Method to Accelerate Pd/Sn Based Direct Plating Process

A method to improve the rate of direct plating process based on Pd/Sn activator and sulfide enhancement has been developed. The plating rate can be almost doubled by drying the substrate in an oven for 2 min at 75 degrees C before dipping in the plating bath. Several analytical techniques including potential scan, energy-dispersive spectrometry, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, and rest potential measurement have been employed to explore the underlying cause for this acceleration effect. (C) 2004 The Electrochemical Society.