PTFE Wettability for Electroless Copper and Direct Metallization

摘要

PTFE material is very hydrophobic and among the most difficult to deposit electroless copper or direct metallization. Thesernmaterials have very low friction, which makes a surface non-wettable. Plasma technology has the ability to create wettablernthrough holes by removing fluorines from the surface, leaving the hole walls activated for metallizing. There are severalrnprocess gases used to treat PTFE material. Each gas has a different effect on surface wettability. Chemical etching alsornchanges the wettability of PTFE material by activating the surface.rnAlthough both plasma technology and chemical etching render a wettable surface, there is a recovery time in which the PTFErnmaterial returns to its original state due to fluorine migration. This paper evaluates the results of a DOE comparing threernplasma processes and chemical etching in relationship to wettability, recovery time and plating adhesion.