Editing Gold plating (section)

=== Types ===
There are several types of gold plating used in the electronics industry:<ref name="PF">{{cite web |last=Weisberg |first=Alfred M. |year=1997 |title=Gold Plating |url=http://www.pfonline.com/articles/gold-plating |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411221852/http://www.pfonline.com/articles/gold-plating |archive-date=2017-04-11 |access-date=2013-04-03 |publisher=Products Finishing Magazine}}[https://www.caymanfinancialreview.com/gold-melt-value/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130085739/https://www.caymanfinancialreview.com/gold-melt-value/|date=2022-11-30}}</ref>
* ''Soft, pure gold plating'' is used in the [[semiconductor industry]]. The gold layer is easily soldered and [[wire bonding|wire bonded]]. Its [[Knoop hardness test|Knoop hardness]] ranges between 60 and 85. The plating baths have to be kept free of contamination.
* ''Soft, pure gold'' is deposited from special [[Electrolyte|electrolytes]]. Entire [[Printed circuit board|printed circuit boards]] can be plated. This technology can be used for depositing layers suitable for wire bonding.
* ''Bright hard gold on contacts'', with Knoop hardness between 120–300 and purity of 99.7–99.9% gold. Often contains a small amount of [[nickel]] and/or [[cobalt]]; these elements interfere with die bonding, therefore the plating baths cannot be used for semiconductors.
* ''Bright hard gold on [[printed circuit board]] tabs'' is deposited using lower concentration of gold in the baths. Usually contains nickel and/or cobalt as well. [[Edge connector]]s are often made by controlled-depth immersion of only the edge of the boards.