# US 12,222,201 B2 · Method for measuring surface parameter of copper foil, method for sorting copper foil, and method for producing surface-treated copper foil

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- Number: US 12,222,201 B2
- Document ID: US12222201B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/714,941
- Filed: 2021-12-22
- Published: 2024-10-03
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-22
- Assignees: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroaki Kurihara; Takeshi Iwase
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222201B2

## CPC

- G01B 11/30: for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
- G01B 9/04: Measuring microscopes
- G01B 21/30: for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
- G01N 21/956: Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects {(contactless testing of electronic circuits G01R31/308; testing currency G07D; manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)}
- G01N 21/95623: {using a spatial filtering method (per se G02B)}
- G01N 2021/95638: {for PCB's}
- H05K 1/0237: {High frequency adaptations (H05K1/0216 takes precedence)}
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

A method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil exhibiting high correlation with high frequency characteristics, the method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil including: (a) acquiring a surface profile on at least one surface of an untreated copper foil; (b) setting a cutoff value for an L filter based on the surface profile; (c) acquiring a surface profile on at least one surface of surface-treated copper foil originating from the untreated copper foil; (d) subjecting the surface profile of the surface-treated copper foil to filter processing, the filter processing including processing using an L filter with the cutoff value; and (e) calculating at least one of surface parameters defined by ISO25178 on the surface of the surface-treated copper foil based on the surface profile after the filter processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil, comprising the steps of:
(a) acquiring a surface profile on at least one surface of an untreated copper foil;
(b) setting a cutoff value for an L filter based on the surface profile;
(c) acquiring a surface profile on at least one surface of a surface-treated copper foil originating from the untreated copper foil;
(d) subjecting the surface profile of the surface-treated copper foil to filter processing, the filter processing including processing using an L filter with the cutoff value; and
(e) calculating at least one of surface parameters defined by ISO 25178 on the surface of the surface-treated copper foil based on the surface profile after the filter processing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil according to claim 1,
wherein, in the step (d), the filter processing is conducted without using an S filter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil according to claim 1,
wherein, in the step (b), the cutoff value for the L filter is set so as to satisfy:
(i) Sa1, which is an arithmetical mean height Sa after processing with the L filter, being 0.5 μm or less, and
(ii) a percent change of developed interfacial area ratio Sdr before and after processing with the L filter being 80% or less, the percent change of Sdr being represented by a formula (|Sdr0−Sdr1|/Sdr0)×100, wherein Sdr0 is an Sdr before processing with the L filter, and Sdr1 is an Sdr after processing with the L filter; and
the Sa and the Sdr are surface parameters defined by ISO 25178.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil according to claim 3,
wherein the Sa1 is 0.3 μm or less, and the percent change of Sdr is 70% or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil according to claim 1,
wherein, in the step (b), the cutoff value for the L filter is set, so as to satisfy:
(i) Sa1, which is an arithmetical mean height Sa after processing with the L filter, being 0.5 μm or less, and
(ii′) a percent change of a value before and after processing with the L filter being 80% or less, the percent change of a value being represented by a formula (|α0−α1|/α0)×100, wherein α0 is an α value before processing with the L filter, and α1 is an α value after processing with the L filter;
the α value is obtained by dividing a core material volume Vmc by a core height Sk to obtain a quotient and multiplying the quotient by a developed interfacial area ratio Sdr, that is, obtained by a formula (Vmc/Sk)×Sdr; and
the Sa, the Sdr, the Vmc and the Sk are surface parameters defined by ISO 25178.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for measuring a surface parameter of copper foil according to claim 5,
wherein the Sa1 is 0.3 μm or less, and the percent change of a value is 70% or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method for selecting copper foil, comprising the steps of:
measuring a surface parameter of copper foil using the method according to claim 1, wherein the surface parameter is at least one selected from the group consisting of an arithmetical mean height Sa, a root mean square height Sq, a maximum height Sz, a developed interfacial area ratio Sdr, a core material volume Vmc, and a core height Sk defined by ISO 25178; and
selecting, as a copper foil suitable for a printed-wiring board for high frequency application, a copper foil having a surface in which the Sa is 1.2 μm or less, the Sq is 2.5 μm or less, the Sz is 14 μm or less, the Sdr is 60% or less, the Vmc is 1.5 μm3 or less, and/or the Sk is 4 μm or less.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method for producing surface-treated copper foil, comprising the steps of:
providing an untreated copper foil;
subjecting, to a surface treatment, at least one surface of the untreated copper foil to produce a surface-treated copper foil;
measuring a surface parameter of the surface-treated copper foil using the method according to claim 1; and
submitting the surface-treated copper foil for shipping or recognizing the surface-treated copper foil as one to be shipped only when the surface parameter satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein
at least one surface of the untreated copper foil is subjected to acquisition of the surface profile in the step (a), and
the surface subjected to the surface treatment of the surface-treated copper foil is subjected to acquisition of the surface profile in the step (c).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method for producing surface-treated copper foil according to claim 8,
wherein the surface-treated copper foil is used for a printed-wiring board for high frequency application of 1 GHz or more.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A method for producing a printed-wiring board for high frequency application, comprising the step of:
producing a printed-wiring board for high frequency application using a copper foil obtained by the method according to claim 7.