Electrochemical Study on Leveling Additive in PdCo Alloy Electroplating for EDS MEMS Probe Application

In the Electrical Die Sorting (EDS) process, probe tips subjected to numerous repetitions of loading must possess excellent durability and electrical conductivity. While Pd-Co exhibits superior mechanical properties, it has high electrical resistance, whereas Cu boasts excellent electrical properties but lacks in mechanical strength. Developing a new alloy that simultaneously possesses the desired mechanical and electrical properties requires significant time and effort. However, in the case of the Pd-Co/Cu layered structure, superior mechanical and electrical performance for probe tips can be achieved by depositing dissimilar metals in layers. In implementing such a layered structure, the role of additives added to the plating solution is analyzed through electrochemical methods to propose the mechanism. (1, 2)