Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for oxidizing manganese species in a treatment device (10) comprising at least one anode unit (20) and at least one cathode (30), wherein said unit comprises at least one anode (21) and is confined by a housing (22), the housing defining a free inner volume (V), wherein (i) the housing comprises at least one permeable barrier (23) and the at least one cathode is located outside the anode unit, or (ii) the at least one anode unit comprises at least partly the at least one cathode, wherein the housing does not comprise a permeable barrier, characterized in that in (i) and (ii) the at least one anode and the at least one cathode have a distance (d) ranging from 0.5 mm to 100 mm. The invention furthermore refers to a respective treatment device (10).

Abstract: The present invention refers to an electroplating composition for plating a chromium coating on a substrate, the composition comprising: (i) a source of hexavalent chromium; (ii) one or more than one betaine comprising a quaternary nitrogen and/or salts thereof; and (iii) one or more than one poly-organosiloxane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for depositing a chromium layer on a surface. The present invention relates in particular to a method for depositing a chromium layer on a surface of a round-shaped substrate, the method comprising a pre-treating step with a laser such that material is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous stripping composition for electrolytically removing a metal deposit from a substrate, the composition comprising (i) nitrate anions, (ii) one or more than one carboxylic acid and/or salts thereof, and (iii) one or more than one kind of halogen anions, wherein in the aqueous stripping composition (i) is the only nitrogen-containing species. The present invention furthermore relates to a respective use thereof and a respective method utilizing said aqueous stripping composition.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of preparing a high density interconnect printed circuit board (HDI PCB) or IC substrates including through-holes and/or grate structures filled with copper, which comprises the steps of: a) providing a multi-layer substrate; b) forming a non-copper conductive layer or a copper layer on the cover layer and on an inner surface of the through-hole, respectively on an inner surface of the grate structure; c) forming a patterned masking film; d) electrodepositing copper; e) removing the masking film; and f) electrodepositing a copper filling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the brightness L* of an electroplated chromium layer, in particular of a dark electroplated chromium layer. The method includes an aqueous trivalent chromium electroplating bath comprising colloidal particles and/or agglomerates thereof and a step of fully or partially removing same with optionally adding colloidal particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for electrodepositing a dark chromium layer on a substrate, a respective electroplating bath for depositing such a dark chromium layer, and a respective substrate comprising said dark chromium layer. The electroplating bath comprises colloidal particles containing the chemical element aluminum. The substrate comprising said dark chromium layer is primarily suited for decorative purposes.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of preparing a high density interconnect printed circuit board (HDI PCB) including microvias filled with copper comprising the steps of: a1) providing a multi-layer substrate comprising (i) a stack assembly of an electrically conductive interlayer embedded between two insulating layers, (ii) a cover layer, and (iii) a microvia extending from the peripheral surface and ending on the conductive interlayer; b1) depositing a conductive layer; or a2) providing a multi-layer substrate comprising (i) a stack assembly of an electrically conductive interlayer embedded between two insulating layers, (ii) a microvia extending from the peripheral surface and ending on the conductive interlayer; b2) depositing a conductive layer; and c) electrodepositing a copper filling in the microvia and a first copper layer on the conductive layer which form together a planar surface and the thickness of the first copper layer is from 0.1 to 3 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acidic aqueous composition for electrolytic copper plating, the composition comprising (i) copper (II) ions, (ii) one or more than one suppressor consisting of or comprising one single N-heteroaromatic mono-ring, said mono-ring comprising at least two ring nitrogen atoms and more than one substituent covalently connected to one of said ring nitrogen atoms and/or a ring carbon atom, wherein said substituent independently is or comprises one or more than one linear or branched polyalkylene glycol moiety, and/or one or more than one linear or branched polyalkylene glycol block polyalkylene glycol, or random polyalkylene glycol moiety, with the proviso that if said suppressor comprises a OH group, then it is a terminal OH group of said polyalkylene glycol moiety, polyalkylene glycol block polyalkylene glycol, and random polyalkylene glycol moiety, respectively, and said suppressor does not comprise NH2 groups, halogen atoms, and sulfur atoms; a method of electrolytic copper plating

Abstract: The present invention relates to a specific triazine silane compound, an oligomer thereof, a mixture comprising said compound and/or said oligomer, as well as a respective storage and working solution. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a synthesis method for said specific triazine silane compound, and the use of said working solution as a surface treatment solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, and respective use, for treating a non-metallic substrate for subsequent metallization, the method comprising step (A), optional step (B), and step (C), wherein step (C) comprises a contacting with an acidic treatment composition comprising one or more than one manganese species, characterized in that the substrate is a 3D-printed substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for plasma-treating a surface of a substrate, in particular a dielectric substrate, the method including the following steps: (t) wet-chemical treating the surface of the substrate with treatment solutions of a desmear process, to obtain a wet-chemical treated surface of the substrate, (i) treating a surface of the substrate with a plasma beam under atmospheric pressure, to obtain a plasma-treated surface of the substrate, (ii) activation of the plasma-treated surface of the substrate with an activation composition, to obtain an activated surface of the substrate, (iii) optionally electroless deposition of a coating metal on the activated surface of the substrate, to obtain a plating surface of the substrate, and (iv) optionally electrolytic deposition of an additional coating metal on the plating surface of the substrate obtained after optional step (iii) or on the activated surface of the substrate obtained after step (ii).

