Shipley Company LLC

Martin T Goosey

Mark A Poole

John E Graves

Narinder Singh Bains

Amrik Singh

David Merricks

Deborah V Hirst

Zatoon Begum

Joachim Buch

Rebecca Holland

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.

Combined adhesion promotion and direct metallization process

Disclosed are new catalysts for electroless metallization deposition, particularly catalysts that can be selectively activated and may be free of palladium and/or tin. Catalysts of the invention are preferably employed for electroless copper deposition.

Plating catalysts and electronic packaging substrates plated therewith

Disclosed are catalyst compositions suitable for depositing electroless metal seed layers and for enhancing discontinuous seed layers. Also disclosed are methods of depositing electroless seed layers and enhancing discontinuous seed layers.

Plating catalysts

The invention provides novel processes and apparatus for removal of copper from a solution or fluid, particularly spent etchant solutions that contain copper produced through printed circuit board manufacture. The invention is particularly useful for recovery/removal of copper from aqueous admixtures that contain a copper complexing agent.

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Nuneaton, United Kingdom

Martin T Goosey