2012 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 141-146
A palladium nanoparticle/silica nanoparticle/acrylic polymer hybrid negative pattern was formed on a flexible film by photolithography and then converted to a copper pattern by electroless deposition. The negative pattern of the hybrid was formed by UV-irradiation of the layer composed of acrylate monomer, palladium salt, and a photo radical initiator. The photochemically generated radicals induced the radical polymerization of the acrylate and also reduced the palladium ion to form palladium nanoparticles. A copper film was deposited on the surface of the hybrid pattern by electroless deposition, where the palladium nanoparticles work as a catalyst and the nanometer-scale roughness due to the silica nanoparticles increases the adhesion between the polymer and copper.