Powder supply apparatus and plating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359304-B2
Application number	US-201816234299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

There is provided a powder supply apparatus that prevents powder from scattering as much as possible. There is provided the powder supply apparatus that supplies a powder containing a metal used for a plating to a plating solution. This powder supply apparatus includes a plating solution tank, a feed pipe, a gas supply line, and a spiral-air-flow-generating component. The plating solution tank is configured to house the plating solution. The feed pipe is configured to feed the powder into the plating solution tank. The gas supply line is configured to supply a gas. The spiral-air-flow-generating component is configured to receive the gas from the gas supply line to generate a spiral air flow heading toward the plating solution tank inside the feed pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powder supply apparatus that supplies a powder containing a metal used for a plating to a plating solution, the powder supply apparatus comprising:
a plating solution tank configured to house the plating solution;
a feed pipe configured to feed the powder into the plating solution tank;
a gas supply line configured to supply a gas; and
a spiral-air-flow-generating component configured to receive the gas from the gas supply line to generate a spiral air flow heading toward the plating solution tank inside the feed pipe, wherein
the feed pipe includes an inlet open end to which the powder is fed and an outlet open end from which the powder comes out,
the outlet open end is positioned above a plating liquid surface of the plating solution, and
the spiral-air-flow-generating component is configured to form a plurality of flow passages toward the feed pipe.

2. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the spiral-air-flow-generating component includes a tubular member, the tubular member having an outer surface configured to contact an inner surface of the feed pipe,
the tubular member has a first end, a second end, and a groove, the first end being disposed on the plating solution tank side and the second end being disposed on a side opposite to the first end, the groove extending from the first end to the second end on the outer surface, and
the gas from the gas supply line is configured to pass through the groove of the tubular member.

3. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the groove is formed so as to be inclined with respect to an axial direction of the tubular member.

4. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the spiral-air-flow-generating component further includes:
an air flow passage that circumferentially extends and communicates with the groove; and
an air injection port connected to the gas supply line and communicates with the air flow passage.

5. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the spiral-air-flow-generating component is disposed on the inlet open end of the feed pipe.

6. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a hopper configured to house the powder; and
a feeder configured to supply the powder from an opening disposed on a lower portion of the hopper to the feed pipe.

7. A plating system comprising:
the powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 ;
a plating bath configured to plate a substrate; and
a plating solution supply pipe that extends from the plating solution tank of the powder supply apparatus to the plating bath.

Assignees

• Ebara Corp

Inventors

• Chang Shao Hua
• Fujikata Jumpei

Classifications

• C25D15/00 Primary

  Electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings containing embedded materials, e.g. particles, whiskers, wires · CPC title

• B01F35/7179

  using sprayers, nozzles or jets · CPC title

• B01F35/7549

  using distributing means, e.g. manifold valves or multiple fittings for supplying the discharge components to a plurality of dispensing places · CPC title

• C25D17/001

  Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells · CPC title

• C25D21/14

  Controlled addition of electrolyte components · CPC title