Electroless plating of copper on Si(100) surfaces modified by surface‐initiated atom‐transfer radical polymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine

Surface‐initiated atom‐transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 4‐vinylpyridine (4VP) on a pretreated Si(100) surface was carried out. The composition and topography of the Si(100) surface modified by poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (P4VP) were characterized by XPS and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The P4VP layer on the Si(100) surface was used not only as chemisorption sites for the palladium complexes without prior sensitization by SnCl 2 solution during the electroless plating, but also as an adhesion promotion layer for the electrolessly deposited copper. The electrolessly deposited copper on the Si–P4VP surface exhibited a 180° peel adhesion strength above 6 N/cm. The adhesion strength was much higher than that of the electrolessly deposited copper to the pristine silicon surface.