Formation of terminal metallurgy on laminates and boards

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019390348-A1
Application number	US-201816014579-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

At least one plating pen is brought into aligned relationship with at least one hole defined in a board. The pen includes a central retractable protrusion, a first shell surrounding the protrusion and defining a first annular channel therewith, and a second shell surrounding the first shell and defining a second annular channel therewith. The protrusion is lowered to block the hole and plating material is flowed down the first channel to a surface of the board and up into the second channel, to form an initial deposit on the board surface. The protrusion is raised to unblock the hole, and plating material is flowed down the first annular channel to side walls of the hole and up into the second annular channel, to deposit the material on the side walls of the hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
bringing into aligned relationship with at least one hole defined in a board at least one plating pen, said at least one plating pen comprising a central retractable protrusion, a first shell surrounding said protrusion and defining a first annular channel therewith, and a second shell surrounding said first shell and defining a second annular channel therewith; lowering said retractable protrusion to block said at least one hole; with said at least one hole blocked, causing plating material to flow down said first annular channel to a surface of said board and up into said second annular channel, to form an initial deposit of said plating material on said surface of said board; raising said retractable protrusion to unblock said at least one hole; and with said at least one hole unblocked, causing plating material to flow down said first annular channel to side walls of said at least one hole and up into said second annular channel, to deposit said plating material on said side walls of said at least one hole.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of causing said plating material to flow down said first annular channel to said side walls of said at least one hole and up into said second annular channel, to deposit said plating material on said side walls of said board, is carried out for a predetermined limited period of time to deposit only a predetermined limited thickness of said plating material on said side walls of said at least one hole, without completely filling said at least one hole.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein, in said step of bringing said plating pen into aligned relationship with said at least one hole, said plating pen further comprises a third shell surrounding said second shell and defining a third annular channel therewith, and a porous frit located in said third annular channel, further comprising inhibiting leakage of said plating material with said porous frit by applying vacuum between said porous frit and said third shell.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said steps are carried out without the use of bristles.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said steps are carried out without immersing said board in said plating material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said steps of causing said plating material to flow to form said initial deposit of said plating material on said surface of said board and causing said plating material to flow to deposit said plating material on said side walls of said at least one hole comprise applying electrical potential to cause said first shell and said second shell to function as first and second electrodes.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said steps are carried out without applying electric potential between said plating pen and said board.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said steps of causing said plating material to flow to form said initial deposit of said plating material on said surface of said board and causing said plating material to flow to deposit said plating material on said side walls of said at least one hole comprise applying electrical potential to cause said first shell and said second shell to function as first and second electrodes, said plating material comprises nickel-phosphorous.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said step of bringing into aligned relationship with said at least one hole defined in said board said at least one plating pen, said at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes and said at least one plating pen comprises a plurality of plating pens ganged together.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of causing said plating material to flow down said first annular channel to said side walls of said at least one hole and up into said second annular channel, to deposit said plating material on said side walls of said board, is carried out until said at least one hole is filled with said plating material to form a plug.

11 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one plating pen, said at least one plating pen in turn comprising:
a central retractable protrusion;
a first shell surrounding said protrusion and defining a plating material supply channel therewith, said first shell having a board-engaging end;
a second shell surrounding said first shell and defining a plating material collection channel therewith; and
a plurality of electrical contacts formed on said board-engaging end of said first shell.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
said at least one plating pen further comprises:
a third shell surrounding said second shell and defining a third annular channel therewith; and
a porous frit located in said third annular channel;
said apparatus further comprises a vacuum pump connected to apply vacuum between said porous frit and said third shell.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said at least one plating pen does not include bristles.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a source of electrical potential interconnected across said first and second shells.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one pen comprises a plurality of plating pens ganged together.

16 . A method comprising:
bringing into aligned relationship with at least one hole defined in a board at least one plating pen, said at least one plating pen comprising a first shell defining a first channel therewith, and a second shell surrounding said first shell and defining a second channel therewith, said second channel being annular; inserting said at least one plating pen into said at least one hole; causing plating material to flow down said first channel into said at least one hole and up into said second, annular, channel, to deposit said plating material into said at least one hole to form a plug therein.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein, in said step of bringing said plating pen into aligned relationship with said at least one hole, said plating pen further comprises a third shell surrounding said second shell and defining a third, annular, channel therewith, and a porous fit located in said third annular channel, further comprising inhibiting leakage of said plating material with said porous frit by applying vacuum between said porous frit and said third shell.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said steps are carried out without the use of bristles and without immersing said board in said plating material.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said step of causing said plating material to flow comprises applying electrical potential to cause said first shell and said second shell to function as first and second electrodes.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said steps are carried out without applying electric potential between said plating pen and said board.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Arvin Charles L
• Erwin Brian Michael
• Muzzy Chris
• Weiss Thomas

Classifications

• H05K3/422

  characterised by electroless plating method; pretreatment therefor · CPC title

• H05K3/423

  characterised by electroplating method · CPC title

• H05K3/187

  means therefor, e.g. baths, apparatus · CPC title

• H05K3/181

  by electroless plating (adhesives therefor H05K3/387) · CPC title

• C23C18/1653

  Two or more layers with at least one layer obtained by electroless plating and one layer obtained by electroplating · CPC title