Electroplate laminated structure and methods of fabricating the same

Abstract

Corrosion-resistant laminated structures and methods of fabricating laminated structures are disclosed. A method of fabricating a laminated structure includes: providing an object in an electroplating solution; forming a first layer on the object by applying a first electric current, the first electric current being associated with a first current density; and forming a second layer on the first layer by applying a second electric current, the second electric current being associated with a second current density. Each of the first layer and the second layer includes, at least in part, phosphorus. The first current density and the second current density are different.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fabricating a laminated structure, the method comprising:
 providing an object in an electroplating solution;   forming a first layer on the object by applying a first electric current, the first electric current being associated with a first current density; and   forming a second layer on the first layer by applying a second electric current, the second electric current being associated with a second current density,   wherein each of the first layer and the second layer includes, at least in part, phosphorus, and   wherein the first current density and the second current density are different.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first current density is lower than the second current density. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of phosphorous in the first layer is greater than the second layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a third layer on the second layer by applying a third electric current.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is associated with a first thickness and the second layer is associated with a second thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first thickness is equal to the second thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 agitating the electroplating solution for a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying heat to the laminated structure for a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying the first electric current for a first duration; and   applying the second electric current for a second duration.   
     
     
         11 . A corrosion-resistant laminated structure comprising:
 an object;   a first layer formed on the object, the first layer having a first thickness; and   a second layer formed on the first layer, the second layer having a second thickness,   wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed by applying a first electric current and a second electric current, respectively, to the object placed in an electroplating solution, a first current density associated with the first electric current being different from a second current density associated the second electric current, and   wherein each of the first layer and the second layer includes, at least in part, phosphorus.   
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first layer comprises a greater amount of phosphorous than the second layer. 
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first thickness is equal to the second thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third layer formed on the second layer, the third layer having a third thickness.   
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 15 , wherein the first thickness, the second thickness, and the third thickness are equal. 
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 15 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness or the third thickness. 
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating a laminated structure, the method comprising:
 providing an object in an electroplating solution;   forming a first layer on the object by applying a first electric current having a first current density;   forming a second layer on the first layer by applying a second electric current having a second current density; and   forming a third layer on the second layer by applying a second electric current having the first current density,   wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer includes, at least in part, phosphorus.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a thickness of the third layer is different from a thickness of the first layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first layer comprises a softer material than the second layer.