High Quality Immersion Silver PCB Manufacturer

RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY
High Quality Immersion Silver PCB Manufacturer

Introduction
Immersion silver is a chemical plating process that deposits a thin layer of
silver onto exposed copper traces and pads on printed circuit boards
(PCBs). It serves as a surface finish that protects the underlying copper
from oxidation while providing excellent solderability. This article provides
an in-depth look at immersion silver finishing for PCBs.
Immersion Silver Plating Process
Immersion silver involves chemically displace plating silver without using
external electrical current:
 PCBs immersed in heated silver-based aqueous solution
 Solution contains silver ions and reducing agents
 Silver ions displace copper atoms on surfaces
 Reduction agents supply electrons for silver deposition
This results in a thin, uniform layer of silver plating onto copper features.
PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Figure 1: The immersion silver chemical displacement reaction.
Immersion silver is a simple single solution process compared to other
plating techniques.
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Benefits of Immersion Silver
Key benefits of immersion silver finish:
 Excellent Solderability – Silver readily dissolves into solder.
 Corrosion Resistance – Silver is noble and won’t oxidize or corrode.
 Solder Leach Resistance – Prevent silver leaching into solder joints.
 Wire Bondable – Compatible with wire bonding applications.
 Lower Cost – More affordable than immersion gold.
 RoHS Compliant – Contains no lead or other hazardous substances.
 Shelf Life – 1-3 year shelf life with proper handling.
So immersion silver offers superior assembly performance combined with
improved lifecycle durability.
PCB Applications for Immersion Silver
Typical applications include:
 High density interconnects
 Fine pitch surface mount pads

 Ball grid array packages
 Connectors and sockets
 Power electronics boards
 RF/microwave PCBs
 Harsh environment electronics
Any application requiring excellent solderability.
Shelf Life Considerations
While superior to bare copper, silver does still exhibit shelf life limitations:
 Slowly oxidizes over months-years of storage
 Gradual yellowish discoloration over time
 Can impact solderability if severely tarnished
 Shelf life 1-3 years under ideal conditions
So minimizing storage time prior to soldering is advised.
Secondary Reflow Considerations
Reflowing boards with immersion silver repeatedly can cause issues:
 Silver slowly dissolves into solder with reflow cycles
 Can reduce solder joint integrity over many reflows
 Keep number of high temperature reflows to 1-2 times
 Recommended for single soldering assembly

Physical Properties
Typical characteristics of immersion silver deposits:
 Thickness – Typically 2-5 microinches
 Hardness – Up to 200 HV depending on thickness
 Color – Bright white (fresh) to yellowish tinge
 Deposit Rate – Approximately 0.2 mil/hour max
 Bond Strength – Excellent adhesion to copper
 Solder Leaching – 2-6% into solder with multiple reflows
Thickness, hardness, and bond strength make it durable for assembly and
service.
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Process Details

Immersion silver plating involves several steps:
Surface Preparation
 Alkaline soak clean
 Microetch acid dip
 Water rinse
Activation
 Predip in noble metal salt solution
 Improves silver nucleation
Silver Deposition
 Immerse boards in 130-150°F silver plating solution
 Plate for sufficient duration to achieve target thickness
Post-Treatment
 Anti-tarnish solution to stabilize silver surface
 Destressing if needed
 DI water rinses
Testing
 Thickness measurement via X-ray fluorescence
 Solderability testing if required

The process is straightforward and does not require complex solutions
like ENIG.
Solution Maintenance and Control
To ensure optimal performance:
 Solution Filtration – Remove contaminants that may deposit in
finish
 Solution Concentration – Titrate key constituents like silver ions
 pH – Monitor and maintain proper acidity
 Temperature – Control bath temperature for stability
 Aeration – Prevent depletion of reducing agents
 Contamination – Prevent introduction of impurities
Like any chemical process, discipline is required for peak results.
Design and Manufacturing Guidelines
IPC provides design and production guidelines:
 IPC-4553 – Covers specification and implementation of immersion
silver finish
 IPC-A J-820 – Assembly guidelines for boards with immersion silver
 IPC-A-610 – Inspection criteria for silver deposits

