This research is aimed at developing the science base for methods of fabricating printed circuit boards in the microelectronic industry. The technique proposed is as follows: The polymer used for the printed circuit board is first chemically cleaned. A thin film of organic material, such as methane, is deposited by low temperature plasma polymerization technique. This material adheres to the organic substrate by strong covalent bonds. A second layer comprising a metal (generally copper) and an organic are codeposited by plasma deposition of an organometallic. Parameters of the process are so controlled that the surface of the second layer is rich in metal and its concentration decreases rapidly into the interior. Similarly, the interface between the first and the second layer is rich in organic. Thus, a strongly bonded graded interface rich in metal is produced.
