Replacement of Au and Ag with the Ni-P and Ni-B Alloys in Electronics

A new method of production of precise piezoelectric quartz resonators and filters, and monolithic piezoquartz filters with electrodes, made of electroless nickel-phosphorous alloy, for spacecraft, hydroacoustics and communication devices was developed. Electrical characteristics of quartz resonators with the deposited Ni-P coating are better than when gold and silver were used as electrode layers. A method of electroless deposition on polished quartz, glass and other nonmetallic polished materials was developed. Bulk and miniature resonators of piezoquartz and lithium niobate manufactured on the basis of the developed technology of electroless deposition of a nickel-phosphorus alloy, instead of gold and silver plating, were successfully used in industry. The technology was developed for the production of piezoceramic and ceramic devices by electroless deposition of electrode layers made of Ni-P or Cu.