Abstract: The present invention refers to an electroplating composition for depositing a chromium or chromium alloy layer on a substrate, said composition comprising (i) trivalent chromium ions, (ii) at least one complexing agent for the trivalent chromium ions, and (iii) at least one kind of oxide-hydroxide particles; a method for depositing a respective chromium and chromium alloy layer; a respective use of said particles; and respective substrates comprising such a chromium or chromium alloy layer.

Abstract: A process for electrochemical deposition of copper, including: providing a rolled and annealed copper foil comprising a first surface and a second surface, etching the first surface of the rolled and annealed copper foil, thereby creating a first etched surface, depositing copper by electroless copper deposition on the first etched surface, thereby creating a first electroless copper layer on the first etched surface, depositing further copper by electrochemical deposition on the first electroless copper layer, thereby creating a first electrochemical copper layer, wherein in the electrochemical deposition in a first period of time a first current density is applied and in a second period of time a second current density is applied, wherein the second current density is lower than the first current density, and a layered product obtainable by the process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing adhesion strength between a surface of a copper, a copper alloy or a copper oxide and a surface of an organic material.

Abstract: The invention relates to method for copper-to-copper direct bonding comprising the steps: a) providing a first substrate comprising a first pure copper deposit having a bonding surface; b) providing a second substrate comprising a second pure copper deposit having a bonding surface; c) connecting the bonding surface of the first deposit with the bonding surface of the second deposit and obtaining a connected deposit; and d) converting the first deposit and the second deposit of the connected deposit into a connected and converted deposit, wherein the first deposit and the second deposit are formed by an electrochemical copper deposition step and having copper grains with a grain size which is smaller than a grain size after the converting in step d), wherein the connected and converted deposit is having grains with a grain size which is larger than the grain size of the first deposit and the second deposit before the converting in step d); and to an assembly and a device produced by the method. (FIG.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for etching at least one surface of a plastic substrate, the method comprising steps (A) to (C), wherein step (B) comprises a contacting with a pre-treatment composition comprising one or more than one fluorine-free surface-active compound, and step (C) comprises a contacting with an etching composition comprising one or more than one manganese species, wherein after step (B) and prior to step (C) no rinsing is applied, and the etching composition is substantially free of, preferably does not comprise, fluorine-containing surface-active compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing adhesion strength between a surface of copper or copper alloy and an organic layer, the method comprising in this order the steps: (i) providing a non-conductive substrate comprising on at least one side said surface, said surface having a total surface area of copper or copper alloy, (ii) contacting said substrate comprising said surface with an acidic aqueous non-etching protector solution comprising (ii-a) one or more than one amino azole, (ii-b) one or more than one organic acid and/or salts thereof, (ii-c) one or more than one peroxide in a total amount of 0.4 wt-% or less, based on the total weight of the protector solution, and (ii-d) inorganic acids in a total amount of 0 to 0.01 wt-%, based on the total weight of the protector solution, wherein during step (ii) the total surface area of said surface is not increased upon contacting with the protector solution.

Abstract: A method for depositing a zinc-nickel alloy on a substrate, including: (a) providing the substrate, (b) providing an aqueous zinc-nickel deposition bath as catholyte in a compartment, wherein the compartment includes an anode and anolyte, the anolyte being separated from catholyte by a membrane, and the catholyte includes nickel ions, complexing agent, zinc ions, (c) depositing zinc-nickel alloy onto the substrate, wherein after step (c) nickel ions have lower concentration than before step (c), (d) rinsing the zinc-nickel coated substrate in water, obtaining a rinsed zinc-nickel coated substrate and rinse water including a portion of the complexing agent and nickel ions, wherein (i) a portion of rinse water and/or a portion of catholyte is treated in a first treatment compartment to separate water from the complexing agent and the nickel ions, (ii) returning the separated complexing agent to the catholyte, and (iii) adding nickel ion to the catholyte.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for etching at least one surface of a plastic substrate, the method comprising the steps (A) to (C), wherein step (C) is an etching step including a contacting with an etching composition. The etching composition comprises permanganate ions and phosphoric acid, each in specifically defined concentration ranges.