Abstract:
A printed wiring board has an aluminum backing, a dielectric layer overlying the aluminum backing, and a copper layer overlying the dielectric layer. Holes are drilled through the copper and the dielectric layers, and either partially or fully through the aluminum backing, and plated to provide a conductive path between the copper layer and the aluminum backing. Tin-lead traces are applied to the upper surface of the copper layer and the copper layer is etched to define conductive paths. The copper exposed and aluminum exposed surfaces are protected so as to permit processing of the printed wiring board in otherwise-incompatible etchants and other solutions.
Abstract:
A copper-tungsten or copper-molybdenum substrate is plated with a nickel/gold plating by first activating a surface of the substrate. In activating, the surface is contacted to a concentrated alkaline solution at elevated temperature, and then to a concentrated acidic solution. The surface is thereafter plated with a nickel strike layer, plated with a nickel primary layer overlying the nickel strike layer, sintered, re-activated in a concentrated acidic solution, plated with a nickel secondary layer overlying the nickel primary layer, and plated with a gold layer overlying the nickel secondary layer.
Abstract:
Flow-inducing panels for use in electroless copper plating of complex plastic microwave assemblies. A panel comprises a rigid baffle having openings adapted to secure microwave assemblies therein. The panel has a size relative to the electroless copper plating tank that causes sufficient plating solution flow through the channels in the microwave assemblies by minimizing solution flow bypassing of the channels. This achieves complete copper plating of the inner surfaces in the channels. A relatively large panel builds up back pressure as it approaches plating tank walls, which creates a pressure differential as it moves through the plating tank, thus forcing solution through the channels. The flow-inducing panels easily hold many parts in a stabilized manner which yields high productivity, and provide solution flow through the channels using a standard metallization basket used for printed wiring board manufacturing.