US 12,473,650 B1
Electroless plating systems and methods
Brian R. Nelson, St. Charles, MO (US); and Vance N. Petitt, St. Louis, MO (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/762,931.
Int. Cl. C23C 18/16 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 18/1628 (2013.01) [C23C 18/1676 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electroless plating system comprising:
a vessel defining an internal volume;
an electroless plating solution received in the internal volume of the vessel such that the electroless plating solution defines a bath surface, an upper bath region comprising the bath surface, a lower bath region, and a middle bath region between the upper bath region and the lower bath region, the electroless plating solution comprising a solvent, a metal salt, and a reducing agent;
a recirculation subsystem comprising a pump and a recirculation conduit network at least partially immersed in the electroless plating solution, the recirculation conduit network comprising a recirculation inlet portion in fluid communication with a recirculation outlet portion, wherein the recirculation inlet portion is disposed within at least one of the upper bath region and the middle bath region, wherein the recirculation outlet portion is disposed within at least one of the middle bath region and the lower bath region, and wherein the pump is positioned to move the electroless plating solution from the recirculation inlet portion to the recirculation outlet portion; and
a replenishment subsystem comprising a replenishment conduit network, a bulk supply of the metal salt, a bulk supply of the reducing agent, and a bulk supply of an inert gas, the replenishment conduit network comprising a replenishment inlet portion in fluid communication with a replenishment outlet portion, the replenishment outlet portion being disposed within at least one of the middle bath region and the lower bath region, the replenishment conduit network further comprising an initial replenishment conduit segment that defines the replenishment inlet portion, the initial replenishment conduit segment being disposed at a non-zero angle relative to a plane that is coincident with the bath surface of the electroless plating solution, wherein the bulk supply of the metal salt, the bulk supply of the reducing agent, and the bulk supply of the inert gas are in selective fluid communication with the replenishment inlet portion of the replenishment conduit network.