US4956197A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Plasma conditioning of a substrate for electroless plating
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1988-09-30
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Granted: 1990-09-11
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Expires: 2008-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A dielectric surface is conditioned for electroless plating of a conductive metal thereon by exposing the substrate to a gaseous plasma obtained from ammonia and/or an organic amine. The conditioning can be in the holes and/or on the surfaces of the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Suryadevara V. Babu
- 👤 Neng-hsing Lu
- 👤 Gerald W. Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 22:05
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/22; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/38; H05K3/381
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for improving the retention of colloidal catalyst on at least one preconditioned surface having active sites of a dielectric substrate material for the electrodes plating of a conductive metal thereon wherein said dielectric substrate includes an epoxy having polar groups that are reactive with ammonia or amines which comprises exposing said preconditioned substrate to a gaseous plasma from a gas selected from the group of ammonia, organic amines, or mixtures thereof; and then activating the substrate by contacting it with a composition containing a colloidal catalyst to provide directly, or as a precursor leading to catalytic sites capable of electroless plating, initiation of a conductive metal thereon whereby said exposing increases the retention of said colloidal catalytic sites on said at least one preconditioned surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for improving the retention of colloidal catalyst on at least one preconditioned surface having active sites of a dielectric substrate material for the electrodes plating of a conductive metal thereon wherein said dielectric substrate includes an epoxy having polar groups that are reactive with ammonia or amines which comprises exposing said preconditioned substrate to a gaseous plasma from a gas selected from the group of ammonia, organic amines, or mixtures thereof; and then activating the substrate by contacting it with a composition containing a colloidal catalyst to provide directly, or as a precursor leading to catalytic sites capable of electroless plating, initiation of a conductive metal thereon whereby said exposing increases the retention of said colloidal catalytic sites on said at least one preconditioned surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gaseous plasma is from ammonia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gaseous plasma is from the mixture of ammonia and an organic amine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said plasma is from a mixture of ammonia and ethylene diamine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure of the plasma treatment is about 0.1 torr to about 4 torr.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure of the plasma treatment is about 0.2 torr to about 0.8 torr.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the surface is activated with a composition containing a palladium compound.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is activated with a composition containing palladium chloride.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said palladium chloride composition contains about 1.2 to about 2.5 grams per liter of palladium chloride, about 80 to about 150 grams of stannous chloride, and about 100 to about 150 milliliters per liter of 7% HCl.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the activating is with a composition containing about 1.5 grams per liter of PdCl 2 , about 100 grams per liter of SnCl 2 , and about 280 milliliters per liter of 37% aqueous HCl.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 which additionally includes contacting the activated surface with an electroless plating bath containing conductive metallic ions therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said conductive ions include nickel or copper.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said conductive ions include copper.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one surface includes through-holes in a substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one surface includes a major surface on a substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5912943A
Cited
JPS60200967A
Cited
US4568562A
Cited
US4615763A
Cited
US4597828A
Cited
US4707394A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-10 | 1994-03-12 | 1994-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-10 | 1998-03-12 | 1998-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-10 | 2002-03-12 | 2002-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |