Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electrokinetic decontamination of a porous solid medium, which comprises: a) extracting the contaminating species present in the solid medium in an electrolyte appearing as an essentially inorganic gel, this extraction being obtained by applying an electric current between two electrodes positioned at the surface and/or in the interior of the solid medium, the contact of at least one of these electrodes with said solid medium being ensured by a layer of said gel, b) drying the gel containing the thereby extracted contaminating species until a dry residue is obtained which fractures, and c) removing the thereby obtained dry residue from said solid residue.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a printed wiring board, a via reaches from a surface copper layer to an inner-layer copper layer of a multilayer board, and copper layers and insulating layers are alternately layered. The wiring board is machined by a laser, and a process of machining the via includes forming a laser absorbing layer on a surface of a copper layer disposed on the surface of the multilayer board. The laser is irradiated, and an electrolytic etching and removal of the laser absorbing layer is carried out in this order.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of polishing and/or cleaning copper interconnects using bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl) imide acids or copper tris(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl) methide acids compositions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of polishing and/or cleaning copper interconnects using sulfonic acid compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating spent tin or tin/lead stripping solution used in the electronic industry, particularly in the manufacture of printed circuit boards or a lead frames. Said method comprises (i) electrolytically reducing copper ions in the solution to copper at a low temperature; (ii) electrolytically oxidizing Sn2+ and Pb2+ in the solution at a high temperature to form solid tin and lead oxides and hydroxides; (iii) separating solid tin and lead oxides and hydroxides from the solution; (iv) dissolving tin and lead oxides and hydroxides obtained in step (iii) in a strong alkali or acidic solution; and (v) electrolytically reducing the alkali or acidic solution obtained in step (iv) at a high temperature to recover metallic tin and lead. Also, the filtrate obtained in step (iii) above is useful for preparing fresh tin or tin/lead stripping solution.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for in-situ cleaning of semiconductor electroplating electrodes to remove plating metal without requiring !the manual removal of the electrodes from the semiconductor plating equipment. The electrode is placed into the plating liquid and, an electrical current having reverse polarity is passed between the electrode and plating liquid. Plating deposits which have accumulated on the electrode are electrochemically dissolved and removed from the electrode.

Abstract: Methods of dissolving copper into electrolytic solutions, such as solutions comprising nitrogen compounds, by supplying an anodic current to a copper or copper-containing metal that is in contact with an electrolytic solution comprising a nitrogen compound (such as 2-hydroxyethylamine) and carbon dioxide. Anodic current may be provided by, for example, galvanic coupling with a material having a more positive reduction potential in the electrolytic solution (or given the system of electrolytic solutions) than copper, and/or by applying an impressed anodic current to the copper or copper-containing metal. Separate reaction vessels may be employed to house a first copper metal and a second cathode metal, as well as the electrolytic solutions associated with each.

Abstract: Surface defects on rolled alulminium alloy sheet, particularly that intended for use as lithographic plate substrate, are caused by copper-containing particles. The invention provides a method of improving the sheet by removing the particles by anodising in an aggressive electrolyte, particularly a.c. anodising at a current density of at least 2 kAm−2.

Abstract: A device for electrochemically deplating metal from side edges and a backside of a semiconductor wafer or substrate. The device includes a shaped cathode having a shape substantially corresponding to a shape of at least a portion of the semiconductor wafer, such that the shaped cathode at least partially covers the backside and at least partially covers the side edges of the semiconductor wafer. The position of at least one of the semiconductor wafer and the shaped cathode is altered by position altering apparatus during the electrochemical deplating.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metallic fiber in which from a convergent extended wire, which is formed by a metallic fiber and a matrix member which is formed of a metallic material and whose dissolvability is higher than the dissolvability of the metallic fiber, the matrix member is continuously dissolved and removed by an electrolytic processing in a plurality of electrolytic tanks which are arranged in the conveying direction of the convergent extended wire, wherein: the convergent extended wire is passed through electrolytes in the plurality of electrolytic tanks, which are arranged in the shape of a gentle convex arch at the vertical direction upper side which includes the conveying passage of the convergent extended wire, the convergent extended wire is passed above a plurality of feeding devices which are provided at the outer sides of the electrolytes and which are disposed in the same arch-shape so as to correspond to the electrolytic tanks, in each of the plurality of electrolytic tanks, the metallic

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for continuous uniform electrolytic metallizing or etching of metal surfaces, and to a device suitable for carrying out this method. The invention is particularly suitable for treating printed circuit boards and conductive films in installations through which the metal surface being treated passes horizontally. In order to avoid metal coatings of differing thicknesses being deposited on narrow and wide conductor strips in printed circuit boards, according to the present invention operation is with movable, preferably rotating roller-shaped intermediate electrodes, which roll without short circuit at a very close effective distance above the metal surface being treated, or which contact the surface in a wiping manner. These intermediate electrodes are not electrically connected to the source of bath current, thus serving as bipolar electrodes, and are located between the surface being treated and a suitable counter-electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of measuring, adjusting and uniformalizing a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire, a method of cleaning an electric wire, a method of manufacturing a metal-covered electric wire, an apparatus for measuring a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire, and an apparatus for electropolishing a metal-covered electric wire.Electric resistance values of first and second materials are previously stored respectively so that a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire is calculated on the basis of the as-stored values and an actually measured electric resistance value of the metal-covered electric wire. Measurement and uniformalization of a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire and cleaning of an electric wire are carried out by dissolving surface layer parts of the electric wires by electropolishing.