Abstract: An improved method of providing a carbon dispersion coating on surfaces of a substrate in a direct metallization process, wherein the substrate comprises conductive and non-conductive portions. The method comprises the steps of contacting the substrate with the carbon dispersion to coat the substrate with the carbon-containing dispersion and at least one of moving a non-absorbent roller over at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the substrate to remove excess carbon dispersion from the substantially planar surface of the substrate and passing the substrate through a vacuum extraction chamber to extract excess carbon dispersion remaining on surfaces of the substrate. The method provides cleaner copper surfaces to minimize the microetch requirement and also prevents the carbon dispersion from undesirably redepositing on surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A process for preparing a non-conductive substrate for electroplating is proposed. The proposed process comprises contacting the substrate, after desmear, with a combined neutralization/sacrificial coating solution followed by treatment with a carbon dispersion solution. The combined neutralization/sacrificial coating solution neutralizes permanganate residues from the desmear step and applies a sacrificial coating to metallic surfaces on the substrate. The sacrificial coating allows for easy and reliable removal of unwanted carbon residues from the metallic surfaces prior to electroplating.

Abstract: The present invention sets forth an improved method of microetching a metal substrate by contacting the substrate with an aqueous composition comprising a sodium persulfate or hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent, acid, and one or more additives. When the oxidizing agent is sodium persulfate, the one or more additives generally comprise an aliphatic saturated dicarboxylic acid. When the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide, the one or more additives generally comprise a stabilizer and amino tris(methylene phosphonic acid).

Abstract: The adhesion between surfaces of polyimide, particularly the through hole surfaces of polyimide-based multilayer laminates used in the fabrication of multilayer printed circuits, is improved by pretreatment of the surfaces with an essentially non-alkaline aqueous permanganate solution.

Abstract: Non-adherent copper metal particles ("fines") formed in a plating bath during the course of autocatalytic electroless copper deposition onto activated substrate surfaces are oxidized and redissolved in the bath by brief application of current between an anode element and a cathode element immersed in the bath, the anode element being comprised of an anode surface substantially parallel and proximate to the bottom surface of the vessel containing the bath.