US4959121A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for treating a polyimide surface for subsequent plating thereon
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1990-01-05
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Granted: 1990-09-25
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Expires: 2010-01-05
Abstract
Abstract A polyimide surface is pretreated in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, wherein the pretreatment comprises the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of nitric acid having a concentration of about 35 to about 70% by weight or an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 10 to about 38% by weight; (B) rinsing the acid-treated polyimide surface with water so as to substantially remove the acid from the surface of the polyimide; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with a mild etching agent, resulting in the formation of a residual film on the polyimide surface; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with a basic solution, and (E) removing the residual film formed on the surface of the polyimide after contact with the mild etching agent in step (C). The method of this invention allows both filled and unfilled polyimide substrates to be electroless plated in a consistent manner and provides improved adhesion between the polymer and subsequently deposited metals.
Inventors
- 👤 William V. Dumas
- 👤 Donald F. Foust
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:06
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J7/00; C08J7/12; C08G; C08G73/00; C08G73/06; C08G73/10; C08G73/1003; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/22; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/38; H05K3/381; C08J2379/00; C08J2379/04; C08J2379/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S205/00; Y10S205/924; Y10S205/926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of nitric acid having a concentration of about 35 to about 70% by weight or an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 10 to about 38% by weight; (B) rinsing the acid-treated polyimide surface with water so as to substantially remove the acid from the surface of the polyimide; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with a mild etching agent, resulting in the formation of a residual film on the polyimide surface; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with a basic solution, and (E) removing the residual film formed on the surface of the polyimide after contact with the mild etching agent in step (C).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of nitric acid having a concentration of about 35 to about 70% by weight or an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 10 to about 38% by weight; (B) rinsing the acid-treated polyimide surface with water so as to substantially remove the acid from the surface of the polyimide; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with a mild etching agent, resulting in the formation of a residual film on the polyimide surface; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with a basic solution, and (E) removing the residual film formed on the surface of the polyimide after contact with the mild etching agent in step (C).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the acid is nitric acid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the nitric acid has a concentration of about 50 to about 70% by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the nitric acid has a concentration of about 65 to about 70% by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the acid is hydrochloric acid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein the hydrochloric acid has a concentration of about 25 to about 38% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the hydrochloric acid has a concentration of about 30 to about 38% by weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the polyimide surface is treated with the aqueous acid solution for a period of about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 8 wherein the polyimide surface is treated with the aqueous acid solution for a period of about 2 to about 10 minutes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein in step (A) the aqueous solution of acid further comprises an inert surfactant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the surfactant is an anionic fluorocarbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein the surfactant is a potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the aqueous acid solution contains about 0.001% to about 1.0% by weight of the surfactant based on the amount of acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the aqueous acid solution contains about 0.01% to about 1.0% by weight of the surfactant based on the amount of acid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the aqueous acid solution contains about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of the surfactant based on the amount of acid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein in step (B), the polyimide surface is rinsed with water for about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with a mixture containing nitric acid having a concentration of about 65% to about 70% and about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of a potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate surfactant; (B) rinsing the nitric-acid-treated polyimide surface with water for about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with sulfuric acid having a concentration of at least 85%; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with potassium hydroxide, and (E) contacting the potassium hydroxide-treated polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal permanganate.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with a mixture containing nitric acid having a concentration of about 65% to about 70% and about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of a potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate surfactant; (B) rinsing the nitric-acid-treated polyimide surface with water for about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with sulfuric acid having a concentration of at least 85%; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with potassium hydroxide, and (E) contacting the potassium hydroxide-treated polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal permanganate.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with a mixture containing hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 30% to about 38% and about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of a potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate surfactant; (B) rinsing the hydrochloric-acid-treated polyimide surface with water for about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with sulfuric acid having a concentration of at least 85%; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with potassium hydroxide, and (E) contacting the potassium hydroxide-treated polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal permanganate.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for pretreating a polyimide surface in preparation for an adhesion promotion treatment and subsequent metallization on the surface, comprising the steps of: (A) contacting the polyimide surface with a mixture containing hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 30% to about 38% and about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of a potassium perfluoroalkyl sulfonate surfactant; (B) rinsing the hydrochloric-acid-treated polyimide surface with water for about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes; (C) contacting the rinsed polyimide surface with sulfuric acid having a concentration of at least 85%; (D) contacting the etched polyimide surface with potassium hydroxide, and (E) contacting the potassium hydroxide-treated polyimide surface with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal permanganate.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-24 | 1994-03-26 | 1994-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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