Selective high-rate plating of noble metals in reel-to-reel plants - Part 4

One option for modifying the properties of a deposit is to use pulse plating. This can result, for example, in increased hardness and./or wear-resistance of deposits, thereby improving the robustness of electronic contacts. A central feature of modern reel-to-reel plating plants is their use to selectively plate metal layers on a substrate. This involves processes whereby the electrolyte is applied only to a part of the surface to be coated, such as selective immersion or a partial masking of that part of the substrate that is not needed to be plated. Masks and masking are found in a wide variety of processes, mainly to minimise the use of expensive precious metals but also to optimise the functioning of the component.