Abstract: A method for plating an electrically conductive substance, which includes the steps of contacting the electrically conductive substance with a plating agent in dilute solution, in which the plating agent is present in a concentration of 200 mM at most, and subjecting the plating agent adjacent to the electrically conducive substance to an electric field.

Abstract: A thermochemical process is disclosed that readily produces significantly roughened surfaces on densely sintered alumina. The alumina is reacted with cryolite (Na3AlF6) at a temperature of 300° C.-2075° C. for a time sufficient to produce the desired degree of roughness. This treatment causes controlled dissolution of alumina, controlled cavitation of grain boundaries, and formation of a thin film-reaction product. The resulting surface irregularities enhance subsequent micromechanical or chemical bonding of the densely sintered alumina component. The resulting roughened alumina components have numerous uses in the dental restorative and orthodontic fields, including orthodontic brackets, crowns, onlays, inlays, veneers, and the like. The technique is readily adapted to be used in either a dental office or a laboratory environment.

Abstract: A method of removing a coating from the surface of a hole in a metal-based substrate is described. The coating is scored on or near the surface of the hole. The substrate is then treated with a coating-removal solution under conditions suitable for removing the coating without damaging the substrate or any intervening bond layer. The coating is often a zirconia-based thermal barrier coating. In such a case, a caustic solution is used to remove the coating within an autoclave. The substrate can be a component of a turbine engine.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing electronic components includes disposing a top metal layer (502) comprised of solder over a bottom metal layer (201, 202) comprised of titanium or tungsten, and selectively etching the bottom metal layer (201, 202) over the top metal layer (502) with an etchant mixture (601) comprised of an etchant, an additive to control the temperature of the etchant mixture (601), and another additive to reduce the redeposition of the top layer (502).

Abstract: A gas discharge display device comprising a front side substrate having a plurality of first electrodes and a back side substrate having a plurality of second electrodes, wherein at least said first electrodes or second electrodes are formed by wet etching using a resist made of an inorganic material, is excellent in the ability to suppress the breakage of wiring in electrodes.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermal head comprises forming a heat generating resistor on an insulative substrate, and disposing conductors having different material properties on the heat generating resistor for supplying power to the heat generating resistor. The conductors are then etched to form a wiring electrode having a tapered peripheral edge portion as a result of the different material properties of the conductors. A protective film is then formed over the heat generating resistor and the wiring electrode.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing pad nodules. The method provides a wafer comprising pads and pad nodules which are formed on said pads, wherein said pads are made from a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and an aluminum-copper alloy. Then, the method dips the wafer into deionized water for removing the pad nodules. Thereafter, the method spin-dries the wafer and coats an alkaloid developer on the wafer for further removing the pad nodules. Finally, the method removes the alkaloid developer from the wafer and bakes the wafer.

Abstract: Pattern transfer process for manufacturing a patterned resistive sheet with reduced process steps, and the resulting article of manufacture.

Abstract: The invention is an aluminum etchant and method for chemically milling aluminum from, according to a preferred embodiment, a copper-aluminum-copper tri-metal layer to form three-dimensional circuits. The tri-metal comprises copper circuit patterns present on opposing surfaces of an aluminum foil, one of the copper patterns being laminated on a substrate. The etchant comprises an aqueous solution of 60 to 500 g/l base selected from (a) sodium hydroxide, (b) potassium hydroxide, and (c) their mixture; and 30 to 500 g/l of an additive selected from nitrite salt, a borate salt, a bromate salt, or mixture of any of them. The method comprises contacting the tri-metal with the etchant at a temperature between 25 and 95° C. for a time sufficient to remove a desired amount of the aluminum layer and provide (rigid, flexible, or 3-dimensional) electronic circuitry which may contain multiple conductive circuit layers.

