Patents by Inventor Robert D. Topa
Robert D. Topa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6626196Abstract: An arrangement and method for the degassing small high-aspect ratio drilled holes or vias which are present in panels such as printed circuit boards prior to wet chemical processing, including copper plating of the vias, in order to remove any air or gas bubbles from the vias tending to inhibit the reliable plating thereof. This is carried out through the utilization of an ultrasonic prewetting in a liquid bath preceding cleaning for the electroless plating process, thereby enabling all of the vias or holes to be degassed; in effect, having air removed and the vias or holes filled with liquid; thereby allowing subsequent process cleansing solutions to easily flow into the respective holes or vias in order to facilitate the electroless copper plating process.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: International Busines Machines CorporationInventors: Francis J. Downes, Jr., Raymond T. Galasco, Lawrence P. Lehman, Robert D. Topa
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Publication number: 20020189637Abstract: An arrangement and method for the degassing small high-aspect ratio drilled holes or vias which are present in panels such as printed circuit boards prior to wet chemical processing, including copper plating of the vias, in order to remove any air or gas bubbles from the vias tending to inhibit the reliable plating thereof This is carried out through the utilization of an ultrasonic prewetting in a liquid bath preceding cleaning for the electroless plating process, thereby enabling all of the vias or holes to be degassed; in effect, having air removed and the vias or holes filled with liquid; thereby allowing subsequent process cleansing solutions to easily flow into the respective holes or vias in order to facilitate the electroless copper plating process.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Applicant: International Business MachinesInventors: Francis J. Downes, Raymond T. Galasco, Lawrence P. Lehman, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 6228246Abstract: A method of removing a metal skin from a through-hole surface of a copper-Invar-copper (CIC) laminate without causing differential etchback of the laminate. The metal skin includes debris deposited on the through-hole surface as the through hole is being formed by laser or mechanical drilling of a substrate that includes the laminate as an inner plane. Removing the metal skin combines electrochemical polishing (ECP) with ultrasonics. ECP dissolves the metal skin in an acid solution, while ultrasonics agitates and circulates the acid solution to sweep the metal skin out of the through hole. ECP is activated when a pulse power supply is turned on and generates a periodic voltage pulse from a pulse power supply whose positive terminal is coupled to the laminate and whose negative terminal is coupled to a conductive cathode. After the metal skin is removed, the laminate is differentially etched such that the copper is etched at a faster rate than the Invar.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1999Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Madhav Datta, Raymond T. Galasco, Lawrence P. Lehman, Roy H. Magnuson, Robin A. Susko, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5242569Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.mm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1991Date of Patent: September 7, 1993Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sung K. Kang, Michael J. Palmer, Timothy C. Reiley, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5237743Abstract: A method of forming conductive end portions on a flexible circuit member having a dielectric layer (e.g., polyimide) with at least one conductive element (e.g., copper) thereon. The method comprises the steps of forming (e.g., punching) an opening through both dielectric and conductive element, providing (e.g., additive plating) an electrically conducting layer on the opening's internal surface, providing (e.g., electroplating) a plurality of dendritic elements on the conducting layer's surface, and thereafter removing (e.g., punching) a portion of the dielectric and conductive element such that the formed dendritic elements (e.g., palladium) project from the flexible circuit's conductive ends.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1992Date of Patent: August 24, 1993Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Raymond A. Busacco, Fletcher W. Chapin, David W. Dranchak, Jaynal A. Molla, George J. Saxenmeyer, Jr., Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5148261Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.mm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1991Date of Patent: September 15, 1992Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sung K. Kang, Michael J. Palmer, Timothy C. Reiley, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5135155Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.mm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1991Date of Patent: August 4, 1992Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sung K. Kang, Michael J. Palmer, Timothy C. Reiley, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5120418Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.cm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separatre independently powered anodes, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1991Date of Patent: June 9, 1992Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sung K. Kang, Michael J. Palmer, Timothy C. Reiley, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 5006917Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.cm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1989Date of Patent: April 9, 1991Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sung K. Kang, Michael J. Palmer, Timothy C. Reiley, Robert D. Topa
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Patent number: 4564426Abstract: A palladium-nickel alloy is deposited onto a substrate by electroplating from a plating bath containing palladosammine chloride, nickel ion source, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and sufficient ammonium hydroxide to provide a pH of about 7.0 to about 8.3 at a temperature of about 60.degree. F. to about 90.degree. F.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1985Date of Patent: January 14, 1986Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Timothy P. Henning, Robert D. Topa