Method and apparatus for improving interfacial chemical reactions in electroless depositions of metals
US6599563B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC23C18/1889
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving interfacial chemical reactions in electroless depositions of metals, in which the substrate to be plated is pre-heated prior to its immersion in the various processing solutions that require elevated temperatures, and especially before immersion in the electroless plating solution. The pre-heating is carried out to a temperature that is needed to bring about the desired chemical reaction at the substrate-solution interface, allowing the bath of that process step to operate significantly below the temperature that would have been needed if the panel had not been pre-heated, and below the solution temperature of current practice. According to another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus for plating a workpiece operates in a vertical mode and it comprises a heating station, with the panel to be plated returning to the heating station as dictated by the temperature required for a given process step. Alternatively, the heating station is incorporated into the hoist system of such apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus operates in a horizontal mode and comprises at l…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.