Micromachining compatible metal patterning technique using localized decomposition of an organometallic compound by laser irradiation

Spin coated palladium acetate film was decomposed locally using argon ion laser irradiation and palladium thin film with a line pattern was formed. We studied the effects of the process parameters, such as laser power density and scan rate, on line pattern features and the basic characteristics of the formed palladium thin film. The film had a fine polycrystalline structure with a grain size of up to 100 nm, and high chemical purity, resulting in a low electrical resistivity of the order of cm. The formed line patterns had a smooth surface and flat features. Their thickness was 12% of that of the coated palladium acetate film. The width of the formed palladium line patterns was 100-200% of the spot size of the laser beam, depending on irradiation conditions, due to thermal conduction. This metal pattern deposition technique is not only very simple and flexible, but is also compatible with micromachining processes, since it is a maskless process and is easy to apply to three dimensional structures.