Method of electroless plating on a glass substrate and method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium using the method of electroless plating

1. A method of electroless plating of a plated layer onto a glass substrate having hydroxyl groups on its surface, the method comprising the steps of, in the order recited:

forming an adhesion layer on a surface of the glass substrate using a solution containing a silane coupling agent comprised of silanol groups;

forming a catalyst layer on the adhesion layer;

performing a catalyst activation treatment on the adhesion layer; and

strengthening adhesion of the adhesion layer by performing a drying treatment under conditions effective to cause the silane coupling agent in the adhesion layer to undergo dehydration condensation so that the silanol groups of the silane coupling agent chemically bond with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the glass substrate; and

performing an electroless plating.

2. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst layer is comprised of a catalyst which is palladium.

3. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 2 , wherein the catalyst activation treatment treats the adhesion layer with hypophosphorous acid.

4. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of acid cleaning between the step of the catalyst activation treatment and the drying treatment.

5. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 1 , wherein between the step of performing a catalyst activation treatment and the step of performing a drying treatment, the method further comprises the steps of performing an intermediate drying of the adhesion layer; and acid cleaning the adhesion layer with an acid.

6. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 5 , wherein the steps prior to the step of electroless plating are repeated sequentially plural times.

7. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 4 , wherein the steps prior to the step of electroless plating are repeated sequentially plural times.

8. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 5 , wherein the acid cleaning treatment is conducted using an acid solution having a pH of 2 or more and containing at least hydrofluoric acid.

9. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 4 , wherein the acid cleaning treatment is conducted using an acid solution having a pH of 2 or more and containing at least hydrofluoric acid.

10. The method of electroless plating on a glass substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the step of performing a drying treatment is a heated drying treatment conducted at a temperature ranging from of at least 60° C. to lower than 200° C.

11. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a glass substrate having hydroxyl groups on a surface thereof;

b. electroless plating a plated layer onto the surface of the glass substrate by a method comprised of the steps of, in the order recited:

forming an adhesion layer on a surface of the glass substrate using a solution containing a silane coupling agent;

forming a catalyst layer on the adhesion layer;

performing a catalyst activation treatment on the adhesion layer; and

strengthening adhesion of the adhesion layer by performing a drying treatment under conditions effective to cause the silane coupling agent in the adhesion layer to undergo dehydration condensation so that the silanol groups of the silane coupling agent chemically bond with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the glass substrate; and

performing an electroless plating to provide a plated layer; and

c. forming at least a magnetic recording layer on the plated layer formed by electroless plating.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the catalyst layer is comprised of a catalyst which is palladium.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the catalyst activation treatment treats the adhesion layer with hypophosphorous acid.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of acid cleaning between the step of the catalyst activation treatment and the drying treatment.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein, between the step of performing a catalyst activation treatment and the step of performing a drying treatment, the method further comprises the steps of performing an intermediate drying of the adhesion layer; and acid cleaning the adhesion layer with an acid.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the steps prior to the step of electroless plating are repeated sequentially plural times.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the steps prior to the step of electroless plating are repeated sequentially plural times.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the acid cleaning treatment is conducted using an acid solution having a pH of 2 or more and containing at least hydrofluoric acid.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the acid cleaning treatment is conducted using an acid solution having a pH of 2 or more and containing at least hydrofluoric acid.

20. The method according to claim. 1 , wherein the step of performing a drying treatment is a heated drying treatment conducted at a temperature ranging from at least 60° C. to lower than 200° C.