Abstract: The electrical properties of the bond formed between a metal substrate and an electrically conductive adhesive is improved, especially in high humidity conditions, by applying to the metal substrate an organic coupling agent prior to application of the electrically-conductive adhesive thereto.

Abstract: The adhesion of chromium-copper layer to polyimide has been greatly improved by a method which provides controlled reduction, rather than total elimination, of water content in the polyimide. The electronic packaging device which incorporates the flexible circuit prepared by the method exhibits greatly improved reliability. It is believed that the invention can be used to improve the adhesion between other organic materials having moisture affinity and materials comprising in-organics or between two organic materials.

Abstract: An electroless metal plating bath composition, a corresponding method for electrolessly depositing a metal onto a substrate surface, as well as the resulting, metallized substrate, are disclosed. The inventive bath composition includes water, a soluble source of the metal ions it is desired to chemically reduce at, and deposit onto, the substrate surface of interest, and a complexing agent for the metal ions. In addition, the bath composition includes a soluble source of any one or more of a select group of what are termed mediator ions, which group includes palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and rhodium (Rh) ions, as well as a complexing agent for the mediator ions. Moreover, the bath composition includes a chemical reducing agent, which primarily serves to chemically reduce the mediator ions at the substrate surface of interest.

Abstract: A moire interferometer which is both portable and shielded from the environment, as well as a corresponding moire interferometric method, are disclosed.

Abstract: A process for depositing catalytically active platinum metal layers from an ionogenic, acidic, platinum metal ions-containing solution which further contains sulfonic acid. This activation leads to more uniform catalyst layers with greater surfaces which are catalytically more efficient. The process according to the invention can be implemented in any chemical process utilizing platinum metal catalysts, e.g. chemical synthesis, environment applications or metallization of surfaces.

Abstract: A thermally conductive planar member is in thermally conductive communication with a flip chip encapsulated within a dielectric material that surrounds portions of the thermally conductive planar member, the flip-chip, and a predefined portion of a substrate member. The present invention provides a flip chip package having pick-and-place capability without the thermal resistance disadvantage of capped chip packages.

Abstract: A process with several variants is presented which permits the layer thickness of the conductive layers on a circuit board to be independent of the layer thickness of the conductive layers in the holes. To this end, the surface structure of the circuit board, in particular the conductors, are initially completed, covered with a solder stop mask, and it is only then that the holes bared by exposure and development of the solder stop mask and, if required, lands and pads, are metallized.

Abstract: A process for depositing catalytically active platinum metal layers from an ionogenic, acidic, platinum metal ions-containing solution which further contains sulfonic acid. This activation leads to more uniform catalyst layers with greater surfaces which are catalytically more efficient. The process according to the invention can be implemented in any chemical process utilizing platinum metal catalysts, e.g. chemical synthesis, environment applications or metallization of surfaces.

Abstract: An electroless metal plating bath composition, a corresponding method for electrolessly depositing a metal onto a substrate surface, as well as the resulting, metallized substrate, are disclosed. The inventive bath composition includes water, a soluble source of the metal ions it is desired to chemically reduce at, and deposit onto, the substrate surface of interest, and a complexing agent for the metal ions. In addition, the bath composition includes a soluble source of any one or more of a select group of what are termed mediator ions, which group includes palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and rhodium (Rh) ions, as well as a complexing agent for the mediator ions. Moreover, the bath composition includes a chemical reducing agent, which primarily serves to chemically reduce the mediator ions at the substrate surface of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemically etching the copper foil of a copper foil-clad substrate are disclosed. Significantly, this apparatus includes fluid jet injectors which serve to produce jets of chemical etchant. These fluid jet injectors are arranged so as to simultaneously achieve a relatively high etch rate and a relatively high etch uniformity.

Abstract: A new fiber optic connector housing and a new fiber optic receptacle, both of which conform to a new standard proposed by the X3T9.3 committee of the American National Standards Institute, are disclosed. In addition, four accessory devices for electro-optic modules, each of which includes one or more essentially conventional plug frames which fit into either one or more conventional, individual fiber optic connector housings or the new fiber optic connector housing, are disclosed.

Abstract: A new method for treating substrates with fluids, as well as corresponding fluid treatment apparatus. The new apparatus includes a new configuration of fluid jet injectors which substantially overcomes the problem of dragout, in which fluid impinged upon an area of a substrate is retained on that area, preventing fresh fluid from reaching the impinged area. This new configuration also avoids imposing torques on substrates, and substantially reduces the need for rollers and guides for transporting substrates.

Abstract: An electroless metal plating bath composition, a corresponding method for electrolessly depositing a metal onto a substrate surface, as well as the resulting, metallized substrate, are disclosed. The inventive bath composition includes water, a soluble source of the metal ions it is desired to chemically reduce at, and deposit onto, the substrate surface of interest, and a complexing agent for the metal ions. In addition, the bath composition includes a soluble source of any one or more of a select group of what are termed mediator ions, which group includes palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and rhodium (Rh) ions, as well as a complexing agent for the mediator ions. Moreover, the bath composition includes a chemical reducing agent, which primarily serves to chemically reduce the mediator ions at the substrate surface of interest.

Abstract: An automated, computer-controlled system, and a corresponding method, for testing electro-optic modules, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new rework process for semiconductor chips mounted in a flip chip configuration, via solder balls, on an organic substrate is disclosed.

Abstract: To allow automatic determination of the order of drilling in slot drilling.The positions of holes located along a line are described via a binary vector. The order of drilling is also described via a binary vector. The former binary vector is made to correspond to the latter binary vector through a conversion matrix, where every corresponding partial matrix is regular. The positions of the holes are determined from the drilling order, or the drilling order is determined from the positions of the holes by their correspondence.

Abstract: A method for vapor phase depositing a thin seed layer of, for example, chromium and copper onto the side walls of through holes in thin film substrates of, for example, polyimide is disclosed. This method is useful in fabricating devices such as a thin film semiconductor chip carrier in which a semiconductor chip mounted on one major surface of the chip carrier is electrically connected to a ground plane and/or a power conductor on the other major surface of the chip carrier via one or more metallized through holes.

Abstract: A new apparatus for treating substrates with fluids, as well as a corresponding fluid treatment method, is disclosed. The new apparatus includes a new configuration of fluid jet injectors which substantially overcomes the problem of dragout, in which fluid impinged upon an area of a substrate is retained on that area, preventing fresh fluid from reaching the impinged area. This new configuration also avoids imposing torques on substrates, and substantially reduces the need for rollers and guides for transporting substrates.

Abstract: A method for forming a wrinkle-free insulating layer from a resin having both photo-curing and thermosetting properties by reducing the magnitude of a concentration gradient of residual solvent in the thickness direction of the resin layer after drying the resin layer and prior to photo-curing, developing and thermosetting the resin layer. In one embodiment, such reduction is achieved by passing a substrate bearing the resin layer by a roll coater charged with a solvent for the resin, and allowing solvent to be absorbed by the resin layer. The solvent application roll can be spaced from the resin layer by a small gap such that solvent vapor is applied to the resin layer. Alternatively, solvent in liquid form can be applied to the resin layer. In another embodiment, the concentration gradient of residual solvent in the resin layer is reduced by affixing a barrier film to the resin layer and then heating the resin layer.

Abstract: The adhesion of chromium-copper layer to polyimide has been greatly improved by a method which provides controlled reduction, rather than total elimination, of water content in the polyimide. The electronic packaging device which incorporates the flexible circuit prepared by the method exhibits greatly improved reliability. It is believed that the invention can be used to improve the adhesion between other organic materials having moisture affinity and materials comprising in-organics or between two organic materials.