Aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys

1. An aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys comprising a source for Fe 3+ ions, at least one acid, at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative, and at least one etching additive selected from the group consisting of N-alkylated iminodipropionic acid, salts thereof, modified polyglycol ethers and quaternary ureylene polymers,

wherein the quaternary ureylene polymer is selected from polymers according to formulae (IX) and (X)

wherein n is an integer ranging from 1 to 40, and wherein monomer A is derived from a diamino compound represented by compounds according to formulae (XI) to (XIII):

wherein R 21 , R 22 , R 25 , and R 26 are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon residue with 1 to 10 carbon atoms and

R 23 , R 24 and R 27 are independently selected from (CH 2 ) p , wherein p stands for an integer of 2 to 12, or for a —[CH 2 CH 2 O] m —CH 2 CH 2 — group, wherein m is between 1 and 40,

wherein monomer L is selected from the group consisting of

—(CH 2 ) p —, wherein p is an integer between 1 and 12,

—CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —, —[CH 2 O] q —CH 2 CH 2 — and —[CH 2 CH 2 O] q —CH 2 CH 2 —, wherein q is an integer between 1 and 40, and

wherein the at least one etching additive is a quaternary ureylene polymer according to formula (IX) wherein A is selected from a monomer according to formula (XI) wherein R 21 , R 22 , R 25 and R 26 are methyl and R 23 and R 24 are —(CH 2 ) 3 —, and L is a —(CH 2 ) 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 — residue.

2. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the N-alkylated iminodipropionic acid or salts thereof is selected from compounds according to formula (I)

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Li + , Na + , K + and NH 4 + , and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted C 1 to C 12 alkyl, branched and unbranched, and unsubstituted cyclic C 5 to C 8 alkyl.

3. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 2 wherein R 3 in formula (I) is selected from C 3 - to C 8 -alkyl, branched and unbranched.

4. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 3 wherein R 3 in formula (I) is selected from the group consisting of propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, branched propyl, branched butyl, branched pentyl and branched hexyl.

5. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 2 wherein R 3 in formula (I) is selected from the group consisting of propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, branched propyl, branched butyl, branched pentyl and branched hexyl.

6. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 2 wherein the at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative is selected from 5-amino-1H-tetrazole, 5-phenyl-1H-tetrazole, 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-thiol, 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl]-1H-tetrazole-5-thiol, 1-H-benzotriazole, 1H-tolyltriazole and 5-carboxy-1H-benzotriazole.

7. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 2 wherein R 1 is H, R 2 is Na+ and R 3 is 2-ethyl-hexyl.

8. The aqueous composition for etching copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the modified polyglycol ether is selected from the group consisting of compounds according to formula (II):

wherein R 11 and R 17 can be equal or different and are selected independently from the group consisting of H or a suitable counter ion, C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched, C 1 -C 6 -alkaryl, linear or branched, allyl, aryl, sulfate, phosphate, halide and sulfonate and wherein each of the multiple R 12 , R 13 , R 15 and R 16 groups may be the same or different and are selected independently from the group consisting of H or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted and wherein R 14 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 12 -alkylene, linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, aryl 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4-substituted, naphthyl, 1,3-, 1,4- 1,5- 1,6- or 1,8-substituted, higher annulated aryl, cylcloalkyl and —O—(CH 2 (CH 2 ) n OR 11 , wherein R 11 has the meaning defined above or R 14 is selected from the group represented by formula (III)

wherein the substitution independently is 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4- for each ring and wherein q and r are equal or different and 0 to 10 and R 18 and R 19 are selected independently from the group consisting of H or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, linear or branched and wherein m, n, o and p are integral numbers ranging from 0 to 200 and can be equal or different and m+n+o+p is at least 2.

9. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 8 wherein the at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative is selected from 5-amino-1H-tetrazole, 5-phenyl-1H-tetrazole, 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-thiol, 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl]-1H-terazole-5-thiol, 1-H-benzotriazole, 1H-tolyltriazole and 5-carboxy-1H-benzotriazole.

10. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of the at least one etching additive ranges from 0.1 to 1.0 g/l.

11. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative is selected from 5-amino-1H-tetrazole, 5-phenyl-1H-tetrazole, 1-phenyl-1H-tetrazol-5-thiol, 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl]-1H-tetrazole-5-thiol, 1-H-benzotriazole, 1H-tolyltriazole and 5-carboxy-1H-benzotriazole.

12. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of the at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative ranges from 1 to 100 mg/l.

13. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the source for Fe 3+ ions is Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 .

14. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of Fe 3+ ions ranges from 1 to 100 g/l.

15. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the at least one acid is selected from sulfuric acid and methanesulfonic acid.

16. The aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of the at least one acid ranges from 10 to 400 g/l.

17. A process for etching copper or copper alloys comprising, in this order, the steps of

a. providing a substrate having a copper or copper alloy surface,

b. contacting said substrate with the aqueous composition according to claim 1 in a first tank,

wherein during contacting copper is oxidized to Cu 2+ ions and the Cu 2+ ions are dissolved in said aqueous composition,

c. transferring a portion of said aqueous composition after contacting with the substrate to a second tank wherein said second tank comprises an anode and a cathode and

d. reducing said Cu 2+ ions to copper by applying a current between said anode and said cathode.

18. An aqueous composition for etching of copper and copper alloys comprising a source for Fe 3+ ions, at least one acid, at least one triazole or tetrazole derivative, and at least one etching additive selected from the group consisting of N-alkylated iminodipropionic acid, salts thereof, modified polyglycol ethers and quaternary ureylene polymers, wherein the at least one etching additive is a modified polyglycol ether having general formula (VII):

wherein n=1-20.

19. A process for etching copper or copper alloys comprising, in this order, the steps of

a. providing a substrate having a copper or copper alloy surface,

b. contacting said substrate with the aqueous composition according to claim 18 in a first tank,

wherein during contacting copper is oxidized to Cu 2+ ions and the Cu 2+ ions are dissolved in said aqueous composition,

c. transferring a portion of said aqueous composition after contacting with the substrate to a second tank wherein said second tank comprises an anode and a cathode and

d. reducing said Cu 2+ ions to copper by applying a current between said anode and said cathode.