   
       11 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 10 , wherein the protective layer comprises nickel or a nickel alloy. 
   
   
       12 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 1 , further comprising annealing a low-resistance metal pattern after the formation of the low-resistance metal pattern by forming a plated layer. 
   
   
       13 . The method of forming low-resistance metal pattern according to  claim 12 , wherein annealing is performed under a nitrogen, argon or vacuum atmosphere at about 40 to about 400° C. for about 15 to about 120 minutes. 
   
   
       14 . A patterned metal structure, comprising:
 a substrate;   a lower conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the substrate; and   an upper conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate,   wherein the patterned metal structure comprises a seed layer, including a copper compound and a palladium compound, disposed between the lower conductive pattern film and the upper conductive pattern film.   
   
   
       15 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the structure comprises:
 a lower conductive pattern film disposed on a surface of a substrate;   a seed layer, including a copper compound and a palladium compound, formed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate; and   an upper conductive pattern film formed on a surface of the seed layer opposite the lower conductive pattern film.   
   
   
       16 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the lower conductive pattern film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, nickel, copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, and alloys thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the upper conductive pattern film is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, silver, gold, and alloys thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the seed layer comprises both a copper seed layer including a copper compound and a palladium seed layer including a palladium compound, wherein the copper seed layer is disposed on a surface of the lower conductive pattern film opposite the substrate, and the palladium seed layer is disposed on a surface of the copper seed layer opposite the lower conductive pattern film. 
   
   
       19 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the copper compound is selected from the group consisting of copper, a copper alloy, copper sulfate, and copper chloride. 
   
   
       20 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the palladium compound is selected from the group consisting of palladium, a palladium alloy, and palladium chloride. 
   
   
       21 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , further comprising a protective layer formed on a surface of the upper conductive pattern film. 
   
   
       22 . The patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the protective layer comprises nickel or a nickel alloy. 
   
   
       23 . A display device comprising the patterned metal structure according to  claim 14 . 
   
   
       24 . The display device according to  claim 23 , wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.