Gold-Nickel Laminate Coating for Pinhole Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor production devices face corrosion issues due to reactive and corrosive gases, which lead to the formation of corrosive products and pinholes in plating surfaces, limiting the corrosion resistance of metallic constituents.
Innovation Solution
A laminate comprising a metallic base material with a nickel-containing plating film layer and a gold plating film layer, sealed with a fluorinated passive film of 8 nm or greater, is used, along with a method involving nickel strike treatment, electroless nickel-phosphorus alloy plating, and a fluorination treatment in a specific atmosphere to enhance corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating is applied to increase corrosion resistance, then corrosion resistance is improved, but pinholes remain in the plating surface allowing corrosion to proceed
Solution Approach 1:
A nickel strike layer is applied before the main nickel-phosphorus alloy plating to prepare the surface and prevent pinhole formation. This preliminary plating action ensures better adhesion and reduces surface defects in subsequent plating layers.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluorinated passive film is formed on the nickel-phosphorus alloy plating surface to seal pinholes and provide an intermediate protective barrier between the plating and corrosive environment. This fluorinated film acts as a mediator that blocks corrosion pathways through pinholes.
2Reliability
If electroless nickel-phosphorus alloy plating is used to form a thick fluorinated passive film, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the method is limited to specific base materials
Solution Approach 1:
The plating process is segmented into multiple stages: nickel strike layer, then nickel-phosphorus alloy plating with controlled phosphorus content. This segmentation allows optimization for different base materials while maintaining corrosion resistance through the fluorinated passive film formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The phosphorus content in the nickel-phosphorus alloy plating is precisely controlled within 8-12% by mass to optimize both adhesion to different base materials and the ability to form a thick fluorinated passive film. This parameter control enables versatility across different metallic base materials.
3Reliability
If multiple plating layers are applied to seal pinholes, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The nickel strike layer and nickel-phosphorus alloy plating are combined in a sequential electroless plating process, both forming in one bath solution. This merging of steps simplifies manufacturing compared to multiple separate plating operations, while still achieving pinhole sealing through the fluorinated passive film.
Solution Approach 2:
The electroless plating process is self-service in that it automatically deposits metal layers without external power supply, using chemical reduction reactions. The process self-regulates the plating thickness and uniformity, reducing process complexity while ensuring consistent corrosion protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The laminate exhibits excellent corrosion resistance, particularly against acids, effectively sealing pinholes and preventing corrosion, thus improving the durability of semiconductor production device components.
Implementation Method 1
pinholes in the gold plating film layer are sealed with a fluorinated passive film
Implementation Method 2
a thick fluorinated passive film of nickel is formed at a low temperature by utilizing the standard enthalpy of formation of WF6 formed by a fluorination reaction
Implementation Method 3
a metallic base material is plated with a nickel-phosphorus alloy
Implementation Method 4
hydrogen gas generated by a plating reaction forms bubbles during the formation of a plating film to inhibit film formation
Implementation Method 5
when the above corrosive gas reacts with the moisture contained in an atmosphere and is hydrolyzed, products such as hydrogen fluoride, oxalic acid, and hydrogen chloride are generated
Data Source
AI summary
A laminate including a metallic base material, a nickel-containing plating film layer formed on the metallic base material, and a gold plating film layer formed on the nickel-containing plating film layer, in which pinholes in the gold plating film layer are sealed with a fluorinated passive film having a thickness of 8 nm or greater. Also disclosed is a constituent member of a semiconductor production device including the laminate and a method for producing the laminate.