Additionally, fabricators have internal process control standards and
procedures.
Comparison to Other Final Finishes
Finish Solderability Shelf Life Cost

Immersion Silver Excellent Medium 1-3yrs Medium
Immersion Tin Excellent Long 5-10yrs Medium
OSP Fair Short <6 months Low
ENIG Fair Medium 1-2yrs High
HASL Good Long 5-10yrs Low
Table 1: Comparison of immersion silver to other common PCB finishes
Conclusion
Immersion silver is an exceptional PCB finish for assemblies requiring the
highest quality soldering performance along with good lifespan stability.
With proper control of deposition quality and secondary reflow exposure,
immersion silver offers superior wetting and leach resistance compared to
alternatives like OSP and ENIG. While avoiding the long-term tarnishing
concerns of bare copper, immersion silver provides a cost-effective
solution for most high reliability soldering applications. The combination
of excellent solderability, shelf life, reliability, and affordability make
immersion silver finishing a leading choice for quality-driven PCB
manufacturing.
FAQs

Q: What color is immersion silver?
A: Freshly deposited immersion silver has a bright white appearance
which gradually takes on a yellowish tinge over a period of months to
years.
Q: Does immersion silver oxidize over time?
A: Immersion silver does slowly oxidize which contributes to reduced
solderability over an extended shelf life. Proper handling is needed.
Q: What thickness of immersion silver is typically deposited?
A: A thickness of 2-5 microinches (0.05-0.13 microns) is standard for most
PCB applications requiring immersion silver plating.
Q: Does immersion silver contain any hazardous substances?
A: Immersion silver is free of lead and other toxins, making it RoHS
compliant for environmentally safe electronics.
Q: What is the maximum shelf life for immersion silver plating?
A: With ideal cool, dry storage conditions, immersion silver can achieve
approximately 1-3 years of shelf life before solderability may become a
concern.

Immersion silver PCB is a printed circuit board which surface finish is
coated by immersion silver, immersion siliver is most used
for aluminum wire bonding, metallic dome contacts, and EMI shielding.
The thickness of immserion silver is 5 micro inches to 12 micro inches, and
is can be store for at least 12 months.
In order to meet the urgent requirements of the electronics industry for
banning lead, the PCB industry is gradually moving surface treatment
from HASL to other finishes, such as immersion silver, immersion
tin, immersion gold, and OSP. Immersion silver is a new surface treatment
technology with excellent performance at a reasonable cost, which is
considered the best choice.
As a new environmentally-friendly surface treatment process, immersion
silver is plated 6-18u” thick on the copper surface to ensure reliable
soldering of electronic components on the circuit board. The immersion
silver process is based on the displacement reaction between the silver
ions in the solution and the metal copper on the printed circuit
board. After the copper surface is micro-roughened by the micro etching
solution, a uniform immersion silver layer can be slowly formed at a
controlled silver deposition speed.
The slow silver immersion speed is conducive to depositing a
dense crystal structure, forming a high-density silver layer, and avoiding

particle growth due to precipitation and agglomeration. The immersion
silver solution is very stable, has a long service life, and is insensitive to
light and trace halides.
Immersion silver is cheaper than immersion gold. If the PCB has functional
connection requirements and needs to reduce costs, immersion silver is a
good choice. What is more, immersion silver has good flatness and
contact; it is better to choose immersion silver technology. It has been
widely used in communication products, automobiles, computer
peripherals, and high-speed signal design. It can also be used
in high-frequency signal design because of its excellent electrical
properties. EMS recommends the immersion silver process because it is
easy to assemble and has a good inspection pass rate. However, the trend
of using immersion silver grows slowly (but has not decreased) because of
defects such as tarnishing and solder joint voids. It is estimated that about
10%-15% of PCBs are currently using this technology.
Features: Between OSP and immersion gold, the process is simple and
fast. Even if exposed to heat, humidity, and pollution, immersion silver can
still provide good electrical properties and solderability, but it will tarnish.
Because there is no nickel under the silver layer, immersion silver does
not have the desired physical strength of immersion gold.
Immersion Silver Process and Principle

