Plated lead frame including doped silver layer

Method of manufacturing a lead frame as claimed in claim 2, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising copper;
• plating a layer of bright silver onto the substrate;
• after plating the layer of bright silver onto the substrate, plating a layer of doped bright silver over a top surface of the layer of bright silver;
• and
• plating a layer of copper onto the substrate prior to plating the layer of bright silver, such that the layer of bright silver is plated over the layer of copper;
• wherein the step of plating the layer of copper is conducted in an aqueous solution comprising copper sulfate, a brightener, a leveler and a carrier.

Method of manufacturing a lead frame, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising copper;
• plating a layer of bright silver onto the substrate;
• after plating the layer of bright silver onto the substrate, plating a layer of doped bright silver over a top surface of the layer of bright silver;
• and
• plating a layer of nickel prior to plating the layer of bright silver, such that the layer of bright silver is plated over the layer of nickel;
• wherein the step of plating the layer of nickel is conducted in an aqueous solution comprising nickel sulfamate, nickel chloride and boric acid.

Method of manufacturing a lead frame as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising copper;
• plating a layer of bright silver onto the substrate;
• and thereafter
• plating a layer of doped bright silver over a top surface of the layer of bright silver;
• wherein the step of plating the layer of bright silver is conducted in an aqueous solution comprising potassium silver cyanide, potassium cyanide, a brightener, and potassium phosphate.