Abstract: A method for forming a high-quality aluminum-copper alloy pattern over a semiconductor substrate. The method first forms an aluminum-copper alloy layer over a semiconductor substrate, and then performs a rapid thermal processing operation to remelt copper extracts into the alloy bulk. Subsequently, a photoresist layer is formed over the alloy layer. Finally, the alloy layer is etched to transfer the pattern from the photoresist layer to the metallic alloy layer. Unlike a conventional method that can lead to abnormal conduction due to the presence of extracts that are difficult to etch, this invention uses a thermal operation to remove the extracts before etching is conducted. Hence, the masking effect due to etching is mostly prevented.

Abstract: A coating substrate containing an aluminum or aluminum rolled alloy product for thin-film coatings for producing electronic components. The coating substrate prevents the interdiffusion of substrate elements and thin-film coating elements and enables the thin-film coatings to grow completely over irregularities. The local irregularities on the substrate surface to be coated, which have a maximum extension, measured vertically to the substrate surface, of less than 10 um and than 0.1 um, are such that the flanks of the local irregularities can be exposed to material deposition impinging on the substrate surface in a perpendicular manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the preparation of activated metal, particularly activated tinplate, and the activated metal itself. The activated metal is highly reactive with oxygen and can be used as a pyrophoric decoy material or as a catalyst.

Abstract: A photoreceptor fabrication method involving a photoreceptor substrate having a metal surface, comprising etching the metal surface of the photoreceptor substrate with an etching solution and forming a metal oxide layer on the metal surface with the etching solution, wherein the etching of the metal surface and the forming of the metal oxide layer are conducted in the absence of an electric current.

Abstract: An etched, lubricated swage ball for use in swaging a head gimbal assembly to an actuator arm in a magnetic disk drive, and a method for making the same. The present invention discloses a lubricating system for swage balls used in a disk drive system which is free from transferrable aluminum oxide, other hard materials or excess solid lubricant which could be deposited on the clean disk surface during operation. The swage balls are first pretreated by cleaning and then etching to remove residual alumina from the surface of the swage balls. The cleaned, etched swage balls are then lubricated in a fluorocarbon lubricating system, thereby producing an etched, lubricated swage ball which is cleaner than that found in the prior art.

Abstract: The invention is an aluminum etchant and method for chemically milling aluminum, according to one embodiment, from a copper-aluminum-copper tri-metal layer to form electronic circuits. The tri-metal comprises copper circuit patterns present on opposing surfaces of an aluminum foil, one of the copper patterns being laminated on a substrate. The etchant comprises an aqueous solution of 50 to 500 g/l base selected from (a) sodium hydroxide, (b) potassium hydroxide, and (c) their mixture; and 60 to 500 g/l nitrate salt. The method comprises contacting the tri-metal with the etchant at a temperature between 25 and 95.degree. C. for a time sufficient to remove a desired amount of the aluminum layer and provide electronic circuitry (rigid/flexible/3-dimensional circuitry) which contains multiple conductive circuit layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a support of a presensitized planographic printing plate is disclosed, the method comprising electrolytically surface-roughening an aluminum plate or an aluminum alloy plate in an acidic electrolyte solution, the surface-roughening step comprising plural pairs of first high surface-roughening rate steps and second low or zero surface-roughening rate steps, the first step and the second step being carried out alternately, wherein an average quantity of electricity of 100 C/dm.sup.2 or less is applied at one of the first steps.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a multilayer structure, in which method gold is deposited on a basic layer (3, 11) for forming a gold layer (7, 13), whereafter aluminium oxide is deposited on the gold layer for forming an aluminium oxide layer (9, 15). Silicon oxide is deposited on the aluminium oxide layer by means of PE-CVD for forming a silicon oxide layer (11, 13), and the aluminium oxide layer constitutes an adhesive layer between the gold layer and the silicon oxide layer. Together with the aluminium oxide layer, the silicon oxide layer constitutes an insulating and/or protective cladding layer for the gold layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for economically regenerating chemical etch solutions for aluminum and the alloys thereof without the use of large, complex and expensive processing apparatus. The method of the invention can be accomplished substantially at ambient temperature thereby avoiding the necessity for substantial investment in complex temperature control instrumentation. In accordance with the method of the invention, the spent etchant which is to be regenerated is first mixed with water in a separate storage tank and is then cold filtered prior to being transferred to the reactor or regeneration vessel. This step substantially reduces contamination buildup within the reactor vessel and thereby avoids costly periodic shut down of operations for clean-up. Due to the unique nature of the regeneration process of the invention, the alumina produced as a by product of the process is of extremely high quality and is snow white in color.

