Patent · US Expired

Post-etch, printed circuit board cleaning process

US5411595A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
9References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 13, 1993
Grant dateMay 2, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 13, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K2203/124
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A novel, environmentally innocuous, post-etch, pre-soldering cleaner and cleaning process is disclosed for removing contaminants from plated surfaces of printed circuit boards manufactured by the pattern plating method. The post-etch, cleaning process of this invention, for removing contaminants from plated surfaces of an etched printed circuit, comprises treating the plated surfaces with a cleaning solution which comprises an aqueous solution of (i) an imidazole-2-thione compound and (ii) an acid. The imidazole-2-thione compound has the formula: ##STR1## wherein A and B are the same or different --R--Y groups, wherein R is a linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms and Y is a hydrogen, halogen, cyano, vinyl, phenyl or ether moiety. Of this class of compounds, 1-methyl-3-propylimidazole-2-thione is preferred. The novel aqueous cleaners of this invention are effective replacements for conventional cleaners containing the toxic material thiourea and are superior to cleaners free of thiourea.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.