Several methods have been reported for metallization of polymers
such as chemical vapor deposition [2], magnetron sputtering
[3], physical vapor deposition [4], electroplating [5,6] and electroless
plating [7–10]. Among these methods, electroless plating
has proven its advantages over other methods in depositing metal
on polymers due to its lower cost, simple devices, ability to form
uniform coatings on the surface of polymers [11]. The conventional
electroless plating process comprises four processing steps:
degreasing, surface etching, surface catalysis fixation and electroless
plating [12]. The degreasing process utilizes acid or alkaline
solutions to remove oils and other organics from the surface of the
polymer. Surface etching process is adopted to roughen the surface
of the substrate to enhance the adhesion of the plated layer