Immersion silver in the PCB process:
Electrical test → AOI → immersion silver → visual
inspection/packing/shipping
Immersion Silver Process:
Pre-treatment → loading → acid degreasing → water washing → pure
water washing → micro-etching → pure water washing *2 → preliminary
dip → sterling immersion silver → pure water washing *2 → hot water
washing → silver protection → hot water washing → pure water washing
*2 → drying → IPQC inspection→ packing
Remark:
1. Pre-treatment: The main processes are pickling, scrubbing,
washing, and drying.
2. Post-treatment: Horizontal line (the main process includes washing
and drying).
Reaction principle

immersion silver
Reaction principle
Reaction schematic diagram
Immersion silver Reaction schematic diagram
Process Control
Steps Operating type Temperature ℃ Time minutes
Oil removal Spray 30 1-2
Cleaning Spray Indoor temperature 1-2
Micro-etching Overflow 30 1-2
Cleaning Spray Indoor temperature 1-2
Preliminary dip Overflo 40 0.5-1
Sterling immersion silver Overflow 50 2-4
Deionized water washing Spray Indoor temperature 1-2
Drying Hot air 80 1-2
Typical steps of immersion silver process

The stability of the immersion silver process is evaluated by monitoring
the products in the horizontal production line (the process steps are
shown in the above table). The oil removal and micro-etching in the
pre-treatment step are very important for controlling the immersion silver
layer’s appearance. The total micro-etching depth is about 1-2µm, which is
related to the actual condition of the copper surface.
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1. Function Introduction:
2. Acid degreasing:
3. Remove oxide.
4. Clear fingerprints.
5. Remove S/M residues.
6. Remove other pollutants.
7. Washing:
8. Clean the liquid medicine remaining on the board surface to
prevent the liquid from polluting the follow-up process.
9. Micro-etching:
10. Roughen the surface to strengthen the bonding force between the
coatings.
11. Provide a flat copper surface so that the silver can be evenly applied
to the plating surface.

12. Adjust the copper surface to a highly active surface.
13. Preliminary dip:
14. Ensure the board is clean, which prevents pollutants from being
brought into the silver tank.
15. Ensure the board is operated at the correct pH and temperature.
16. There is a thin and dense release layer on the copper surface,
conducive to the subsequent silver layer deposition.
17. Sterling immersion silver
18. A uniform silver coating is produced on the copper surface by a
displacement reaction.
19. Main Parameters:
No. Process Ingredient Parameter control
1 Acid degreasing Acid degreasant: 100ml/L; Temperature: 30±5℃;Circulating pressure: ≤0.9kgf/cm2;
2 Micro-etching Sulfuric acid: 80g/L;35% Hydrogen peroxide200ml/L;WCD-126 Temperature: 25-30℃;Micro-etching thickness: 30-60u’’;Cu2+:
additive:250ml/L; ≤45g/LCirculating pressure: ≤0.9kgf/cm2;
3 Preliminary dip MT-IMG 500A: 300ml/L;MT-IMG 500B: 30ml/L; Temperature: 40±5℃;Circulating pressure: ≤0.9kgf/cm2;PH:1.95
4 Sterling immersion MT-IMG 500A: 300ml/L;MT-IMG 500B: 70ml/L;MT-IMG 500S: 10ml/L; Temperature: 48-54℃;Circulating pressure: ≤0.9kgf/cm2Cu2+: ＜4g/L;
silver
5 Pure water washing Pure water /
6 Hot water washing Pure water 55±5℃
The Step of potion configuration
 Preliminary dip tank:
 Fully clean the equipment with oil removing agent and rinse
thoroughly.

 Add pure water to 50% of the tank volume. Keep a record of the
exact amount of water added.
 Add MT-IMG 500A according to the ratio of 300ml/L and heat to
operating temperature.
 Add MT-IMG 500B according to the ratio of 30ml/L.
 Add pure water to the tank to reach the final volume and heat to
 Sterling immersion silver tank
 Fully clean the equipment with oil removing agent and rinse
thoroughly.
 Add deionized water to 50% of the tank volume. Keep a record of
the exact amount of water added.
 Add MT-IMG 500A according to the ratio of 300ml/L and heat to
 Add MT-IMG 500B according to the ratio of 70ml/L.
 Add MT-IMG 500S at a ratio of 10ml/L.
 Add pure water to the final volume and heat to the operating
temperature.
 Ensure that the silver liquid is fully mixed. The liquid should be
the operating temperature before immersing the silver.
4. Plating Bath Maintenance, Addition, and Control

 Preliminary dip liquid
When maintaining the liquid medicine, MT-IMG 500 A and MT-IMG
500 B should be replenished at a volume ratio of 10:1. You can
change the tank when the liquid reaches the following standards:
 Copper content ≥ 2000 ppm (2g/L).
 When the immersion silver liquid needs to be replaced, the
preliminary dip liquid must be replaced as well.
 Immersion silver liquid:
When maintaining the liquid medicine, MT-IMG 500 A and MT-IMG
500 B should be replenished at a volume ratio of 6:1. Add MT-IMG
500S regularly, and the silver concentration should be maintained
between 600-1000 ppm by adding MT-IMG 500S (15-25ml/L).
You can change the tank when the liquid reaches the following
standards:
 Copper content ≥4000 ppm (4g/L).
 When the liquid reaches 20 MTO silver concentration (based on the
initial 1000 ppm (1g/L) ).
5.Tank Cleaning and Maintenance
 Cleaning of preliminary dip and silver tank:

Tank wall cleaning → water washing → alkaline washing (10g/L sodium
carbonate 60℃ 1H) → acid washing (10% nitric acid 60℃ 1H) → pure
water washing.
 Micro-etching tank cleaning:
Tank wall cleaning → water washing → pure water washing.
 Other tank cleaning:
Tank wall cleaning → water washing → alkaline washing (10g/L sodium
carbonate 60℃ 1H) → acid washing (2% sulfuric acid 60℃ 1H) → pure
water washing.
How to Solve the Problem for Bad Immersion Silver?
Immersion
silver

 Black oxidation: Caused by contact between the silver surface and
sulfide, which affects the solderability of the final surface.
Treatment process: Rework
Improve methods:
1. Use non-sulfur and non-chlorine gloves for operation.
2. Use non-sulfur and non-chlorine neutral unimpregnated liner
board.
3. Yellow oxidation: Caused by contact between the silver surface and
chloride. This does not affect solderability.
Treatment process: 5% dilute sulfuric acid → water washing → drying
Improve methods:
 Use non-sulfur and non-chlorine gloves for operation.
 Use non-sulfur and non-chlorine neutral unimpregnated liner
board.
 Leakage plating (exposed copper): There are pollutants on the
copper surface.
Treatment process: Rework. Preliminary dip→ chemical immersion
silver → washing → drying. The operation time of the controlled silver
tank is not more than 45sec. This method can only be used once.

Silver is insufficient or too thick:
 The temperature is too high or too low.
 The influence of silver ion concentration.
 Nitrate concentration.
 Action time.
 Microetching on the copper surface.
 Stirring of the liquid.
 Measuring method.
 There are silver deposits or other contaminants on the tank wall:
 The liquid in the immersion silver tank is old.
 The operating temperature is too high in the immersion silver tank.
 The immersion silver tank is polluted by chloride ions (there are
many white particles on the tank wall).
 Sulfate pollution (Black sedimentary particles on the tank wall)
 Poor filtering effect.
 The content of the chelating agent is too low.
About rework:
 Copper surface oxidation and fingerprint rework process: Return to
immersion silver process:

