US5358602A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for manufacture of printed circuit boards
Assignee: MacDermid Enthone Inc
•
Filing: 1993-12-06
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Granted: 1994-10-25
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Expires: 2013-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A method for the manufacture of printed circuit boards is provided comprising conditioning the board, activating with a catalytic metal, post-activating, stabilizing and etching the copper surfaces before the desired circuit is formed on the board. This process eliminates the need for a flash coating of copper in the through holes before the use of protective coatings such as imaging resists and soldermasks.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary R. Sutcliffe
- 👤 Jay B. Conrod
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:07
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/28; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/40; H05K3/42; H05K3/425; H05K3/428; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/05; H05K2203/0562; H05K2203/0571; H05K2203/14; H05K2203/1423; H05K3/22; H05K3/24; H05K3/243; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3452; H05K3/422; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/901; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24917
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for making printed circuit boards comprising: a. contacting the board with a conditioner to clean the board surface; b. contacting the conditioned board with a metal containing activator to activate the board surface for plating; c. treating the activated board with a post-activator; d. treating the resulting board with a stabilizer; e. treating the stabilized surface with an etchant to etch the board surface; f. forming the desired circuit pattern on the board; g. plating the board to the desired thickness.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for making printed circuit boards comprising: a. contacting the board with a conditioner to clean the board surface; b. contacting the conditioned board with a metal containing activator to activate the board surface for plating; c. treating the activated board with a post-activator; d. treating the resulting board with a stabilizer; e. treating the stabilized surface with an etchant to etch the board surface; f. forming the desired circuit pattern on the board; g. plating the board to the desired thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the activator contains palladium and tin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the post-activator is an alkaline solution having a pH greater than about 11.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the post-activator contains sodium carbonate and copper II ions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the stabilizer is acid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the etchant is used to provide an etch of about 15-30 microinches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the board is plated using an electroless copper plating bath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
An article of manufacture prepared according to the method of claim 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
An article of manufacture prepared according to the method of claim 7.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the post-activator contains an effective amount of metal ions which undergo a disproportionation reaction during the treatment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the metals ions are copper or silver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the post-activator further contains potassium carbonate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
An article of manufacture prepared according to the method of claim 1 wherein a soldermask is applied to cover the desired circuits prior to plating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
An article of manufacture prepared according to the method of claim 7 wherein a soldermask is applied to cover the desired circuits prior to plating.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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US4171225A
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US4933010A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-24 | 1998-04-25 | 1998-10-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-24 | 2002-04-25 | 2002-10-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-24 | 2006-04-25 | 2006-10-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |