In a conductive film forming method using photo sintering, a conductive film having low electric resistance is easily formed. Disclosed is a conductive film forming method in which a conductive film is formed using a photo sintering, which includes the steps of: forming a liquid film made of a copper particulate dispersion on a substrate, drying the liquid film to form a copper particulate layer, subjecting the copper particulate layer to photo sintering to form a conductive film, attaching a sintering promoter to the conductive film, and further subjecting the conductive film having the sintering promoter attached to photo sintering. The sintering promoter is a compound which removes copper oxide from metallic copper. Thereby, the sintering promoter removes a surface oxide film of copper particulates in the conductive film.

Embodiments of the invention include a method of initiating an optical fiber. In some embodiments, a distal portion of the optical fiber is coated with an energy absorbing material. In some embodiments, the material includes a metal flakes or powder dispersed in a solution of organic solvents. After the material dries, laser energy is fired through the optical fiber. The laser energy can be absorbed in the material and ignites the organic solvents. This combustion melts the material of the optical fiber, and impregnates the optical fiber with the metal flakes or powder of the material. The resulting optical fiber is thus permanently modified so that the energy applied through the fiber is partially absorbed and converted to heat.

Embodiments of the invention include a method of initiating an optical fiber. In some embodiments, a distal portion of the optical fiber is coated with an energy absorbing material. In some embodiments, the material includes a metal flakes or powder dispersed in a solution of organic solvents. After the material dries, laser energy is fired through the optical fiber. The laser energy can be absorbed in the material and ignites the organic solvents. This combustion melts the material of the optical fiber, and impregnates the optical fiber with the metal flakes or powder of the material. The resulting optical fiber is thus permanently modified so that the energy applied through the fiber is partially absorbed and converted to heat.

There is described a process for depositing carbon on a surface, comprising, while contacting a mixture of CO.sub.2 and Br.sub.2 with a polar substrate presenting apposed surfaces, exposing a sufficient area of said mixture in the region of said apposed surfaces to light of sufficient intensity and frequency to result in deposition of carbon on at least some of said apposed surfaces. Other embodiments are also described.

The invention relates to a process for coating metallic surfaces with a composition containing at least one of a silane, silanol, siloxane or polysiloxane that is capable of condensation, water and optionally an organic solvent. The composition also contains compound containing Ti, Hf, Zr, Al or B; and at least one type of cation or an organic compound d) selected from monomers, oligomers, polymers, copolymers and block copolymers. The coating freshly applied with this composition is rinsed with a fluid and is not dried thoroughly before this rinsing step so that the compound capable of condensation does not condense substantially before the rinsing step.

A method for applying a metallic coating to a surface of a substrate, in particular for producing conductor tracks includes applying ink to a location to be coated of the surface, the ink including at least one metal salt of an organic acid or a mixture of such salts, and decomposing the ink by supplying energy to the ink, thereby generating the metallic coating from the metal salt or the metal salts, the metallic coating adhering to the surface at the location to be coated.

A method for applying a metallic coating to a surface of a substrate, in particular for producing conductor tracks includes applying ink to a location to be coated of the surface, the ink including at least one metal salt of an organic acid or a mixture of such salts, and decomposing the ink by supplying energy to the ink, thereby generating the metallic coating from the metal salt or the metal salts, the metallic coating adhering to the surface at the location to be coated.

Provided are a method of soldering a functionalized metal oxide, and an electronic device manufactured thereby, and more particularly, a method of soldering a functionalized metal oxide which is capable of growing a solder structure by a hydrothermal synthesis method using a pulsed laser, and is usable in a UV sensor, and an electronic device manufactured thereby. According to the present invention, thermal diffusion generated from a laser is limited due to the use of a pulsed laser, and thus, nanosolder having high density and a shape to be precisely adjustable may be prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis method by the pulsed laser, thereby facilitating the joining of the nanostructure, and further, the nanosolder is formed between the nanostructures, thereby being usable as a metal oxide structure having functionality.

A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

A photochemical process for decorating hydrophobic surfaces with nanoparticles includes the steps of providing a metal precursor having hydrophobic parts adapted to interact with assistance of a photosensitizer; and forming a reactive adduct photosensitizer/precursor-metal/surface, preparing the surface to grow metal nanoparticles in situ having sizes and shapes governed by the morphology of the surface. The formed nanoparticles are sufficiently isolated, not aggregated and not interconnected, and do not create a film but maintain the chemical properties of substrate and metal. Surfaces so selectively decorated have hydrophobic properties even with hydrophilic substrates. Substrates with multiple chemical functionalities are thereby obtained, which can selectively bind different molecules or biomolecules onto the substrate and the surface of the metal nanoparticles surface. A process according to the invention also allows decorating surfaces with two or more metallic species. Decorated substrates obtained with a process according to the invention are also disclosed.