Abstract: An aqueous acidic copper electroplating composition containing an improved additive system for use at elevated temperatures. The improved additive system comprises (a) a suppressor comprising at least one high molecular weight polymer; (b) a brightener comprising at least one divalent sulfur compound; and (c) a leveler comprising a heterocyclic nitrogen compound. The improved electroplating composition is usable for plating through holes in printed circuit boards.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved method for metallizing polymer substrates, such as polyimides. The present invention comprises the steps of surface treating the polymer substrate with a plasma jet or corona discharge surface treatment, conditioning and etching the polymer substrate with an etching solution comprising a hydroxide and ionic palladium, activating the polymer substrate with ionic palladium, reducing the palladium on the polymer substrate, plating an electroless nickel layer onto the prepared polymer substrate, and plating an electroless copper layer over the electroless nickel layer. The process of the invention provides an improved method for preparing the polymer substrate for subsequent electrolytic plating thereon.

Abstract: An aqueous acidic copper electroplating composition containing an improved additive system for use at elevated temperatures. The improved additive system comprises (a) a suppressor comprising at least one high molecular weight polymer; (b) a brightener comprising at least one divalent sulfur compound; and (c) a leveler comprising a heterocyclic nitrogen compound. The improved electroplating composition is usable for plating through holes in printed circuit boards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The method contemplates a novel processing sequence for this manufacturing process which method is particularly versatile in reducing the number of steps and variety of chemicals currently necessary to produce the circuit boards.

Abstract: A process is revealed whereby resistors can be manufactured integral with the printed circuit board by plating the resistors onto the insulative substrate. Uniformization of the insulative substrate through etching and oxidation of the plated resistor are revealed as techniques for improving the uniformity and consistency of the plated resistors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The method contemplates a novel processing sequence for this manufacturing process which method is particularly versatile in reducing the number of steps and variety of chemicals currently necessary to produce the circuit boards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The method contemplates a novel processing sequence for this manufacturing process which method is particularly versatile in reducing the number of steps and variety of chemicals currently necessary to produce the circuit boards.

Abstract: This invention proposes the use of an activator solution comprising precious metal ions and an oxidizing agent for the selective activation and plating of metallic surfaces. The invention is particularly useful in plating exposed copper surfaces on printed circuit boards without substantial extraneous plating on the soldermask surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The method contemplates a novel processing sequence for this manufacturing process which method is particularly versatile in reducing the number of steps and variety of chemicals currently necessary to produce the circuit boards.

Abstract: Composition and methods for providing a phosphate conversion coating on a metal surface, particularly a copper surface, characterized in that the phosphating composition includes at least one composition-soluble compound containing vanadium, niobium, tungsten or tantalum. The phosphate conversion coatings so produced are thicker, more durable and more uniform than those produced by known phosphating compositions. The compositions and processes are especially useful for providing a passivating/uniformizing coating layer on copper surfaces to which organic resin is thereafter deposited to serve as a resist in printed circuit fabrication sequences, particularly when the organic resin is an electrophoretically deposited organic resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The method contemplates the use of electroless nickel as the primary medium for interconnection, for building circuitry to the desired thickness and as an etch resist. The method is particularly versatile in reducing the number of steps and variety of chemicals currently necessary to produce these circuit boards.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition and process for the surface treatment of metallic surfaces, which comprises treating said surface in an aqueous solution comprising a benzimidazole compound having either a halogenated phenyl group, a halogenated benzyl group or a halogenated ethyl phenyl group in the 2-position.

Abstract: For attaining adhesion between copper circuitry innerlayers and pre-preg layers in a multilayer printed circuit, a conversion coating of copper oxide is provided on the metallic copper surfaces in a manner which develops an altered topography of the underlying metallic copper surfaces. Thereafter, a controlled dissolution and removal of a substantial amount of the copper oxide is effected, in a manner which does not adversely affect the already-developed topography of the underlying metallic copper, and such that the innerlayer, at the time of assembly with the pre-preg layers, has copper surfaces consisting of the topographically altered metallic copper and a relatively small amount of copper oxide thereon. Excellent bonding strengths are achieved with decreased incidence of pink ring formation as compared to conventional processes utilizing copper oxide for adhesion promotion.

