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US 4,574,094 AGranted
Metallization of ceramics
AssigneeKollmorgen Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael A. DeLuca, John F. McCormack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article comprised of metal directly and adherently bonded onto a ceramic substrate, and a process for producing same, wherein the ceramic is adhesion promoted with molten inorganic compound, treated with compounds that promote adsorption of catalyst for metal deposition, and plated with metal. Uniform surface coverage with catalyst and metal is ensured by the treatment with the adsorption promoters.
Claims31
In a process for metallizing a surface of a ceramic substrate which includes treating the surface to adherently receive metal and depositing metal on the treated surface, the improvement which comprises:
- treating the surface with a melt comprising one or more alkali metal compounds to adhesion promote or etch the surface;
- and in a later step exposing said surface to an adsorption promoter selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated non-ionic compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds, said nitrogen-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of quaternary compounds, amine oxides, alkanolamines, amides, betaines, amino acids and guanidine derivatives, in an amount sufficient to, and at a pH which will promote adsorption of catalyst on the surface and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof;
- treating said surface with a catalyst solution for rendering said surface receptive to deposition of metal;
- and
- exposing the thus treated surface or selected parts of said surface to a metal depositing bath solution thus forming a uniform metal layer on said surface or selected parts thereof.
2 more elements
A process for making a printed circuit on a ceramic substrate comprising:
- (a) treating the ceramic surface with a melt comprising one or more alkali metal compounds to adhesion promote or etch the surface;
- (b) exposing the surface to a adsorption promoter selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated non-ionic compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds, the nitrogen-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of quaternary compounds, amine oxides, alkanolamines, amides, betaines, amino acids and guanadine derivatives, in an amount sufficient to, and at a pH which will promote adsorption of catalyst on the surface and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof;
- (c) treating the ceramic surface exposed to the adsorption promoter with a catalyst for electroless metal deposition;
- (d) depositing metal onto the catalyzed surface;
- (e) removing portions of the deposited metal to produce a metal printed circuit conductor pattern adhering to the surface of the ceramic substrate.
2 more elements
A process of making a printed circuit on a ceramic substrate comprising:
- (a) exposing the surface of the ceramic substate to one or more molten alkali metal compound(s) to roughen or adhesion promote the surface;
- (b) exposing the surface to a adsorption promoter selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated non-ionic compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds, the nitrogen-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of quaternary compounds, amine oxides, alkanolamines, amides, betaines, amino acids and guanadine derivatives, in an amount sufficient to, and at a pH which will promote adsorption of a catalyst for electroless metal deposition and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on selected parts of the surface;
- (c) catalyzing the surface with a catalyst for electroless metal deposition;
- (d) applying a resist image on the catalyzed surface leaving exposed a printed circuit conductor pattern;
- and
- (e) electrolessly depositing metal on the exposed parts of the catalyzed surface to form an adherent metal printed circuit conductor pattern on the substrate.
3 more elements
A process for producing a metallized conductor pattern on a ceramic substrate comprising:
- contacting a surface of said substrate with a melt comprised of one or more alkali metal compounds for a time period sufficient to etch said surface;
- rinsing said surface with an aqueous solution;
- neutralizing said surface with an acid;
- repeating said rinsing step;
- contacting said surface with a adsorption promoter selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated non-ionic compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds, the nitrogen-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of quaternary compounds, amine oxides, alkanolamines, amides, betaines, amino acids and guanadine derivatives, in an amount sufficient to, and at a pH which will promote adsorption of an activator solution, and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof;
- contacting said surface with an activator solution which provides a noble metal catalyst, in the presence of said adsorption promoter, to render said surface receptive to electroless deposition of a metal;
- and
- contacting said surface or selected parts thereof with a metal depositing solution for a time period sufficient to form a metal layer thereon.
5 more elements
In a process for metallizing ceramic substrates which includes treating the surface to adherently receive a metal, and depositing metal on the treated surface, the improvement which comprises:
- treating the surface with a melt comprising one or more alkali metal compounds to adhesion promote or etch the surface;
- providing the surface with a conductive connector area for cathodic connection in subsequent electroplating;
- exposing said surface to an adsorption promoter selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated non-ionic compounds and nitrogen-containing compounds, the nitrogen-containing compounds being selected from the group consisting of quaternary compounds, amine oxides, alkanolamines, amides, betaines, amino acids and guanadine derivatives, in an amount sufficient to, and at a pH which will promote adsorption of metal ions selected from Group Ib and Group VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof;
- treating said surface with a solution comprising a metal selected from Group Ib and Group VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements to deposit metallic sites on the surface;
- connecting said connectors area to the cathode pole of a power supply;
- contacting the surface with a solution for electroplating a second metal, said solution being in contact with the anode of the power supply;
- and electroplating the second metal on the surface to form a complete layer of said second metal on said surface or selected parts thereof.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.