SELECTIVE ELECTROLESS NICKEL DEPOSITION ON PATTERNED PHOSPHONATE AND CARBOXYLATE POLYMER-FILMS

Electroless metallization processes have been used to develop photopat terned films of poly(diisopropyl vinylbenzylphosphonate-co-N-methylmal eimide) and deposit metallic nickel selectively in the exposed regions of the films. A 100 Angstrom thick film of nickel provides an effecti ve etch mask to the underlying polymer in an oxygen plasma. Carboxylat e polymers can also serve as substrates for electroless nickel deposit ion. These results suggest that phosphonate or carboxylate polymers co uld potentially serve as imaging layers for at-the-surface imaging app roaches to 14 and 193 nm lithography.