Poly(methyl methacrylate) - Palladium clusters nanocomposite formation by supersonic cluster beam deposition: a method for microstructured metallization of polymer surfaces

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel method using supersonic cluster beam deposition to create durable, microstructured palladium metallization on flexible PMMA surfaces, with potential applications in flexible electronics.

Contribution

It introduces a new SCBD technique for embedding palladium clusters into polymers, enabling high-adhesion microstructures on flexible substrates.

Findings

Pd clusters are implanted and form a continuous layer beneath the polymer surface.

The method produces microstructures with high adhesion compared to thermal evaporation.

The technique is promising for fabricating metallic microstructures on flexible polymers.

Abstract

Nanocomposite films were fabricated by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) of palladium clusters on Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces. The evolution of the electrical conductance with cluster coverage and microscopy analysis show that Pd cluster are implanted in the polymer and form a continuous layer extending for several tens of nanometers beneath the polymer surface. This allows the deposition, using stencil masks, of cluster-assembled Pd microstructures on PMMA showing a remarkably high adhesion compared to metallic films obtained by thermal evaporation. These results suggest that SCBD is a promising tool for the fabrication of metallic microstructures on flexible polymeric substrates.