Abstract: A wiring according to the present invention is made of a chromium layer and a chromium nitride layer. To make the wiring, a layer of chromium is deposited on a substrate, and then a layer of chromium nitride is deposited. A layer of photoresist is covered on the layer of chromium nitride and patterned, the layers of chromium and chromium nitride are wet etched in sequence using the photoresist pattern as a mask. Since the layer of chromium nitride is etched more quickly than the layer of chromium, the layer of photoresist and the layer of chromium are separated from each other and the chromium layer is isotropically etched to form a pattern having an edge with a gentle slope.

Abstract: A wet etching method for making calibration bump disks for use in providing quality control of production run magnetic hard disks is disclosed. It includes the steps of: (a) coating a layer of bump material on a substrate; (b) coating a photoresist layer on the layer of bump material; (c) exposing the photoresist layer to a light source under a photomask; (d) developing the photoresist layer using a developer solution to form an undeveloped photoresist layer; (e) etching the substrate containing the layer of bump material and the undeveloped photoresist layer to remove portions of the layer of bump material not covered by the undeveloped photoresist layer; and (f) stripping the undeveloped photoresist layer to leave at least a bump on the substrate which was originally covered by the undeveloped photoresist layer. The wet etching method eliminates many of the problems observed from the conventional metal mask method, including the elimination of the convex-shaped bump surface.

Abstract: A method for making anode foil plates for use with layered electrolytic capacitors and capacitors made with such plates. A high purity aluminum foil is provided for generation of anode foil plates. Sheets of the foil are highly etched to provide a very high surface area. Following the etch process, the foil is partially cut or punched into plates from the etched sheets in the general shape of the finished capacitor housing with a portion remaining connected to the supporting foil. The supporting foil with the partially punched-out etched plates are subjected to a forming process by applying a voltage to the plates in the presence of an electrolyte to provide formed anode foil plates with edges which do not have to be reformed during capacitor aging and which do not have any particulates at cut edges. The formed anode plates are layered with cathode plates and separators in a capacitor housing with an electrolyte to provide a finished capacitor.

Abstract: An iron immersion composition of matter is disclosed comprising a compound having a divalent or trivalent iron ion, a compound having a fluoride ion, and a compound having an acid hydrogen ion. A process for treating an aluminum substrate to improve the adhesion of metal layers to the substrate is also disclosed comprising contacting the substrate with the acidic iron immersion composition to produce an iron immersion coating on the alloy, and contacting the iron immersion coating with an etchant to substantially remove the coating and produce a microporous surface on the substrate.

Abstract: An etched, lubricated swage ball for use in swaging a head gimbal assembly to an actuator arm in a magnetic disk drive, and a method for making the same. The present invention discloses a lubricating system for swage balls used in a disk drive system which is free from transferrable aluminum oxide, other hard materials or excess solid lubricant which could be deposited on the clean disk surface during operation. The swage balls are first pretreated by cleaning and then etching to remove residual alumina from the surface of the swage balls. The cleaned, etched swage balls are then lubricated in a fluorocarbon lubricating system, thereby producing an etched, lubricated swage ball which is cleaner than that found in the prior art.

