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Abstract

A process for providing a metal-seeded liquid crystal polymer comprising the steps of providing a liquid crystal polymer substrate to be treated by applying an aqueous solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide and a solubilizer as an etchant composition for the liquid crystal polymer substrate. Further treatment of the etched liquid crystal polymer substrate involves depositing an adherent metal layer on the etched liquid crystal polymer substrate. An adherent metal layer may be deposited using either electroless metal plating or vacuum deposition of metal such as by sputtering. When using electroless metal plating, a tin(II) solution applied to the liquid crystal polymer provides a treated liquid crystal polymer substrate to which the application of a palladium(II) solution provides the metal-seeded liquid crystal polymer. The etchant composition comprises a solution in water of from 35 wt. % to 55 wt. % of an alkali metal salt, and from 10 wt. % to 35 wt. % of a solubilizer dissolved in the solution to provide the etchant composition suitable for etching the liquid crystal polymer at a temperature from 50.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. A flexible circuit comprising a liquid crystal polymer film having through-holes and related shaped voids may be formed using etchant compositions as previously described. Etchant solutions may be used to prepare the surfaces of materials for formation of composite structures useful in applications including flexures for hard disk drives.

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