Programmed pulse electroplating process

A method of enhancing the properties of an electrodeposit which comprises providing the electrodeposit upon a substrate by a pulse periodic reverse electroplating process comprising an uninterrupted, sequential forward to reverse, reverse to forward, continuously repeating pulsing sequence while varying the anode/cathode current density ratio in periodic cycles comprising first, second and third values of ratios of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density to provide a metal deposit of uniform appearance, fine grain structure and uniform thickness on the substrate, wherein the ratio of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density is varied sequentially during the cycle between a first value in a first time period, a second value which is different than the first value in a second time period, and a third value which is different than the second value in a third time period.

A method for electroplating a substrate, which comprises electrolytically depositing metal on a substrate utilizing a plating current that includes an uninterrupted, sequential forward to reverse, reverse to forward, continuously repeating pulsing sequence with a peak reverse current density and a peak forward current density, and varying the ratio of the peak reverse current density to the peak forward current density in periodic cycles comprising first, second and third values of ratios of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density during the electrolytic deposition of the metal, wherein the ratio of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density is varied sequentially during the cycle between a first value in a first time period, a second value which is different than the first value in a second time period, and a third value which is different than the second value in a third time period.

A method of electrodepositing metal onto a substrate, which comprises applying a pulsed periodic reverse current across the electrodes of a plating cell utilizing a peak reverse current density and peak forward current density;

• and varying the ratio of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density in periodic cycles to provide a metal deposit of uniform appearance, fine grain structure and uniform thickness, with the ratio of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density having a first value in a first time period, a second value in a second time period, and a third value in a third time period, and the ratio is varied sequentially between the first, second, third, second and first values.

A method of enhancing the properties of an electrodeposit which comprises providing the electrodeposit upon a substrate by a pulse periodic reverse electroplating process while varying the anode/cathode current density ratio to provide a metal deposit of uniform appearance, fine grain structure and uniform thickness on the substrate, with the ratio of peak reverse current density to peak forward current density having a first value in a first time period, a second value in a second time period, and a third value in a third time period, and the ratio is varied sequentially between the first, second, third, second and first values.