polyimides silicon silicone rubbers silicon dioxide and the like the substrate may also have thereon a metal pad which can be adapted to provide an interconnection between for example printed circuit patterns as shown in fig1 a substrate 2 may be optionally coated with a layer of insulative material 4 when an interconnection between printed circuit patterns is not desired such insulative materials are known in the art and include for example insulative plastics such a polyimides polysulfones silicone polyimides epoxies and mylar a water soluble layer 6 is coated on insulative layer 4 and preferably comprises a water soluble polymer suitable water soluble polymers include polyvinylpyrrolidone polyvinyl alcohol gelatin and polyalkylene ethers polyvinyl pyrrolidone is particularly preferred the water soluble layer is coated at a thickness sufficient to insure complete coverage of the substrate preferably from about 500 u00e5 to about 3000 u00e5 referring to fig1 b the portion of the substrate to be plated is irradiated as shown by reference numeral 8 with radiation from an excimer laser not shown such as one employing a noble gas halide gas mixture e g argon fluorine gas mixture to break apart the carbon carbon bonds of the water soluble polymer to thereby ablatively remove water soluble polymer layer 6 and form a metal deposition target area 10 the excimer laser e g a lambda physik excimer laser is operated in the ultraviolet region preferably at a wavelength of about 193 nm 248 nm or 308 nm at a fluence energy level in the range of at least about 20 mj cm 2 preferably 20 mj cm 2 to 300 mj cm 2.