Direct laser writing of aluminum and copper on glass surfaces from metal powder

In this paper, a new simple, high-speed method of selective metal depositio n on glass substrates is proposed. The method is as follows: metal powder i s placed on a glass substrate, then an argon ion laser is irradiated throug h the glass from the other side, consequently the powders are deposited on the glass substrates. Soda glass, Pyrex glass and silica glass were used as substrates, because they are popular materials and their thermal propertie s were varied. Aluminum and copper powders, with gain sizes of 7.0 and 4.6 mum, respectively, were chosen. Glass substrates and metal powder were plac ed in a chamber to enable control of the atmosphere, the chamber was fixed on an electronically controlled X-Y-Z stage. Aluminum and copper can be dep osited on all three types of glass. Aluminum deposited on the soda glass we re 80-800 mum in width and 10-120 mum in height. The deposited aluminum and copper had high conductivity and resistances of 0.017-0.64 and 0.0014-0.2 Omega /mm (1 mm long), respectively. The adhesion between deposited copper and soda glass was stronger than 3 MPa. The interface between the glass sub strate and deposited metals have a complicated shape, but the border is dis tinct and aluminum was not diffused, as determined by observation of the cr oss section and etching the deposited metal. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.