This thesis deals with different methods to improve the adhesion between sputtered aluminium and positive photoresist. Factors controlling the adhesion and different ways to measure the adhesion have been investigated. Different surface treatments prior to resist disposition have been investigated as well. The investigated surface treatments and adhesion measurements are compatible with the available equipment and the existing process cycle at Strand Interconnect AB. All tests were made in class 1000 clean room. All tests in this thesis were performed with MICROPOSIT S1818 SP16, which is a commercial and commonly used positive resist manufactured by Shipley. To provide sufficient adhesion on the aluminium surface some kind of surface treatment must be used. Today a wet chemical treatment is used at Strand Interconnect. In this report methods to modify the surface properties and to measure the adhesion have been investigated. The three methods to modify the aluminium surface were oxygen plasma, wet chemicals and primers and were used in this thesis. The RF power and time duration of the oxygen plasma were varied, while the temperature, gas flow and pressure were fixed. The adhesion was determined indirectly from measuring contact angles of 50 µl DI water droplets on sputtered aluminium in the wettability test as well as directly from the undercut caused by the etch fluid at the interface between the photoresist and the aluminium surface. An oxygen plasma with 200 W power for 30 s resulted in the lowest measured contact angle, which means that the resist adheres well on the surface. The angle was 2.99 degrees compared to 6.34 degrees for the wet chemical treatment used today. The same treatment also resulted in the lowest undercut, which correlates well with the result from the contact angle measurements. The measured undercut for a 25µm wide conductor was 1.41 µm, corresponding to an undercutting constant (ku) of 1410. The wet chemical surface treatment used today resulted in an undercut of 1.60 µm, equivalent to a ku of 1233. Similar results were obtained for a 15 µm wide conductor.

<p>This thesis deals with different methods to improve the adhesion between sputtered aluminium and positive photoresist. Factors controlling the adhesion and different ways to measure the adhesion have been investigated. Different surface treatments prior to resist disposition have been investigated as well. The investigated surface treatments and adhesion measurements are compatible with the available equipment and the existing process cycle at Strand Interconnect AB. All tests were made in class 1000 clean room. All tests in this thesis were performed with MICROPOSIT S1818 SP16, which is a commercial and commonly used positive resist manufactured by Shipley. </p><p>To provide sufficient adhesion on the aluminium surface some kind of surface treatment must be used. Today a wet chemical treatment is used at Strand Interconnect. In this report methods to modify the surface properties and to measure the adhesion have been investigated. The three methods to modify the aluminium surface were oxygen plasma, wet chemicals and primers and were used in this thesis. The RF power and time duration of the oxygen plasma were varied, while the temperature, gas flow and pressure were fixed. The adhesion was determined indirectly from measuring contact angles of 50 µl DI water droplets on sputtered aluminium in the wettability test as well as directly from the undercut caused by the etch fluid at the interface between the photoresist and the aluminium surface. </p><p>An oxygen plasma with 200 W power for 30 s resulted in the lowest measured contact angle, which means that the resist adheres well on the surface. The angle was 2.99 degrees compared to 6.34 degrees for the wet chemical treatment used today. The same treatment also resulted in the lowest undercut, which correlates well with the result from the contact angle measurements. The measured undercut for a 25µm wide conductor was 1.41 µm, corresponding to an undercutting constant (k_u) of 1410. The wet chemical surface treatment used today resulted in an undercut of 1.60 µm, equivalent to a ku of 1233. Similar results were obtained for a 15 µm wide conductor.</p>

The thesis is focused on the theoretical description of the technology of anodizing of aluminium, magnesium, zinc and their alloys. In this work, methods for formation of oxide layers and the used chemical processes are described in detail. The experimental part of this work deals with formation of oxide layers on aluminium, magnesium and zinc of high purity under different conditions. Oxide layers of different thicknesses were created on all three experimental materials. Aluminium was anodized in a bath of 10% H2SO4, magnesium in the bath of 1 mol/dm3 NaOH, and zinc in the bath of 0.5 mol/dm3 NaOH. Processes were carried out at laboratory temperature. On the aluminium, continuous oxide layer was formed. Furthermore rule "312" was verified, that can indicatively be used for calculating the thickness of the resulting oxide layer on the aluminium. When using lower current of 0.08 and 0.2 A for magnesium anodizing, dark colored layer was created comparing to higher current of 0.5 A. More rough appearance of the oxide layer was produced with increasing voltage. Further, it was observed for magnesium that the resulting layer comprises of two sublayers. For zinc, black colored layer was created when the voltage 20 V and current from 0.4 to 0.5 A were used. In the layer, two sublayers were also observed. For lower voltage and current (0.05 A, 0.17 V), formation of the oxide layer on the zinc does not occur, but the crystallographic etching was observed.

