Patent ID: 6200453
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: C25D,C30B

Abstract:
A method for electroplating an annealed single crystal metal layer on to a polycrystalline base metal from a molten salts electrolyte comprising the steps ofa. increasing the temperature of the molten salts electrolyte which contains a metal of the single crystal metal, to about 70% of the melting point of the single crystal metal on the absolute temperature scale,b. electroplating the base metal at a current density of 1 to 14 mA/cm.sup.2 until a film of 1 to 4 micrometers thickness of said single crystal metal is deposited.c. examining said base metal and metal deposits thereon under a microscope at magnifications of 7,500 to 10,000 times to determine if individual metal crystals of said metal have crystalline faces and angles or are smooth metal particles.d. increasing the temperature of said molten salts electrolyte further by 3.5% of the melting point of said single crystal metal on the absolute temperature scale if said metal deposits have crystalline faces and repeating steps (b) through (c) until said individual metal crystals are smooth particles, ande. increasing the temperature of said molten salts electrolyte further by 5% of the melting point of said single crystal metal on the absolute temperature scale and electroplating said single crystal metal at a current density of 2 to 28 mA/cm.sup.2 until deposits of said metal form a single crystal layer on said base metal,where, an annealed single crystal metal layer is formed on said polycrystalline base metal.