Appeal No. 1997-2919
Application No. 08/573,921
The appealed claims relate to a method of providing a
metal pattern on a glass substrate. The method involves four
fundamental process steps, namely, formation of a silane layer
on the substrate, selective removal of a portion of the silane
layer by irradiation, activation of the remaining portion of
the silane layer with a stabilized palladium (Pd) sol, and
electroless metallization of the activated area. Claim 9, the
sole independent claim, is illustrative:
9. A method of providing a metal pattern on a glass
substrate by an electroless process, said method comprising
applying an aqueous solution of a silane to a surface of a
glass substrate to thereby provide said substrate with a
silane layer, exposing said silane layer to actinic radiation
in accordance with a pattern in a manner to thereby remove a
portion of the silane layer and expose the glass substrate in
the irradiated portion, bringing said substrate into contact
with a Pd sol, stabilized with a water-soluble polymer and
having, as its sole metal, Pd, to thereby activate a surface
of the remaining portion of the silane layer only and then
bringing said substrate into contact with an electroless
metallization bath to thereby form a metal pattern on glass.
The following references of record are relied upon by the
examiner as evidence of obviousness:
Lombardo et al. (Lombardo) 3,978,252 Aug. 31,
1976
Gulla et al. (Gulla) 4,725,314 Feb. 16,
1988
Nakayama et al. (Nakayama) 4,900,582 Feb. 13,
1990
Bach et al. (Bach) 4,976,990 Dec. 11,
1990
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