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Patent US4695348A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4695348A
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US
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Copper etching process and product
Assignee: PSI Star Inc
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Filing: 1986-09-15
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Granted: 1987-09-22
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Expires: 2006-09-15
Abstract
Abstract Copper etching process and product particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The copper is etched in a liquid etchant, and the crystal structure of the copper is selected and carefully controlled to provide an anisotropic etch and a relatively high vertical-to-lateral etching ratio. In one disclosed embodiment, the etching solution contains nitric acid, copper nitrate or sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant, and the copper has a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation. In another disclosed embodiment, the etching solution contains hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid, and the copper foil has a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations. A printed circuit board manufactured in accordance with the invention has a copper foil with a crystal structure selected to provide anisotropic etching and a relatively high vertical-to-lateral etching ratio with a given etching solution bonded to a substrate, with portions of the copper foil being etched away by the etching solution to form the desired foil pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 James F. Battey
- 👤 Norvell J. Nelson
- 👤 Daniel J. Barnett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:52
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23F; C23F1/00; C23F1/10; C23F1/14; C23F1/16; C23F1/18; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/06; H05K3/067; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/09; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49155; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12389; Y10T428/12396; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24917; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31678
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
In a process utilizing a liquid etchant for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: selecting a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure which is etched anisotropically and with a vertical-to-lateral etching ratio of at least 10:1 by the liquid etchant, bonding the copper foil to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to the liquid etchant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a process utilizing a liquid etchant for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: selecting a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure which is etched anisotropically and with a vertical-to-lateral etching ratio of at least 10:1 by the liquid etchant, bonding the copper foil to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to the liquid etchant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid etchant comprises an aqueous solution of nitric acid with a polymer, and the copper foil is selected to have a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid etchant comprises an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant, and the copper foil is selected to have a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of the desired crystal structure onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of the desired structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of: selecting a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure which is etched anisotropically and with a vertical-to-lateral etching ratio of at least 10:1 by a liquid etchant, bonding the copper foil to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to the liquid etchant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of: selecting a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure which is etched anisotropically and with a vertical-to-lateral etching ratio of at least 10:1 by a liquid etchant, bonding the copper foil to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to the liquid etchant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit board of claim 5 wherein the liquid etchant comprises an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant, and the copper foil is selected to have a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The circuit board of claim 5 wherein the liquid etchant comprises an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant, and the copper foil is selected to have a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The circuit board of claim 5 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of the desired crystal structure onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of the desired structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a process for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a process for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the copper foil has at least 70% (111) and (200) orientations and less than 20% (220) orientation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the aqueous solution contains nitric acid, the polymer, copper nitrate or sulfuric acid, and the surfactant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the copper foil has a weight on the order of 1/4-2 ounces per square foot of surface area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (111) orientation onto a backing, and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (111) orientation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a circuit board: a substrate, and a copper foil on one side of the substrate having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly- (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation, portions of the foil having been removed from the board by etching with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a circuit board: a substrate, and a copper foil on one side of the substrate having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly- (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation, portions of the foil having been removed from the board by etching with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The circuit board of claim 14 wherein the copper foil has at least 70% (111) and (200) orientations and less than 20% (220) orientation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The circuit board of claim 14 wherein the aqueous solution contains nitric acid, the polymer, copper nitrate or sulfuric acid, and the surfactant.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit board of claim 14 wherein the copper foil has a weight on the order of 1/4-2 ounces per square foot of surface area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The circuit board of claim 14 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (111) orientation onto a backing, and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (111) orientation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation to a substrate, and removing a portion of the copper foil from the substrate by etching with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
57 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation to a substrate, and removing a portion of the copper foil from the substrate by etching with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The circuit board of claim 19 wherein the copper foil has at least 70% (111) and (200) orientations and less than 20% (220) orientation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The circuit board of claim 19 wherein the aqueous solution contains nitric acid, the polymer, copper nitrate or sulfuric acid, and surfactant.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit board of claim 19 wherein the copper foil has a weight on the order of 1/4-2 ounces per square foot of surface area.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The circuit board of claim 19 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (111) orientation onto a backing, and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (111) orientation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of etching copper having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of etching copper having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (111) and (200) orientations and relatively little (220) orientation with an aqueous solution of nitric acid, a polymer and a surfactant.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the copper has at least 70% (111) and (200) orientations and less than 20% (220) orientation.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the aqueous solution contains nitric acid, the polymer, copper nitrate or sulfuric acid, and surfactant.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the copper is formed by depositing a film of copper of predominantly (111) orientation onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the film to grow a foil of predominantly (111) orientation.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
62 words
In a process for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to a liquid etchant containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
62 words
In a process for manufacturing a circuit board, the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to a liquid etchant containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
In a circuit board: a substrate, and a copper foil on one side of the substrate having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations, portions of the copper foil having been removed from the board by etching with an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and a polymer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
53 words
In a circuit board: a substrate, and a copper foil on one side of the substrate having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations, portions of the copper foil having been removed from the board by etching with an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and a polymer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit board of claim 30 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
59 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to a liquid etchant containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
59 words
A circuit board manufactured by the steps of: bonding a copper foil having a top surface crystal structure with predominantly (311) and (511) orientations to a substrate, and exposing a portion of the copper foil to a liquid etchant containing hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, a polymer and a surfactant to remove that portion of the foil from the substrate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit board of claim 32 wherein the copper foil is formed by depositing a thin film of copper of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations onto a backing and electrodepositing additional copper onto the thin film to grow a foil of predominantly (311) and (511) orientations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4543153A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-09-21 | 1991-03-23 | 1991-09-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-09-21 | 1995-03-23 | 1995-09-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-09-21 | 1999-03-23 | 1999-09-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |