Abstract: The effectiveness of a palladium-tin catalyst for subsequent plating thereon is determined by employing cyclic voltammetry.

Abstract: Reinforced synthetic polymer composite is treated by heating at a temperature and for a time sufficient to obtain a moisture content below that for the relative humidity level at which the composite is to be drilled and/or photoresist exposed; and then subjecting it to conditions to increase the moisture content to that for the relative humidity level of the drilling.

Abstract: An electroless copper plating bath having improved stability which contains a cationic polymer from acrylamide and/or methacrylamide. The plating bath also contains a cupric ion source, a reducing agent for the cupric ion source, and a complexing agent for the cupric ion.

Abstract: A process for monitoring an electroless plating bath to determine whether it is in a take mode by electrolessly depositing a film of the metal of the plating bath onto a substrate to provide a preplated cathode; providing the cathode, a reference electrode, and an anode in the electroless bath; passing an electric current and varying the voltage difference, plotting the voltage difference versus the current; and comparing the oxidation peak of the reducing agent to the oxidation peak of the reduced state of the metal ion to be plated to thereby determine whether the bath is in a take mode.

Abstract: A substrate is prepared for subsequent electroless deposition of a metal by contacting the substrate with a surfactant and with an organic carboxylic acid, and subsequently contacting the substrate with sulfuric acid.

Abstract: A concentrate of a palladium-tin colloidal catalyst is obtained by dissolving stannous chloride in HCl, diluting the solution with HCl and then further diluting the solution with deionized water to thereby obtain a diluted stannous chloride solution. This solution is cooled to room temperature or below. A palladium chloride solution is obtained by dissolving palladium chloride in HCl which in turn is also cooled to room temperature or below. The palladium chloride solution is gradually added to the stannous chloride solution and mixed at about room temperature in order to obtain a homogeneous solution. The temperature of the solution is then gradually increased to about 105.degree. C. to about 110.degree. C. and maintained at that temperature for sufficient time to obtain a homogeneous solution of substantially uniform colloidal particles. The solution of colloidal particles is slowly cooled to about room temperature.

Abstract: Copper is deposited onto a substrate by plating a first layer of copper onto the substrate from an electroless plating bath and plating a second layer of copper onto the first layer of copper from a second and different electroless plating bath. The first and second plating baths differ from each other in at least the cyanide content and oxygen content. The process reduces plating void defects and reduces nodule formation.

Abstract: Multistep process for electroless plating of copper onto a non-conductive surface including the steps of: (1) laminating a rough copper sheet onto the non-conductive surface; (2) etching away all the copper; (3) conditioning the surface with multifunctional positively charged molecules derived from copolymers of polyacrylamide and functionally active tetraalkylammonium compounds in an diluted inorganic acid; (4) activating the conditioned surface preferably with stannous/palladium chloride particles; (5) treating the activated surface with deionized water and diluted HCl; (6) applying a photoresist layer to the surface and selectively exposing and developing the photoresist to produce a mask corresponding to the negative of the desired circuit pattern; and (7) plating copper using successively two baths differing in their oxygen and CN.sup.- concentration, where the foregoing steps are interspersed with washing steps.