Oil removal → water washing → water washing → 5% dilute sulfuric acid
→ water washing → drying.
 Immersion silver board rework:
 Rework of solder mask layer:
 Dry film solder mask: Wash off the solder mask (film stripping
aid) → press dry film solder
mask → exposure → developing → post-baking → rework
immersion silver.
 Solder-resistant solder mask: Wash off the solder mask (film
stripping aid) → printing solder resist → pre-baking → exposure →
development → post-baking → rework immersion silver.
Immersion silver (such as uneven gloss, exposed copper, etc.) rework:
Wash off the solder mask (film stripping aid) → silver fading.
The Common Problems and Solutions during immersion silver
1. Galvanic Effect
The “Galvanic Effect” mechanism of copper lines is similar to the “crevice”
corrosion mechanism. Under normal conditions, copper is both the anode
and the cathode. In this way, the oxidation of copper and the reduction of
silver ions proceed simultaneously, forming a uniform silver-plated layer
on the copper surface. However, if there is a “gap” between the solder

mask and copper circuit, the supply of silver ions in the gap will be limited.
The copper in the gap will become a sacrificial anode, providing electrons
for the reduction reaction of silver ions on the exposed copper pads (as
shown in Figure 4).
Sche
matic diagram of the “Galvanic Effect” of copper lines
Under normal production conditions (2.5 minutes, 0.25 um), the
Galvanic Effect is shown in the scanning electron microscope picture
above. Before the solder mask is peeled off, it can be seen that the copper

pad is completely covered by silver, even the copper wire under the
side etching. After the solder mask is peeled off, Galvanic Effect cannot be
seen on the left and the middle images, but we can see a slight bite
etching from the right image. It should be noted that bite etching does not
occur under the side etching of the solder mask, but in the area behind
the solder mask/copper interface. If the residence time is doubled to 5
minutes to form a 0.48um thick silver-plated layer, the Galvanic Effect will
become stronger. As shown in the figure below, there will be a Bite Etching
groove with 20 um width and 10 um depth on the copper circuit under the
solder mask.
Therefore, the risk of the Galvanic Effect can be prevented or reduced by
the following methods:
（1）Choose a less corrosive immersion silver process (with appropriate
pH) and do not increase the silver thickness to meet corrosion resistance
requirements.

（2）Control the micro-etching within the required amount.
（3）Avoid connecting large copper surfaces and small copper lines in
the PCB design.
（4）Improve the bonding force between the solder mask and the copper
surface by optimizing pretreatment, imaging, curing, developing processes,
and use chemical-resistant solder mask.
Solderability (IC Hole/PAD)
Immersion
Silver Finish for PCBs
IC hole solderability problems caused by hole wall quality (thick hole,
insufficient copper thickness):

Immersion silver technology is indispensable in circuit board
manufacturing, but it can also cause defects. The formulation of
preventive measures needs to consider the contribution of chemicals and
equipment to various defects in actual production to avoid defects and
improve the yield rate. The prevention of the Galvanic Effect can be traced
back to the copper plating process. For high-aspect-ratio holes and
micro-vias, the uniform thickness of the electroplated layer can help
eliminate the dangers of the Galvanic Effect. Excessive etching or side
etching during film stripping, etching, and tin stripping processes will
promote the formation of cracks, resulting in micro etching liquid or other
liquids in cracks. However, the problem of the solder mask is still the main
reason for the Galvanic Effect. Most of the defective boards with the
Javanni effect have side etching or solder mask peeling off. This problem
mainly comes from the exposure and development process. Therefore, if
the solder mask shows a “positive foot” after development and is
completely cured, then the Galvanic Effect problem can be almost
eliminated.
In order to get a good immersion silver layer, the immersion silver
position must be 100% metal copper. Each tank solution must have a good
through hole capacity, so that the liquid in the through-hole can be
exchanged effectively. If it is a very complicated stack up, such as an HDI
board, installing ultrasonic or jet in the pretreatment process and

immersion silver tank is very useful. For production management,
controlling the micro-etching rate to form a smooth, semi-bright surface
can also improve the Galvanic Effect. For original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs), they should avoid connecting large copper
surfaces or high aspect ratio through holes with thin lines in the design to
eliminate the hidden dangers.
For chemical suppliers, silver immersion liquid should not be very
aggressive. It is necessary to maintain an appropriate pH value, control
the immersion speed, generate the expected crystal structure, and
achieve the best anti-corrosion performance with the thinnest silver
thickness. Corrosion can be reduced by increasing the density of the
coating and reducing the porosity. Using sulfur-free material
packaging and sealing to isolate the PCB board from the air also prevents
the sulfur in the air from the silver surface. It is best to store the packaged
boards in an environment with a temperature of 30°C and relative
humidity of 40%. Although immersion board has a long shelf life, it still has
to follow the first-in, first-out principle.
Matters Need Attention:

