LASER-ACTIVATED CHEMICAL-DEPOSITING METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

A method of and apparatus for chemically depositing a metal to a substrate in the presence of a rapidly flowing chemical-depositing solution furnishing the metal. A narrow light beam is directed onto the substrate and intercepted by a localized area thereon to activate an interface between the area and the flowing solution. The metal in the solution is thereby chemically deposited on the localized area. The beam and the substrate are relatively displaced to successively shift the area of interception of the beam until a desired surface region on the substrate is rapidly deposited. Preferably, the thickness of the solution passing rapidly and traversed by the beam incident on the localized area is limited not to exceed a preselected dimension. The apparatus preferably comprises a mirror for reflecting the beam from a source thereof which is fixed in position onto the workpiece and a drive unit for translationally displacing the mirror to achieve the required displacement of the incident beam relative to the substrate. A lens is disposed in the optical path for the beam and the position thereof is controlled to maintain its focal plane to be coincident with the beam-intercepting localized area.