METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVELY CHARACTERIZING THE STABILITY OF ELECTROLESS PLATING BATHS.

For quantitatively characterizing the stability of a plating bath, the bath is mixed in time-controlled titration with defined quantities of its specific reducing agent or with a solution of metal salt until the respective metal is deposited. The quantities of reducing agent or metal salt solutions used for that purpose are a measure of the stability of the bath to be characterized. The method is used to determine the stability of an additive bath employed during the manufacture of boards for depositing copper as a function of the added sodium cyanide, the wetting agent (GAFAC) and the introduced air.