Atotech Unveils New Through-Hole Fill System

The Uniplate Cu InPulse 2 Advanced is suitable for all copper plating applications, and displays a very high flexibility, such as with BMV filling or super filling. It features the combination of two technologies: bridge plating – the accelerated plating in the holes’ centre forming two blind microvias on top and bottom – and super filling – the simultaneous copper plating and etching with Fe (III) on both microvias, leading to an inclusion-free TH-filling.

“Atotech has found the answer to the increasing needs of the PCB industry,” said David Lichtenauer, sales manager at Atotech Deutschland GmbH, in Feucht, Germany. “The Uniplate Cu InPulse 2 Advanced. This Uniplate System meets and exceeds the increasing quality demands and performance requirements of through-hole filling (THF) processes, such as higher aspect ratios, higher hole densities and laser drilled holes.”

Henning Huebner, global product manager panel/pattern plating at Atotech Deutschland GmbH in Berlin, said, “This new equipment can completely fill through holes, such as those laser drilled in panels up to 200 µm thick with a surface diameter of 100 µm. It is the only horizontal production system worldwide which can provide a consistent inclusion free copper filling.”

From an equipment point of view, the key enablers of the THF technology are the expanded functionality of the rectification system and the further optimization of the plater electrolyte delivery system. Additionally, several design changes are featured, such as the monitoring of flow rates via pressure control and optimized segmented anodes for specified panel formats.

The panel and pattern plating perspective sees several highlights, such as the control of the electrolyte flow by individual pressure measurements at each anode, allowing for a filtration down to 4.5 µm. Uniplate Cu InPulse 2 Advanced assures a uniform filling with constant surface distribution and no inclusions.

After successful qualification runs, Uniplate Cu InPulse 2 Advanced has been introduced to markets worldwide. Customers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan are already heavily investing in this new technology.