 The silver-plated material shall be placed on site for no more than
4 hours and generally in office for no more than 1 day. The material
shall be vacuum-packed within 24 hours after discharge.
 The silver-plated parts should avoid contact with items containing
sulfur and chloride. When the silver-plated part comes into contact
with chloride, the board surface will turn yellow, which will not
affect the solderability. However, if it comes into contact with sulfide,
the board surface will turn black, and the solderability will be
reduced.
 Copper surface control: The copper surface must be
immaculate and clear of fingerprints and oil stains. Clean gloves
must be worn during the milling profile and final inspection.
Packaging requirements:
 Packaging before outward processing: Separate the board with
non-sulfur paper or kraft paper.
 Packaging before shipment: Separate with sulfur-free paper, and
then use vacuum packaging. No air leakage is allowed. It is
forbidden to put desiccant on the board to avoid yellowing of the
silver surface.
Related Posts:

1. 6 layer PCB Stackup,Thickness and Manufacturing
2. High Quality 4 OZ Copper PCB Manufacturer
3. High Quality 10 Oz Copper PCB Manufacturer
4. High Quality 20 Layer PCB Manufacturer
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RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

High Quality Immersion Silver PCB Manufacturer

Immersion silver is a chemical plating process that deposits a thin layer of

(PCBs). It serves as a surface finish that protects the underlying copper

from oxidation while providing excellent solderability. This article provides

an in-depth look at immersion silver finishing for PCBs.

Immersion Silver Plating Process

Immersion silver involves chemically displace plating silver without using

external electrical current:

 PCBs immersed in heated silver-based aqueous solution

 Solution contains silver ions and reducing agents

 Silver ions displace copper atoms on surfaces

 Reduction agents supply electrons for silver deposition

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Figure 1: The immersion silver chemical displacement reaction.

Immersion silver is a simple single solution process compared to other

Request Immersion Silver PCB Manufacturing Quote

Benefits of Immersion Silver

Key benefits of immersion silver finish:

 Excellent Solderability – Silver readily dissolves into solder.

 Corrosion Resistance – Silver is noble and won’t oxidize or corrode.

 Solder Leach Resistance – Prevent silver leaching into solder joints.

 Wire Bondable – Compatible with wire bonding applications.

 Lower Cost – More affordable than immersion gold.

 RoHS Compliant – Contains no lead or other hazardous substances.

 Shelf Life – 1-3 year shelf life with proper handling.

So immersion silver offers superior assembly performance combined with

improved lifecycle durability.

PCB Applications for Immersion Silver

Typical applications include:

 High density interconnects

 Fine pitch surface mount pads

 Ball grid array packages

 Connectors and sockets

 Power electronics boards

 Harsh environment electronics

Any application requiring excellent solderability.

Shelf Life Considerations

 Slowly oxidizes over months-years of storage

 Gradual yellowish discoloration over time

 Can impact solderability if severely tarnished

 Shelf life 1-3 years under ideal conditions

So minimizing storage time prior to soldering is advised.

Secondary Reflow Considerations

Reflowing boards with immersion silver repeatedly can cause issues:

 Silver slowly dissolves into solder with reflow cycles

 Can reduce solder joint integrity over many reflows

 Keep number of high temperature reflows to 1-2 times

 Recommended for single soldering assembly

Typical characteristics of immersion silver deposits:

 Thickness – Typically 2-5 microinches

 Hardness – Up to 200 HV depending on thickness

 Color – Bright white (fresh) to yellowish tinge

 Deposit Rate – Approximately 0.2 mil/hour max

 Bond Strength – Excellent adhesion to copper

 Solder Leaching – 2-6% into solder with multiple reflows

Request Immersion Silver PCB Manufacturing Quote

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/