Abstract: The method of wet etching an aluminum oxide substrate deposits a thin layer of titanium film or chromium film on the aluminum oxide surface prior to the application of the photo-resist coating to form a barrier between the aluminum oxide and the photo-resist. This barrier layer inhibits the reaction between the aluminum oxide and the photo-resist during the photolithographic process. The undercutting of the aluminum oxide in the wet etching process is therefore controlled by the deposition of the barrier layer comprising the thin layer of titanium film or chromium film. The titanium film used is nominally 30 .ANG. thick to obtain the beneficial effects noted above while the chromium film would be approximately 1000 .ANG. thick.

Abstract: Buffered slurries are used in a semiconductor process for chemical mechanical polishing of metal layers, such as aluminum or titanium. The slurries may comprise an oxidant capable of causing a passive oxide film to form on a metal based layer. The oxidant may comprise a diluent and may be optionally formulated with a separate oxidizing agent, such as ammonium peroxydisulfate. The slurries may include a buffer that maintains a slurry pH where the passive metal oxide film is stable. This pH may be between about 4 and about 9.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing (51) a substrate (19), providing (52) a colloid (17) having particles held in suspension, providing (53) a reagent (18), disposing (54) the substrate (19) in a processing tool (10), combining (55) the colloid (17) and the reagent (18) to form a slurry (28), decomposing (56) the reagent (18) into a surfactant and an oxidizer, using (57) the slurry (28) to process the substrate (19) in the processing tool (10), and removing (58) the substrate (19) from the processing tool (10).

Abstract: A method for etching aluminum containing layers. A layer (13) of aluminum nitride is formed on a semiconductor substrate (11). The layer (13) of aluminum nitride is etched using a dilute ammonium hydroxide solution that is diluted with water such that the ammonium hydroxide solution has one part of ammonium hydroxide to at least fifteen parts of water. The dilute ammonium hydroxide solution is showered onto the semiconductor substrate and forms an aluminum hydroxide layer. The aluminum hydroxide layer is dissolved by excess water in the dilute aluminum hydroxide solution and rinsed from the semiconductor substrate (11).

Abstract: A method for forming a spatial light modulator (SLM) comprises forming a substrate (10) underneath a layer of Ferro-Electric crystal material (14) with a plurality of mirrored elements (12) disposed on the surface thereof. The process involves forming a layer of low stress oxide on the surface of the substrate over control pads or conductive strips (24) which are connected to underlying control elements. Openings (30) are formed in the oxide, followed by a formation of a conformal layer of aluminum (32). This is etched to form plugs (36) and then the substrate is subjected to a chemical/mechanical planarization step. This involves polishing the substrate to provide an optically flat surface. Thereafter, a layer of aluminum is then disposed on the surface of the substrate, patterned and etched to form the mirrored elements (12).

Abstract: A method of improving the breakdown strength of polymer multi-layer (PML) capacitors is provided. The method comprises removing metal, specifically, aluminum, from the cut edge. This is done by either etching back the metal electrode layers in either basic or acidic solution or by anodizing the metal to cover that portion of the metal at the edge with an oxide. Removing the metal from the cut edge increases the breakdown strength of the PML capacitors by a factor of two or more.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell for etching a metal workpiece such as an aluminum foil, a method for etching the foil using the electrochemical cell, and foil thus produced is provided. The cell includes an etch tank having an etch electrolyte disposed therein and containing at least a first and a second compartment each containing (i)an etch electrolyte, (ii) a cathode plate, and (iii) an ion exchange membrane separator portion comprising an ion exchange polymeric material effective to substantially retard or prevent reduction of the oxidizing agent or agents present in the etch electrolyte, the first and second compartments being arranged in the etch tank with the ion exchange membrane separator portions in facing relationship one to the other; and a metal workpiece such asan aluminum foil anode present in the etch tank and disposed between each said first and second compartments.

