The Silicon Review ^Asia

The chemical industry is one of the largest and most important ones in the world. It provides a source of chemicals that support industries which are crucial for a nation’s economy. Electronics, mining, ore processing, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy are all just some of the industries that are dependent on chemicals for their operations.

Atotech is one of the world’s leading chemical companies with a focus on specialty chemicals and surface finishing solutions.

Being a leading surface-finishing solutions provider, Atotech has enormous experience delivering chemistry, equipment, and service to support diverse end-markets such as mobile devices, computers and other consumer electronics, the global automotive industries, and many others. The company continuously invests in R&D that enables it to deliver the most innovative and sustainable products. Atotech’s relentless R&D efforts, combined with its global TechCenter presence, allow it to offer pioneering products and unparalleled on-site customer support – making Atotech a valuable partner for the many industries it serves.

Regardless of the market or manufacturing sector, chances are good that the finished product contains an Atotech product. Although the company does not have a vast global presence, its products and solutions can be found in a wide variety of crucial end markets. This includes surface finishing and electronics for the automotive industry, communication applications for smartphones, next-generation connectivity and cloud computing, big data processing infrastructure, medical equipment, household appliances and much more. Atotech’s comprehensive systems-and-solutions approach combining chemistry, equipment, and service makes it all possible and helps the company provide customers with a vast selection of innovative chemistry and world-class equipment across a wide variety of applications and end markets.

Here Are Some of Atotech’sProducts

Electronics

Atotech develops produces and sells plating chemicals and equipment for manufacturing printed circuit boards, package substrates, semiconductors, lead frames and connectors and is recognized as the leading innovator within the electronics plating industry.

The trends towards better connectivity, greater device functionality, performance, and miniaturization, are leading to higher complexity in Atotech’s customers’ products, which require advanced technology solutions more than ever before.

Electrolytic plating

• High volume conformal plating production in Uniplate^® InPulse 2 equipment: Inpulse^® 2HFU is masking drilling defects and provides reliable coverage of wedge voids thanks to its superior throwing power in BMVs. The process is the ideal solution for reliable mSAP flash plating. Inpulse^®2HT assures best plating uniformity in through holes with significantly improved surface plated copper distribution, comparing high and low hole density areas.
• The latest version of Atotech’sCupracid^® TP series: Cupracid^® TP3. This is an electrolytic copper plating process for conventional hoist type DC equipment using soluble anodes. It provides outstanding throwing power at high current densities and low surface tension for the comprehensive wetting of BMVs and through holes. Cupracid^® TP3 offers excellent reliability results. It is a very robust process with stable plating performance after idle time.
• Cupracid^® AC is for conformal copper plating with soluble anodes. It provides excellent throwing power in both BMVs and Through Holes at high current densities. Cupracid^® AC is compatible with a wide range of vertical conveyorized systems with sparger electrolyte agitation as well as hoist type equipment with air agitation.

Final Finishing

• Aurotech^® Plus: An Atotech optimized ENIG process that is designed specifically with high-end HDI manufacturing in mind. Dramatically reduced in nickel corrosion, minimized extraneous nickel plating and outstanding soldermask mask and base material compatibility, are all primary benefits. Whilst technically assured; Aurotech^® Plus offers cost saving through extended lifetimes, excellent distribution and process control.
• Aurotech^® HP: An ENIG process developed especially for the high corrosion resistance requirements of mobile handset manufacturers. Its nickel layer with high phosphorous content provides significantly better protection versus an aggressive environment than conventional nickel layers with mid or low P-content. The process is qualified and in mass production for the world’s leading cellular phone fabricators.
• AuNic^®: A drop-in process for existing standard ENIG lines. It consists of five main steps: cleaning, micro-etch, activation, electroless nickel, and immersion Gold. The most distinguishable feature of AuNic^® is the introduction of the additive AuNic^® EN C, which is added for bath make-up and after idle times instead of performing dummy plating.

Desmear and Metallization

• Atotech’s advanced desmear process series Securiganth^® MV enables outstanding cleaning and roughening performance, and provides the industry standard desmear process for bare laminates utilized in high-end IC Substrates based on Semi-Additive Process (SAP) technologies.
• Securiganth^® E is perfectly suited for horizontal and vertical desmear for HDI, MLB and Flex-Rigid production and positions Atotech as the leading supplier of horizontal desmear-systems (chemistry and equipment) for state of the art HDI production.
• Oxamat: Atotech’s production-proven regeneration system Oxamat significantly reduces the sludge of manganate dioxide (MnO2) that is formed during the desmear process. The Oxamat system regenerates manganate to permanganate, thereby preventing the accumulation of sludge and related additional chemical dosing. Additionally, the Oxamat cuts maintenance time in half as less extensive cleaning cycles and make-ups are needed.

About the CEO of Atotech, Geoff Wild

Geoff Wild has headed Atotech’s worldwide operations as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since 2017. He is a seasoned global chemicals industry executive with extensive experience in specialty chemicals and materials for the semiconductor and high technology industries, including PCBs, flat-panel displays, and electronic components. He also draws from his global experience with high-performance teams involved in lithography, semiconductor equipment, strategic marketing, growth management, product development, and mergers & acquisitions.

“Our goal is simple: to make a positive difference in all the lives that we touch.”