Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous alkaline cleaner solution for glass filler removal comprising: (a) at least one non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of saturated branched or unbranched C5 to C12 carboxylic acid or salt thereof, wherein the concentration of the (a) at least one surfactant is from 0.9 to 1.7 g/L; (b) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of saturated branched or unbranched C5 to C12 alkyl having a negatively charged group selected from sulfate, sulfite, sulfonate, phosphate, phosphite and carbonate, and saturated C3-C8 alkyl amino carboxylate; (c) at least one compound having at least one hydroxyl group and at least one C—O—C group selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated C5-C12 alkanol and glycosidic C5-C12 alkanol; and (d) alkali metal hydroxide, wherein the concentration of the (d) alkali metal hydroxide is from 65 to 200 g/L; and a method for use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating a surface of a non-conductive or carbon-fibers containing substrate using a conditioning step a selector treatment step and an activating step.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous alkaline pre-treatment solution for use prior to deposition of a palladium activation layer on a substrate in manufacturing an article with an integrated circuit and a method and use thereof, wherein the solution comprises: at least one hydroxycarboxylic acid or salt thereof according to the general formula (I) [RCH2—(RCH)n—COO?]m Mm+??(I) wherein n is integer from 2 to 4 and m is 1 or 2, R is independently H or OH with proviso that at least one R is OH, and wherein Mm+ with m: 1 is hydrogen, ammonium or alkali metal; or Mm+ with m: 2 is earth alkali metal, at least one polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, at least one sulphonated fatty acid or a salt thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treatment of recessed structures in a dielectric material for smear removal during the manufacture of printed circuit boards, IC substrates and the like. The dielectric material is contacted with an aqueous solution comprising 60 to 80 wt.-% sulfuric acid and 0.04 to 0.66 mol/l peroxodisulfate ions peroxodisulfate ions and at least one stabilizing additive selected from alcohols, molecular ethers and polymeric ethers. Smear is removed from the recessed structures by the method according to the present invention without penetration of process chemicals into the dielectric material and a sufficiently low copper etching rate is achieved. Furthermore, the shelf life of said aqueous solution is improved even in the presence of copper ions.