Abstract: An apparatus and process are described for plating tin-lead solder on metallic surfaces. Particularly significant is the high plating rate and the limited amount of plating in designated areas of the metallic surface. Solder is introduced into the plating solution from anode baskets holding tin-lead solder. This apparatus and process are particularly adaptable for continuous strip plating on metallic electrical connectors.

Abstract: Processes and devices are described which employ flexible substrates made from cloth impregnated with a resin of a particular composition. The flexible substrate is made into double-clad printed wiring substrate for use in double-sided circuits. These substrates exhibit excellent dimensional stability during circuit fabrication and soldering as well as excellent flame retardance and electrical insulation resistance.

Abstract: Certain structures are described for solid state electrical switches which employ electrochromic material. These structures involve use of a common base contact for both switching and readout circuits. The structures are particularly easy to fabricate using integrated circuit techniques and exhibit reduced electrical shorts due to reduced migration of metallic ions.

Abstract: A process is described for loading nickel electrodes in porous plaques using an electrolytic technique. The process involves use of a counter electrolyte covered with a cobalt compound. This process is highly efficient because less hydrogen ions are liberated during the impregnation process and less buffering substance is needed to stabilize the pH of the solution.

Abstract: A ceramic composition and processing procedure is described which is useful in electric and electronic devices such as thermistors. The ceramic composition, which may be described as a semiconducting barium titanate, exhibits a large positive temperature coefficient of resistance. Advantages are ease and convenience of fabrication with lower sintering temperature than conventional processing and use of an air atmosphere instead of nitrogen or oxygen atmospheres. This facilitates batch processing and permits convenient sintering in a continuous kiln.

Abstract: A solid state electrical switch is described which exhibits high off/on resistance ratios and low insertion loss. An additional advantage is that removal of the switching energy does not alter the status (off or on) of the switch. The active solid state material in the switch is an electrochromic material (e.g., tungsten trioxide) which undergoes a transformation from insulator to metallic conductor on injection of certain ions.

Abstract: A process is described for making III-V semiconductor devices with electroless gold plated layers. Various III-V semiconductors are used, particularly those containing gallium, aluminum and indium such as GaAs, Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As, GaP, Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x P.sub.y As.sub.1-y, In.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x P.sub.y As.sub.1-y and InP. This process involves activation of a semiconductor surface and then electrolessly gold plating the surface. Electroless gold films produced in accordance with this process have good adherence to the semiconductor surface and are useful not only for electrical connection to the semiconductor, but also for attachment to headers for mechanical convenience and to maintain temperature stability. Exemplary devices are field effect transistors, particularly those operating in the microwave region, and semiconductor lasers.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are described in which a multiple continuous electrochemical procedure is carried out on a metallic strip. Included in this procedure are both cleaning and electropolishing steps prior to plating on the metallic strip. Particularly important is the design of the various electrochemical processing cells so that continuous processing may be carried out on a continuous moving metal strip. Also, compatibility with other electrochemical and chemical processes carried out on the continuous strip line is desirable.

Abstract: A process is described for producing devices with gold films on surfaces composed of certain inorganic fluoride compounds. An adhesion compound such as lead fluoride, cadmium fluoride or tin fluoride or mixtures of these compounds is interspersed between inorganic fluoride surface and gold film. This process is particularly attractive for the fabrication of electrochromic display devices and solid-state switches. This procedure insures good adhesion of gold film to inorganic fluoride and insures high reliability in the manufacture of such devices. In addition, electrodes made in accordance with the invention have highly desirable electrical characteristics including ohmic resistance characteristics and low electrode resistances.

Abstract: A process is described for producing fine particles of certain double oxide compounds. This procedure is advantageous because of the fine particles produced and the accurate stoichiometry of the resulting product. The process is particularly applicable to the production of such compounds as LiNbO.sub.3 and LiTaO.sub.3 and other compounds where conventional procedures involving heating a mixture of individual oxides leads to stoichiometry problems because of the volatility of one of the component oxides.

