Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the volatility of a solder plating bath with volatile brighteners such as aldehydes has its volatility reduced by the addition of diols to the bath. The diols are advantageously 1,3 propanediol or 1,2 propanediol and are accompanied by lower molecular weight alcohols. In a preferred embodiment, a diol along with low alcohol is added to a bath comprising sulfonic acid, surfactant, grain refiner and brightening agents comprising an aromatic aldehyde and a carboxylic acid.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the volatility of a solder plating bath with volatile brighteners such as aldehydes has its volatility reduced by the addition of diols to the bath. The diols to the bath. The diols are advantageously 1,3 propanediol or 1,2 propanediol and are accompanied by lower molecular weight alcohols. In a preferred embodiment, a diol along with low alcohol is added to a bath comprising sulfonic acid, surfactant, grain refiner and brightening agents comprising an aromatic aldehyde and a carboxylic acid.

Abstract: An electroplating solution for plating bright tin, lead, or tin-lead alloy solder coatings in high speed electroplating applications. The electroplating solution includes an alkane or alkanol sulfonic acid electrolyte, a non-ionic surfactant, a grain refiner and two brightening agents: an aromatic aldehyde and a carboxylic acid. In one embodiment of the electroplating solution, the sulfonic acid electrolyte is methane sulfonic acid, the non-ionic surfactant is octylphenoxy(10)polyethoxy ethanol, the grain refiner is phenolphthalein, the aromatic aldehyde is chlorobenzaldehyde, and the carboxylic acid is methacrylic acid.

Abstract: An improved ammoniacal alkaline etchant solution and method of reducing etchant undercut for use in etching copper and copper-containing alloy traces on substrates having resist-coated areas and non-coated areas, which reduces the amount of undercutting beneath the resist-coated areas that lie above the copper traces. The improved etchant solution contains an organic undercut inhibitor which can be either 5-nitro-1H indazole or pyrazole and the improved method includes the step of incorporating said organic undercut inhibitor in a standard ammoniacal alkaline cupric etchant solution. The organic undercut inhibitor causes the formation of a bath-insoluble, physically weak, etch-resistant film on the copper substrate. Said film serves to protect the side walls of an etched depression and thereby diminishes undercutting.