Abstract: Slurries and methods for the chemical mechanical polishing of thin films used in integrated circuit manufacturing are described. A first slurry comprises an oxidant, such as water, a halogen, such as fluorine, an abrasive, such as silica, and a chelating agent, such as citric acid, and has a pH between four and nine. The first slurry is ideal for the chemical mechanical polish of an aluminum film. Another slurry comprises an abrasive, such as silica, and an acid, such as citric acid, and has a pH of approximately three. The second slurry is ideal for the chemical mechanical polish of titanium aluminide and is compatible with the first slurry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing a protective coating from a surface of an airfoil which process comprises the steps of providing an airfoil having a protective coating to be removed and critical areas which require protection during a coating removal step and masking these critical areas by applying an ultraviolet curable masking material to the critical areas of the airfoil. The process of the present invention further comprises the steps of curing the UV curable masking material using ultraviolet radiation and stripping the protective coating from unmasked portions of the airfoil.

Abstract: An aqueous slurry is provided for polishing or planarizing a work piece which contains a metal, the solids portion of said slurry being comprised of 1 to 50 percent by weight of submicron alpha-alumina, the remainder of the solids being of a substantially less abrasive composition chosen from the group consisting of aluminum hydroxides, gamma-alumina, delta-alumina, amorphous alumina, and amorphous silica. Also provided is a method for polishing the surface of a work piece which contains a metal wherein said aqueous slurry is used as the polishing composition during chemical-mechanical polishing.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for making a semiconductor device. The method applies an uniform thickness of an Anti-Reflection Coat (ARC) to improve the dimensional controllability of a resist pattern by sufficiently exposing a resist layer using the ARC without reduction of the throughout. A layer to be etched is formed over a portion of a substrate surface including a step portion. A first resist layer sensitive to a first exposure light is formed on the layer to be etched. The first resist layer has a film thickness equal to or less than 1.5 .mu.m and reduces a height of the step. The ARC material has a low reflectance relative to a second exposure light and is formed on the first resist layer with a thickness equal to or less than 0.2 .mu.m. A second resist layer sensitive to a second exposure light is formed on the ARC material. The second resist layer is patterned by the second exposure light. The pattern in the second resist layer is also formed on the ARC material.

Abstract: An etching material comprising at least phosphoric acid, acetic acid, and nitric acid, with chromic acid added therein. Also claimed is an etching process using the etching material above, provided that the process comprises selectively etching, by using the solution, an aluminum oxide layer formed on the surface of a material containing aluminum as the principal component thereof.

Abstract: A chromium-and-ferricyanide non-aqueous cleaner/deoxidizer for aluminum, the cleaner/deoxidizer having an etch rate on titanium that is low enough for practical use in processes where aluminum objects to be deoxidized are held on titanium racks or hangers during the process, combines boric acid, fluoborate anions, and an acid that is stronger than either of boric and fluoboric acids, usually also with an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide. Rates of etching of aluminum that are at least as much as 50 times the rates of etching of titanium under the same conditions can be achieved, and the deoxidizing of the aluminum is satisfactory for achieving corrosion resistance after subsequent conversion coating of the deoxidized aluminum surface.

Abstract: Selective demetallization of an etchable metal layer supported on a polymeric material or other microwave transparent material, or a self-supporting etchable metal layer, particularly aluminum of thickness at least about 1 micron adhesively joined to a flexible polymeric material substrate, is described. A web of polymeric material bearing the etchable metal layer, or an unsupported etchable metal layer, has a pattern of etchant-resistant material first applied and then the web is immersed in and passed through a bath aqueous etchant, particularly hot aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, for a time at least sufficient completely remove the etchable metal from non-protected areas of the web. The demetallized web is washed and dried. Specific structure incorporating the selectively demetallized etchable metal layer also are described.

Abstract: One method for fabricating solderable pads (406) onto a substrate (220) for direct chip attachment uses a multilayer metallization coating (500). The coating has a bottom layer (202) of indium-tin oxide, with an intermediate layer (204) of copper and a top layer (206) of indium-tin oxide. A masking layer (208) is deposited on the active display area (402) of the substrate, leaving the bonding pads uncovered. The revealed bonding pads are then plasma etched, using the polyimide as an etch resist, and the top layer of ITO is selectively removed to reveal the underlying copper layer. The exposed copper layer (204) is then plated with a solderable metal to the desired thickness to form bonding pads that may be used with direct chip attachment schemes.

