Etched nickel plated substrate and related methods
An etched nickel plated substrate and related methods is disclosed. Specific implementations may include providing a dielectric layer, coupling a layer of copper with a first side of the dielectric layer, plating a first side of the layer of copper with a layer of nickel; forming a patterned layer on the layer of nickel, and spray etching the layer of nickel using an etchant. The method may include holding the etchant on the dielectric layer for a predetermined period of time, and while holding the etchant, etching substantially only the layer of nickel until the layer of nickel may be substantially coextensive with a perimeter of each of a plurality of traces in the layer of copper.
1. A method of etching nickel on a substrate, comprising:
providing a dielectric layer;
coupling a layer of copper with a first side of the dielectric layer;
plating a first side of the layer of copper with a layer of nickel;
forming a patterned layer on the layer of nickel;
spray etching the layer of nickel using an etchant;
holding the etchant on the dielectric layer for a predetermined period of time; and
while holding the etchant, etching substantially only the layer of nickel until the layer of nickel is substantially coextensive with a perimeter of each of a plurality of traces in the layer of copper.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the etchant comprises ferric chloride.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is within a range of 60 seconds to 90 seconds.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of nickel comprises electroless nickel.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patterned layer is formed by screen printing, stenciling, or photolithographic processing.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein holding the etchant further comprises holding the etchant at a temperature within a range of 43 degrees Celsius to 47 degrees Celsius.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein spray etching the layer of nickel further comprises spraying the etchant at a pressure within a range of 220 kilopascals to 280 kilopascals.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of nickel has a thickness within a range of 1 micrometer to 7 micrometers, and the layer of copper has a thickness within a range of 70 micrometers to 1,000 micrometers.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the patterned layer.
10. A method of etching nickel on a substrate, comprising:
providing a dielectric layer;
coupling a layer of copper with a first side of the dielectric layer;
plating a first side of the layer of copper with a layer of nickel;
forming a patterned layer on the layer of nickel;
spray etching the layer of nickel using an etchant;
holding the etchant on the dielectric layer for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time within a range of 60 seconds to 90 seconds; and
while holding the etchant, etching substantially only the layer of nickel until the layer of nickel is substantially coextensive with a perimeter of each of a plurality of traces in the layer of copper.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the etchant comprises ferric chloride.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the patterned layer is formed by screen printing, stenciling, or photolithographic processing.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein holding the etchant further comprises holding the etchant at a temperature within a range of 43 degrees Celsius to 47 degrees Celsius.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein spray etching the layer of nickel further comprises spraying the etchant at a pressure within a range of 220 kilopascals to 280 kilopascals.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the layer of nickel has a thickness within a range of 1 micrometer to 7 micrometers, and the layer of copper has a thickness within a range of 70 micrometers to 1,000 micrometers.