US4378384A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for producing printed circuit board by electroless plating
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1981-08-31
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Granted: 1983-03-29
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Expires: 2001-08-31
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing a printed circuit board which comprises forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening said adhesive layer surface, depositing a catalyst for electroless copper plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the thus treated insulating board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and then performing the electroless copper plating on the catalyst of the board to form a circuit thereon, wherein an improvement comprises treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkaline solution before depositing the catalyst thereon and treating the masked insulating board with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before performing the electroless copper plating. The above process assures a higher copper utilization and a large adhesive strength of the copper plating to the board.
Inventors
- 👤 Kanji Murakami
- 👤 Mineo Kawamoto
- 👤 Yutaka Itoh
- 👤 Youichi Matsuda
- 👤 Motoyo Wajima
- 👤 Shoji Kawakubo
- 👤 Toyofusa Yoshimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:37
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/38; H05K3/381; H05K3/386; H05K3/387; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/07; H05K2203/0779; H05K2203/0786; H05K2203/0793; H05K2203/12; H05K2203/122; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/181; H05K3/182; H05K3/184; H05K3/40; H05K3/42; H05K3/425; H05K3/426
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali aqueous solution is an aqueous solution of a caustic alkali, ammonia or an amine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process according to claim 2, wherein the alkali aqueous solution is an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the roughened adhesive layer surface is treated by dipping it in an alkali aqueous solution with a pH above 11 at room temperature for 2 to 10 minutes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous solution containing a surfactant is an aqueous solution of a nonionic, anionic or cationic surfactant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process according to claim 5, wherein the aqueous solution containing a surfactant is an aqueous solution of a polyethylene glycol alkyl ether, a polyethylene glycol phosphoric acid ester, a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether, a polyethylene glycol alkyl ether, a fatty acid salt or an alkylbenzene sulfonate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the treatment by an aqueous solution of a surfactant is performed by dipping in an aqueous solution of a surfactant at room temperature for 1 to 10 minutes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
170 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on both whole exposed surfaces of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of providing throughholes after the formation of the adhesive layer but before the roughening of the adhesive layer, a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
170 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on both whole exposed surfaces of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of providing throughholes after the formation of the adhesive layer but before the roughening of the adhesive layer, a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
163 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on at least one whole exposed surface of each insulating boards, the surface forming the outer most layer of laminated printed boards, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
163 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on at least one whole exposed surface of each insulating boards, the surface forming the outer most layer of laminated printed boards, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst and a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
166 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst, a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath, and a step of conducting the electroless plating in a waterwashed, wet state after the surfactant treatment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
166 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board comprising forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on said adhesive layer surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, wherein an improvement comprises a step of treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution before depositing the catalyst, a step of treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant before conducting the electroless plating on said board, whereby stability of the electroless plating bath used in said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath, and a step of conducting the electroless plating in a waterwashed, wet state after the surfactant treatment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
145 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board which comprises forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on the roughened surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, whereby, by the treating with an alkali aqueous solution and the treating with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, stability of the electroless plating bath used for said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
145 words
A process for producing a printed circuit board which comprises forming a plating film forming adhesive layer on the whole exposed surface of an insulating board, roughening the surface of said adhesive layer, treating the roughened adhesive layer surface with an alkali aqueous solution, depositing a catalyst for electroless plating on the roughened surface from a catalyst solution, masking the board surface excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, treating the insulating board, which has been masked excepting the part where a circuit is to be formed, with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant and forming a circuit on the board by electroless plating, whereby, by the treating with an alkali aqueous solution and the treating with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, stability of the electroless plating bath used for said electroless plating is maintained through repeated uses of said bath.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein said alkali aqueous solution is an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 12, wherein said aqueous sodium hydroxide solution has a pH of 13 to 14.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process according to claim 12 or 13, wherein said aqueous solution containing a surfactant is an aqueous solution of a phosphoric acid ester based surfactant or an aqueous solution of a straight chain alkylbenzene based surfactant and a higher alcohol based anion surfactant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 14, wherein said catalyst solution is a solution containing at least one of stannous chloride and palladium chloride.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 15, wherein said catalyst solution is a solution containing stannous chloride and palladium chloride.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 16, wherein said electroless plating is an electroless plating of nickel or copper.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein said electroless plating is an electroless plating of copper.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali aqueous solution has a pH of above 12.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 19, wherein the alkali aqueous solution has a pH of 13 to 14.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-03-28 | 1986-09-27 | 1987-03-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-03-28 | 1990-09-27 | 1991-03-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-03-28 | 1994-09-27 | 1995-03-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |