Nickel plating solution

Abstract

The present invention relates to a boric-acid free nickel plating composition which does not include organic carboxylic acid but has high bath-pH-stability. The nickel plating composition provides a nickel plating film suitable for the use of electronic components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nickel electroplating composition comprising 0.8 to 2.8 mol/L of nickel ions, 0.06 to 1.5 mol/L of halogen ions and 1.6 to 5.1 mol/L of sulfamate ions; the total amount as mol/L of sulfamate ions and halogen ions is greater than twice the total amount in mol/L of nickel ions; the nickel electroplating composition having a pH value of 3 to 5; wherein the nickel electroplating composition is substantially free of boric acid and organic carboxylic acids. 
     
     
         2 . A nickel electroplating composition consisting of one or more sources of nickel ions, one or more sources of halogen ions, one or more sources of sulfamate ions selected from the group consisting of sulfamic acid, sodium sulfamate, potassium sulfamate and ammonium sulfamate, water and one or more optional compounds selected from the group consisting of surfactants, pH adjustors, wetting agents and grain refiners; the nickel electroplating composition having a pH value of 3 to 5; wherein the nickel electroplating composition is substantially free of boric acid and organic carboxylic acids. 
     
     
         3 . The nickel electroplating composition of  claim 2 , wherein the source of nickel ions is nickel sulfamate. 
     
     
         4 . The nickel electroplating composition of  claim 3  wherein the nickel sulfamate is present in an amount of 100 g/L to 650 g/L. 
     
     
         5 . The nickel electroplating composition of  claim 2  wherein the nickel halide is present in an amount of 2 g/L to 100 g/L. 
     
     
         6 . The nickel electroplating composition of  claim 5  the nickel halide is nickel chloride. 
     
     
         7 . The nickel electroplating composition of  claim 2  wherein the one or more sources of sulfamate ions are present in an amount of 5 g/L to 130 g/L. 
     
     
         8 . A method of electroplating a nickel layer on a semiconductor wafer comprising:
 providing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of conductive bonding features;   contacting the semiconductor wafer with the nickel electroplating composition of  claim 1 ;   and applying sufficient current density to deposit a nickel layer on the conductive bonding features.   
     
     
         9 . A method of electroplating a nickel layer on a semiconductor wafer comprising:
 providing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of conductive bonding features;   contacting the semiconductor wafer with the nickel electroplating composition of  claim 2 ;   and applying sufficient current density to deposit a nickel layer on the conductive bonding features.