Fluid Mechanics and Mass Transfer of the Rotating Screw Electrode Process for Plating Through-Holes in Multilayered Printed Circuit Boards

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ABSTRACT CTS-9422770 PEARLSTEIN UNIVERSIRTY OF ILLINOIS A key problem in manufacture of multi-layered printed circuit boards is rapid and uniform deposition of copper on inner surfaces of plated "through-holes." For conventional boards (in which all interconnects are by means of through- holes) as well as boards also using surface-mount technology, the trade-off between plating speed, uniformity, and deposit ductility is such that acceptable yields are achievable only at the cost of reduced speed, requiring large capital investment and in-process inventory costs. For holes of higher aspect ratio in future boards, incremental modification of the existing process will be incapable of providing the desired uniformity at acceptable processing rates. This project consists of a fundamental study of the fluid mechanics and mass transfer of a radically new approach to plating high aspect ratio holes. The key idea is to operate rotating screw electrodes (RSEs) in through-holes of submerged boards. The RSE generates radial, azimuthal, and axial flow, leading to much more effective mass transfer into and within the hole than is possible using conventional technology. Experiment shows the thickness of the resulting copper deposit has much greater axial uniformity than is achieved using the popular oscillating board technique, which establishes time-periodic Poiseuille flow in the hole. Flow modification by an axial pressure gradient, whose magnitude will be chosen to give flow reversal, will also be considered. This will provide countercurrent mass transfer between oppositely directed portions of the flow and suppress formation of cation-depleted boundary layers in the central section of the hole. This approach will lay the foundation for industrial evaluation and development of an improved plating process for high aspect ratio through-holes currently being developed. The results will also have implications for enhancing heat and mass transfe r in other applications.