Abstract: Copper surfaces upon which organic resins are electrophoretically deposited to serve as plating or etch resists in the course of manufacturing printed circuits, are preliminarily provided with a uniformizing/passivating coating layer, such as a layer of copper oxide or phosphate conversion coating, over which the organic resin is electrophoretically deposited, resulting in the organic resin being deposited with substantial uniformity in thickness and properties.

Abstract: For attaining adhesion between copper circuitry innerlayers and pre-preg layers in a multilayer printed circuit, a conversion coating of copper oxide is provided on the metallic copper surfaces in a manner which develops an altered topography of the underlying metallic copper surfaces. Thereafter, a controlled dissolution and removal of a substantial amount of the copper oxide is effected, in a manner which does not adversely affect the already-developed topography of the underlying metallic copper, and such that the innerlayer, at the time of assembly with the pre-preg layers, has copper surfaces consisting of the topographically altered metallic copper and a relatively small amount of copper oxide thereon. Excellent bonding strengths are achieved with decreased incidence of pink ring formation as compared to conventional processes utilizing copper oxide for adhesion promotion.

Abstract: Conductive copper areas of printed circuits, such as through-holes, pads and lands, to which electronic components can thereafter be electrically connected by, e.g., wave soldering, are provided with a coating of nickel or cobalt, such as by electroless deposition from nickel-or cobalt-boron and nickel-or cobalt-phosphorous plating baths, or entirely or partly electrolytically, followed by a coating of a protective material which protects the nickel or cobalt coating from oxidation prior to the subsequent solder connection operation, is wettable by solder in the subsequent solder connection operation, and substantially dissolves in the solder in the subsequent solder connection operation without adverse effect on the solder joint between the electronic component and the through-hole, pad or land. A particular preferred protective material is gold, such as applied by deposition from immersion or electroless gold plating baths.

Abstract: The areas of a printed circuit where electrical components are to be solder connected, such as throughholes, surrounding pads and surface mount areas, are selectively provided with a metal coating (e.g., tin-lead) which preserves and promotes solderability thereat, by a process in which a photoimageable electrophoretically deposited organic resin is used to provide, on an already patterned surface, an additional resist pattern which selectively exposes areas on which the solderable metal coating is to be provided and in which the resist serves also as an etch resist for metal areas over which it is arranged.

Abstract: A process for selective metallization of a substrate in a predetermined desired pattern, and particularly for the manufacture of printed circuit boards, in which a substrate patterned in desired manner with resist material is treated with conditioning agent, adjuvant and deactivating agent preparatory to catalytic activation and electroless deposit of metal flash. By proceeding in this manner, adherent flash metal deposit is achieved on non-resist areas without encountering significant plating on resist areas. Following metal flash deposit, the resist can be easily and cleanly stripped and additional metal then built up on the flash metal.

Abstract: Shielding means for electromagnetic radiation, particularly that of radio frequency, comprises a enclosure fabricated from non-conductive material and having on at least one of the interior or exterior walls a layer of copper metal. The latter has been applied by coating the surface of the wall with a suspension of particles of cuprous oxide (or like non-conductive metal derivatives capable of being reduced to conductive free metal) in a curable resinous material, at least partially curing the coating, reducing to free metal the cuprous oxide or like particles in the surface of the coating and then electrolessly plating the coating with copper.

Abstract: A method of preparing printed circuit boards is described in which the solder mask is applied over a thin layer of copper oxide covering the copper circuit traces, the copper oxide layer being that which remains after stripping the tin or tin-lead alloy etch resist.