Abstract: An automatic method to repair circuit shorts and near-shorts present in narrow bridges or remnants of bridges between circuit lines. By applying a voltage across a pair of lines, certain electrical phenomena take place at the area of the short or near-short. The electrical phenomena thus generated induce a localized etching in either a gas-phase or liquid-phase medium depending upon which embodiment is used.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for plating metal on a conductor and/or across gaps on insulating substrates is described incorporating two probes, a probe positioner, first circuitry for applying alternating-current electrical power wherein the magnitude of the voltage is controlled as a function of time, and second circuitry for applying alternating-current electrical power wherein the magnitude of the current is controlled as a function of time. The invention overcomes the problem of providing an automatic apparatus for reliably repairing defective wiring or completing seeded sections of wiring having a wide range of initial thermal and electrical characteristics.

Abstract: An automatic method to repair circuit shorts and near-shorts present in narrow bridges or remnants of bridges between circuit lines. By applying a voltage across a pair of lines, certain electrical phenomena take place at the area of the short or near-short. The electrical phenomena thus generated induce a localized etching in either a gas-phase or liquid-phase medium depending upon which embodiment is used.

Abstract: An automatic method and apparatus for the repair of circuit shorts and near-shorts present in narrow bridges or remnants of bridges between circuit lines. By applying a voltage across a pair of lines, certain electrical phenomena take place at the area of the short or near-short. The electrical phenomena thus generated induce a localized etching in either a gas-phase or liquid-phase medium depending upon which embodiment is used. The circuit lines are classified into four groups so that no adjacent lines belong to the same group. All lines in a group are connected to one of four separate electrical conductors. Each conductor is connected to one phase of a four phase ac source. All the shorts and near shorts on a circuit are repaired simultaneously and automatically in a single operation without having to locate the shorts and near shorts.

Abstract: The invention comprises a two step method for the repair of "opens" in an electronic circuit wherein initially the open is contacted with a plating solution and a high frequency current is passed through the ends of the open in the circuit with the plating solution enabling the current to complete the path. Metal growth commences between the ends of the open to form a near open. Then the repair is completed by contacting the site with a high speed plating solution and applying a low frequency current.

Abstract: A new method of repairing partially defective conductor lines is disclosed. The defective site comprising narrow necks or thin portions or cracks in a conductor line is heated by passing a relatively high current. Using the thermobattery principle in an electroplating process or an electroless plating process or a pyrolytic deposition process, a conductive material is deposited at the defective site, and the partially defective conductor line is thereby repaired. A method of repairing gaps and circuit opens in a conductor line is also disclosed.