A low temperature electroless nickel plating chemistry

摘要

An acidic electroless nickel bath was formulated to plate high phosphorus nickel alloy at a low temperature from 45 to 50 degrees C. The low temperature EN bath, containing nickel ions, reducing agent, complexing agent, stabilizer, and accelerator, was optimized in composition to deposit high phosphorus nickel alloy (> 11 wt% P) at temperature < 50 degrees C which is not achievable by either commercial alkaline EN baths or commercial acidic EN baths at such a low plating temperature. The successful electroless forming of an EN film micro sieve based on positive photoresist patterns demonstrated that the low temperature bath is suitable for high phosphorus EN plating with temperature sensitive polymer materials.