Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
A highly effective wetting agent and emulsifier, Triton X-100 detergent is introduced to metalorganic solutions. When applied to a substrate, this detergent/metalorganic solution promotes the formation of a uniform spin-on thin film with good adhesion. The precursor, copper formate film, was spin-deposited with a metalorganic solution prepared by a solvent mixture of methanol and Triton X-100 (50:1 by volume). KrF laser (248 nm) direct writing of high-purity copper patterns on glass and polyimide substrates has been achieved. When the laser beam is imaged through a slit device, periodic copper metal structures with a linewidth of ∼2.5 μm are observed, which may be attributed to result from Fraunhofer diffraction. A general process for casting homogeneous amorphous films on substrates from a solution of molecular or ionic metalorganics dissolved in the neutral or charged micelles is proposed.