Method of protecting aluminum nitride circuit substrates during electroless plating using a surface oxidation treatment

摘要

A process for protecting aluminum nitride circuit substrates during electroless plating using surface oxidation. The aluminum nitride substrate is coated with a metal stack. The coating on the substrate is etched to form a circuit pattern. The patterned substrate is then fired in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature and time sufficient to convert the exposed aluminum nitride to aluminum oxide. After this conversion, the substrate is plated in an electroless solution forming a microwave circuit ready for component attachment and packaging.