The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 29, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 26, 2012
Tyco Electronics Corporation, Berwyn, PA (US);
George Jyh-Shann Chou, Mechanicsburg, PA (US);
TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, Berwyn, PA (US);
Abstract
A copper substrate for use as a contact having Sn plating, nickel plating and Au plating overlying the substrate. A combination of Sn plating is applied over a copper substrate; nickel plating is applied over the Sn plating; and Au plating is applied over the nickel plating to form a stack. The stack is then processed by a vapor phase Sn reflow step that results in the formation of intermetallics and eliminates stannous oxide layers that may otherwise form on the tin layer. The intermetallic layers provide excellent corrosion resistance, and serve as diffusion barriers to prevent the further migration of either Ni atoms or Cu atoms into the Sn, and Sn atoms outwardly into either the Ni or the Cu. Regardless of the thickness, the interfaces are substantially free of oxides, in particular tin oxide, and not prone to delamination.