Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure
It’s Only Common Sense: Selling to Today's Generation of Buyers
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Believe in Better'
Coated Ultra-Thin Copper on Printed Circuit Laminates
July 16, 2015 | Intrinsiq Materials Inc.Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Figures 2, 3 and 4 show examples of the raw coated material, followed by sintering and the finished circuit, respectively. The samples were pattern plated with copper, then tin etch resist. The photo resist was stripped off; the circuit was etched in industry standard equipment with ammonia based solution. The tin was stripped off after etching resulting in a copper circuit. The coupons were tested for peel strength and showed a 1.2 N/cm average. Note that the coupons used for the test are industry standard patterns as designated by IPC.
The electroplated copper was also subjected to pull testing to verify adhesion to the base coating of copper. The result of this test was that the pull strength exceeded the detection limit of the device.
The sintered nano-copper, thin-film coating will also auto catalyze in standard PCB electro-less copper solutions. This seed layer technology replaces the palladium catalyst currently used to initiate electro-less copper in the PCB industry.
Similar process development is underway for rigid laminates and alumina as well. Initial testing shows comparable pull and peel strength to currently available laminates. This thin film coating also allows lower temperature processing of the ceramic laminates than current firing methods using precious metal pastes.
Conclusion
Nanocopper based copper foil has great promise for high-density microcircuits. Utilizing conventional coating capability, volume production is easily scalable and cost-effective.
David Ciufo is the PCB program manager at Intrinsiq Materials Inc. a recognized leader in nanomaterials development.
Page 2 of 2Share on:
Suggested Items
The Evolution of Picosecond Laser Drilling
06/19/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIs it hard to imagine a single laser pulse reduced not only from nanoseconds to picoseconds in its pulse duration, but even to femtoseconds? Well, buckle up because it seems we are there. In this interview, Dr. Stefan Rung, technical director of laser machines at Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, traces the technology trajectory of the laser drill from the CO2 laser to cutting-edge picosecond and hybrid laser drilling systems, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each method, and demonstrating how laser innovations are shaping the future of PCB fabrication.
Day 2: More Cutting-edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/18/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) summer conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the third of three articles on the conference. The other two cover Day 1’s sessions and the opening keynote speech. Below is a recap of the second day’s sessions.
Day 1: Cutting Edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/17/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) Summer Conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the second of three articles on the conference. The other two cover the keynote speeches and Day 2 of the technical conference. Below is a recap of the first day’s sessions.
Preventing Surface Prep Defects and Ensuring Reliability
06/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, surface preparation is a critical process that ensures strong adhesion, reliable plating, and long-term product performance. Without proper surface treatment, manufacturers may encounter defects such as delamination, poor solder mask adhesion, and plating failures. This article examines key surface preparation techniques, common defects resulting from improper processes, and real-world case studies that illustrate best practices.
RF PCB Design Tips and Tricks
05/08/2025 | Cherie Litson, EPTAC MIT CID/CID+There are many great books, videos, and information online about designing PCBs for RF circuits. A few of my favorite RF sources are Hans Rosenberg, Stephen Chavez, and Rick Hartley, but there are many more. These PCB design engineers have a very good perspective on what it takes to take an RF design from schematic concept to PCB layout.