Abstract: A composition for optimally removing or etching metallic alloys from chemically compatible substrates with minimal damage to the substrate. The preferred composition is Ammonium Fluoride, Hydrofluoric Acid, Nitric Acid, Phosphoric Acid and Water in a specified range of quantities used to selectively remove an Aluminum and Silicon Alloy and Titanium film from a chemically compatible substrate. The composition is placed in contact with Stainless Steel, Silicon, or other organic or metallic substrates to remove, etch, or pattern homogenous or layered Aluminum, Silicon, Titanium and Copper Alloys from the substrate with minimal etching to the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a field emission micro-tip which can emit electrons uniformly and can be fabricated at a high yield when applied to a large device. The micro-tip is fabricated such that when the adhesive layer and mask are instantaneously etched the tungsten micro-tips are lifted upwardly due to the differences in internal stress and etching rates of the tungsten cathode, the lower adhesive layer and the upper mask layer. The sharpness of the micro-tip is easily adjusted depending on the shape of the micro-tip. Also, since the internal stress of tungsten and characteristics of the BOE method are utilized throughout the fabricating process, the reproducibility is ensured. Moreover, since multiple tips are fabricated, the output current can be manipulated in a wide range of nanoamperes to milliamperes. Since tungsten is used for fabricating the micro-tips, excellent properties are obtained with regard to strength, oxidation, work function, and electrical, chemical and mechanical durability.

Abstract: A process is disclosed to produce a fine honeycomb grain with matte finishing on an aluminum surface in alkaline solution with or without electrical treatment. To achieve the fine honeycomb, a passivation enhancement step is used prior to alkaline etching with or without electricity. The matte appearance with fine honeycomb topography on the aluminum surface is produced by silicating raw aluminum prior to alkaline etching.

Abstract: Improvements in the etching of aluminum and aluminum alloys is obtained by etching the workpiece in a caustic etching bath in the presence of an anionic surfactant of the sulfate or sulfonate type. Satisfactory results are achieved with reduced amounts of dissolved aluminum.

Abstract: Disclosed is an acidic cleaning aqueous solution for aluminum and aluminum alloy and a process for cleaning the same, intended to execute acidic cleaning without using harmful fluoride and chloride ions.The oxidation-reduction potential of a cleaning bath is controlled to be at 0.5 to 0.8 V (vs. Ag-AgCl). The cleaning bath is obtained by diluting an acidic cleaning aqueous solution for aluminum and aluminum alloy to a predetermined volume. The acidic cleaning aqueous solution contains specified amounts of at least one of inorganic acids, Br.sup.- ions and oxidized metal ions, with the addition of a surfactant and oxidizing agent if necessary.It is thus possible to present a uniform etching effect irrespective of low temperature (below 60.degree. C.) without containing fluoride ions and chromic ions within the acidic cleaning aqueous solution. Br.sup.

Abstract: A method of producing a high-purity, ultra-fine powder of a first metal, particularly silver, by forming an alloy of the first metal with a second metal, such as aluminum subjecting the alloy to a leaching agent effective to leach out the second metal, leaving a porous first metal agglomerate; mixing the porous first metal agglomerate with a fresh batch of leaching agent; disintegrating the agglomerate and applying ultrasonic oscillations to the mixture to enhance the penetration of the leaching agent into the pores of the agglomerate; removing the leaching agent, leaving the first metal; and washing and drying the first metal.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for cleaning and etching an aluminum surface with a low etch, low phosphate alkaline cleaner solution are disclosed. The preferred composition employs a stable combination of an alkali metal hydroxide, gluconic acid, a detergent source, an aluminum sequestrant, an oil emulsifier, a defoamer, and a hydrotrope.