The present work related to apply hot-melt ink-jet process for imaging at offset lithographic printing form, to utilise a reusable surface for many times and particularly related to validating thermal and ultrasonic erasing processes. This dissertation investigated systematically the role of certain factors towards affecting erasing image area process on print surfaces. Thermal erasing process approved to melt and suck the image area from the surface, the results were adopted by using contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscope. Ultrasonic erasing process permitted to solve the image area by choosing erasing chemistries, influence of selected erasing chemistries on printing surface, and evaluation the process, the results were tested by UV/Vis spectrometer, contact angle, profileometery and visual microscope. / Der Fortschritt im Bereich von Charakterisierung und Verständnis für Hot-melt Ink Jet Prozesse zur Bebilderung von Offsetdruckform-Zylindern ist ein Ergebnis dieser Forschung. Die Systematik dieser Arbeit basiert auf einem theoretischen Teil, um einen geeigneten Löschprozess auszuwählen. Der Löschprozess hängt von den Eigenschaften des Hot-melt Ink Jet Materials und der genutzten Aluminiumdruckoberfläche ab. Diese werden systematisch im Labormaßstab experimentell untersucht. Der thermische Prozess wurde einerseits durch Benetzbarkeitsprüfungen und anderseites durch Rasterelektronmikroskopaufnahmen bewertet.Der Ultraschallprozess ist ein nasser Löschprozess. Die Untersuchungen wurden in vier Stufen systematisch durchgeführt - Auswahl vom geeigneten Lösungsmitteln - Einflüsse von ausgewählten Lösungsmitteln auf nicht beschichtete und beschichtete Aluminium platten - Evaluation eines Ultraschalllöschprozesses - Validation eines Löschprozesses; zur Bewertung des Löschprozesses wurden mehrere Druckplattenproben bebildert und gelöscht Die Ergebnisse wurden durch UV/Vis Spektrometer, Kontaktwinkel, Profiliometrie und Visuelle Mikroskopie getestet.

The present work related to apply hot-melt ink-jet process for imaging at offset lithographic printing form, to utilise a reusable surface for many times and particularly related to validating thermal and ultrasonic erasing processes. This dissertation investigated systematically the role of certain factors towards affecting erasing image area process on print surfaces. Thermal erasing process approved to melt and suck the image area from the surface, the results were adopted by using contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscope. Ultrasonic erasing process permitted to solve the image area by choosing erasing chemistries, influence of selected erasing chemistries on printing surface, and evaluation the process, the results were tested by UV/Vis spectrometer, contact angle, profileometery and visual microscope. / Der Fortschritt im Bereich von Charakterisierung und Verständnis für Hot-melt Ink Jet Prozesse zur Bebilderung von Offsetdruckform-Zylindern ist ein Ergebnis dieser Forschung. Die Systematik dieser Arbeit basiert auf einem theoretischen Teil, um einen geeigneten Löschprozess auszuwählen. Der Löschprozess hängt von den Eigenschaften des Hot-melt Ink Jet Materials und der genutzten Aluminiumdruckoberfläche ab. Diese werden systematisch im Labormaßstab experimentell untersucht. Der thermische Prozess wurde einerseits durch Benetzbarkeitsprüfungen und anderseites durch Rasterelektronmikroskopaufnahmen bewertet.Der Ultraschallprozess ist ein nasser Löschprozess. Die Untersuchungen wurden in vier Stufen systematisch durchgeführt - Auswahl vom geeigneten Lösungsmitteln - Einflüsse von ausgewählten Lösungsmitteln auf nicht beschichtete und beschichtete Aluminium platten - Evaluation eines Ultraschalllöschprozesses - Validation eines Löschprozesses; zur Bewertung des Löschprozesses wurden mehrere Druckplattenproben bebildert und gelöscht Die Ergebnisse wurden durch UV/Vis Spektrometer, Kontaktwinkel, Profiliometrie und Visuelle Mikroskopie getestet.