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US 4,604,299 AGranted
Metallization of ceramics
AssigneeKollmorgen Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael A. De Luca, 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 halide compounds that promote adsorption of catalyst for metal deposition, and plated with metal. Uniform surface coverage with catalyst and metal is ensured by the halide treatment.
Claims32
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;
- exposing said surface, in a later step, to an acidic halide solution containing one or more halides selected from the group consisting of chlorides, bromides and iodides and having an acidity and a halide concentration sufficient to promote adsorption of catalyst on the surface and eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof, wherein said acidic halide solution is greater than 1.5 molar in halide ion and has an acidity greater than 0.001 molar in hydrogen ion;
- 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
Method of making a printed circuit on a surface of a ceramic substrate comprising:
- treating the ceramic substrate with a molten alkali metal compound to adhesion promote or etch the surface;
- exposing the surface to acidic halide solution containing one or more halides selected from the group consisting of chlorides, bromides, and iodides having an acidity and a halide concentration sufficient to eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof, wherein the acidic halide solution contains at least 1.5 moles of halide per liter;
- treating the ceramic surface with a catalyst for electroless metal deposition;
- depositing metal onto the catalyzed surface;
- and
- removing portions of the deposited metal to produce a metal printed circuit conductor pattern adhering to the surface of the ceramic substrate.
3 more elements
Method of making printed circuit on a surface of a ceramic substrate comprising:
- exposing the surface to a molten alkali metal compound to roughen or adhesion promote the surface;
- exposing the surface to an acidic halide solution having an acidity and containing one or more halides in an amount sufficient to eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on selected parts of the surface, and sufficient to promote adsorption of a catalyst for electroless metal deposition, the halides selected from chlorides, bromides, and iodides, wherein the acidic halide solution contains at least 1.5 moles of halide per liter;
- catalyzing the exposed surface with a catalyst for electroless metal deposition;
- printing a resist outlining a conductor pattern on the catalyzed surface;
- and
- electrolessly depositing metal on the part of the catalyzed surface not printed with resist, thus making 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 an alkali metal compound 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 an acidic halide solution containing one or more halides, the halides being selected from the group consisting of chlorides, bromides and iodides, the solution containing sufficient halide ions to promote adsorption of a stannous chloride sensitizer, eliminate bare spots in an adherent metal layer formed on the surface or selected parts thereof, and provide a pH below about 2 at said surface, wherein said acidic halide solution is greater than 2 molar in halide ion
- contacting said surface with a sensitizer solution providing stannous tin ions and a seeding solution providing precious metal ions, in the presence of said acidic halide solution, 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 a surface of a ceramic substrate 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;
- providing the surface with a conductive connector area for cathodic connection in subsequent electroplating;
- exposing said surface to an acidic halide solution having an acidity from 0.03 to 6 moles per liter and containing halide selected from the group of chlorides, bromides or iodides in an amount greater than 0.5 moles per liter and sufficient to promote adsorption of metal ions selected from Group Ib and Group VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements and to 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 the anode of the power supply being in contact with said solution;
- 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.