Abstract: The invention is a process for rapidly electroplating certain metals such as gold, nickel, tin-nickel and tin-lead alloys on contact fingers for electronic printed wiring boards. Particularly important is uniform distribution of current amongst the fingers so as to produce uniform metal platings with equal thickness. Also of importance is the provision to alter thickness among the individual fingers so as to plate metal where most needed for particular applications. Uniform and rapid plating are achieved by certain circuit designs together with high parallel flow rates of electroplating solution in the electroplating cell. Both electroplating uniformity and provision for selecting thickness for individual fingers permits savings in amounts of metal used without sacrifices in performance. This is particularly important in the case of gold electroplating because of the high cost and increasing use of gold.

Abstract: A process is described for making gold platings of low effective porosity. This process involves first putting down a gold layer on a surface and then passivating the surface using an electrochemical procedure. This process permits use of much thinner gold layers than ordinarily used without the danger of corrosion of underlying base metal.

Abstract: A process is described for cathodically depositing chromate films on metal surfaces. Metal surfaces of interest are copper, and copper alloy surfaces, nickel, and nickel alloy surfaces, and iron and iron alloy surfaces. Particular electrolytic conditions and solution compositions yield chromate films which are advantageous in many applications including protection of surfaces against corrosion and improved adhesive characteristics of metal surfaces toward various films including organic (paint, etc.) films. In addition, chromate films produced in accordance with the described procedure are advantageous as plating masks for electrolytic deposition of gold.

Abstract: A process is described for selectively electroplating gold on metallic surfaces containing copper using a chromate film as a plating mask. This procedure permits reduced use of gold without adversely affecting device performance. In addition, chromate films may be patterned with relatively high dimensional resolution and control so as to achieve gold plating patterns useful in electronic and integrated circuits.

Abstract: A process is described for putting down patterned chromate films on metal substrates. The procedure involves first forming a chromate film on the metal surface and then forming the patterned chromate film. The pattern is formed by sputtering the substrate through a suitable shadow mask. This procedure yields patterned chromate films with high dimensional tolerance limits. Such patterns are particularly useful in the fabrication of electronic artifacts, as for example, a mask in gold plating processes.

Abstract: A process is described for making optical circuits on LiTaO.sub.3 substrates. The process involves putting down an epitaxial layer of LiNbO.sub.3 on the LiTaO.sub.3 substrates. Growth is preferably carried out on certain planes of the LiTaO.sub.3. These optical circuits are unique in that they are smooth, uniform in thickness and have a refractive index significantly larger than that of the substrate. This is advantageous in optical circuitry, since the optical modes in the circuits are quite distinct and can be coupled separately using such light sources as lasers and light emitting diodes.

Abstract: A process is described for making modified gold platings of low porosity. This process involves first putting down a gold layer and then passivating this layer using an electrochemical chromating procedure. This process permits use of much thinner gold layers than ordinarily used without the danger of corrosion of underlying base metal.

Abstract: Certain reducible species are found in gold electroplating solutions which interfere with efficient electroplating of gold and make uncertain gold thickness predictions based on current throughput. A gold electroplating process is described which minimizes formation of undesirable reducible species. This process uses an anode of titanium having a coating of the oxides of ruthenium, iridium, rhodium, titanium or mixtures thereof. In addition, a procedure is described for removing such chemical species from the gold plating bath which does not adversely affect the gold electroplating solution.

Abstract: A sodium-sulfur battery is described which contains, in addition to a conventional sodium electrode, a conventional sulfur electrode and a conventional solid electrolyte, an additive which reduces the operating temperature of the cell without significant deleterious effects on operating characteristics.

Abstract: A process is described for the electroless deposition of metals on nonmetallic surfaces. After pretreatment of the nonmetallic surface so as to obtain a finish suitable for deposition of sensitizers and activators, the nonmetallic surface is exposed to a sensitizing solution and thereafter in a separate step to an activation solution. The surface is then washed with an aqueous alkaline solution prior to immersion in the electroless plating solution. The separate sensitization and activation steps are particularly suitable where the sensitizing step is also used for pattern generation. The inclusion of the aqueous alkaline wash after the activation step both protects the electroless plating bath from contamination with sensitizer and activator, and also insures a short initition time. Short initiation times are highly desirable especially in the production of electronic circuits because highly uniform metal platings are insured, manufacturing time is considerably reduced and reliability is increased.