Rohm & Haas Electronic Materials LLC

Shipley Company LLC

Mark A Poole

Amrik Singh

Andrew J Cobley

Deborah V Hirst

Martin T Goosey

John E Graves

Kevin D Bass

Zatoon Begum

Joachim Buch

Rebecca Holland

Methods of electroless metallalization are disclosed. The methods include treating through-holes of printed wiring boards to increase catalyst adsorption on the walls of the through-holes. The increased catalyst adsorption improves electroless metallization of the through-hole walls.

Method of electrolessly depositing metal on the walls of through-holes

Electroless copper and copper alloys plating baths are disclosed. The electroless baths are formaldehyde free and are environmentally friendly. The electroless baths are stable and deposit a bright or copper alloy on substrates.

Electroless copper compositions

Electroless copper plating baths are disclosed. The electroless copper baths are formaldehyde free and are environmentally friendly. The electroless copper baths are stable and deposit a bright copper deposit on substrates.

Electroless copper and redox couples

Electroless copper and copper alloy plating baths are disclosed. The electroless baths are formaldehyde free and are environmentally friendly. The electroless baths are stable and deposit a bright copper or copper alloy on substrates.

Formaldehyde free electroless copper compositions

The invention includes processes for combined polymer surface treatment and metal deposition. Processes of the invention include forming an aqueous solution containing a metal activator, such as an oxidized species of silver, cobalt, ruthenium, cerium, iron, manganese, nickel, rhodium, or vanadium. The activator can be suitably oxidized to a higher oxidation state electrochemically. Exposing a part to be plated (such as an organic resin, e.g. a printed circuit board substrate) to the solution enables reactive hydroxyl species (e.g. hydroxyl radicals) to be generated and to texture the polymer surface. Such texturing facilitates good plated metal adhesion. As part of this contacting process sufficient time is allowed for both surface texturing to take place and for the oxidized metal activator to adsorb onto said part. The part is then contacted with a reducing agent capable of reducing the metal activator to a lower ionic form, or a lower oxidation state. That reduction can result in the formation of metallic catalytic material over the surface of the part. The reduced metal activator can then function to catalyze the electroless deposition of metal such as copper from solution by contacting the part with the plating solution.

Electroless plating processes

A combined adhesion promotion method of a metal to a non-conductive substrate and directly metallizing the non-conductive substrate with the metal. The method involves texturing a non-conductive substrate with a cobalt etch followed by applying a sulfide to the textured non-conductive substrate to provide an electrically conductive surface on the non-conductive substrate. After the surface of the non-conductive substrate has been made electrically conductive, the surface of the non-conductive substrate can be directly metallized. The method reduces the number of process steps for direct metallization of a non-conductive substrate. Thus, the method is more efficient in contrast to conventional methods of metallizing a non-conductive substrate.

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Shrewsbury, MA, United States of America

Mark A Poole