Photocatalysis electroless plating of copper pattern on Al2O3 ceramic substrate combined with template shape control method

A convenient and efficient approach for copper pattern preparation on Al2O3 ceramic substrate has been developed. The anatase nano-TiO2 film was firstly deposited on the surface of Al2O3 ceramic substrate to provide electron-hole pairs in subsequent photocatalysis electroless copper plating (PECP), and then PECP combined with template shape control method was initiated by ultraviolet light to fabricate the desirable conductive pattern. A continuous copper pattern layer could be obtained by controlling the electroless plating process during PECP. A low resistivity of about 3.49 x 10(-8) Omega.m of the copper layer was achieved, which was only about 2 times higher than that of pure copper. Moreover, such a copper layer exhibited satisfactory smoothness with roughness of Ra 472 nm and reliable adhesion with bonding strength of higher than 37 MPa to substrate. This approach proposes a potential way to realize selective surface metallization on ceramic substrates without high temperature and any sophisticated equipment.