Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466378-B2
Application number	US-201916732099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2019
Priority date	Dec 31, 2018
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same. Provided is an electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus includes a plating bath and a stage configured to support a substrate loaded into the plating bath to be disposed in a horizontal direction. The electroplating apparatus further includes a plurality of cathodes disposed on both sides of the substrate and an anode configured to be movable above the substrate. The electroplating apparatus also includes a plurality of spray nozzles disposed on at least one side of the anode and configured to spray a plating solution. The electroplating apparatus further includes a shield which is disposed on both sides of the anode and whose one end is more adjacent to the substrate than the anode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a plating bath having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a bottom side extending between the first side and the second side;
one or more stages extending from the first side to the second side of the plating bath, the one or more stages being configured to support a substrate loaded into the plating bath;
a plurality of cathodes disposed on both the first and second sides of the plating bath;
an anode configured to be movable above the plating bath, the anode having a first surface facing the bottom side of the plating bath;
a plurality of spray nozzles disposed on at least one side of the anode and configured to spray a plating solution; and
a shield adjacent to the plurality of spray nozzles being disposed on the at least one side of the anode, the shield having a second surface facing the bottom side of the plating bath,
wherein the second surface of the shield extends further towards the bottom side of the plating bath than the first surface of the anode.

2. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shield is disposed between the anode and the plurality of spray nozzles.

3. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles has an outlet opening for spraying the plating solution, wherein the shield is spaced apart from the outlet openings of the plurality of spray nozzles.

4. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the shield is in contact with the anode and lateral surfaces of the outlet openings of the plurality of spray nozzles.

5. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles includes a plurality of first spray nozzles disposed on a first surface of the anode and a plurality of second spray nozzles disposed on a second surface of the anode based on a movement direction of the anode,
wherein the shield includes a first shield disposed between the anode and the plurality of first spray nozzles and a second shield disposed between the anode and the plurality of second spray nozzles, and
wherein the movement direction of the anode includes a direction from the first side of the plating bath to the second side of the plating bath.

6. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles are disposed between the anode and the shield.

7. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles has an outlet opening for spraying the plating solution, wherein lateral surfaces of the outlet openings of the plurality of spray nozzles are in contact with the anode and the shield.

8. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cathodes includes a plurality of first cathodes on the first side of the plating bath and a plurality of second cathodes on the second side of the plating bath based on a movement direction of the anode,
wherein the plurality of first cathodes are disposed facing the plurality of second cathodes, respectively, and
wherein the movement direction of the anode includes a direction from the first side of the plating bath to the second side of the plating bath.

9. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a power supply electrically connected to the plurality of cathodes and the anode; and
a controller configured to control the power supply,
wherein the controller controls the power supply to supply a same voltage to a first cathode and a second cathode facing each other among the plurality of first cathodes and the plurality of second cathodes.

10. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the same voltage applied to the first cathode and a second cathode facing each other is an alternating current voltage, and
the controller further controls the power supply to supply a direct current voltage to the anode.

11. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate a voltage to be applied to the plurality of cathodes or turn on/off the cathodes based on the area of plating on the substrate corresponding to the position of the anode.

12. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the shield and a distance between the anode and the substrate can be regulated.

13. A horizontal electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a plating bath providing a space where a plating solution is filled, the plating bath having a first side, a second side facing the first side, and a bottom side between the first side and the second side;
a plurality of first cathodes and a plurality of second cathodes disposed to face each other within the plating bath;
an anode arranged above the plating bath and configured to be movable between the plurality of first cathodes and the plurality of second cathodes, the anode having a first end facing the bottom side of the plating bath;
a shield disposed adjacent to the anode and configured to be movable together with the anode, the shield having a second end facing the bottom side of the plating bath; and
a spray nozzle disposed at least between the anode and the shield or outside the shield, and configured to be movable together with the anode and the shield,
wherein the second end of the shield is closer to the bottom side of the plating bath than the first end of the anode.

14. The horizontal electroplating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the spray nozzle and the shield are disposed to be spaced apart from each other.

15. The horizontal electroplating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the spray nozzle is in contact with the shield such that the plating solution is sprayed along the shield.

16. The horizontal electroplating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a length of the shield protruding under the anode is changed to regulate a current density under the anode.

17. The horizontal electroplating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the anode, the shield, and the spray nozzle are configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the plating solution to regulate current density under the anode.

18. An electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a plating bath for placing a substrate, the plating bath having a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, and a bottom surface between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
a plurality of cathodes disposed adjacent to opposing first and second sides of the substrate loaded into the plating bath and configured to fix the substrate to be disposed in a horizontal direction;
an anode configured to be movable above the plating bath, the anode having a first end facing the bottom surface of the plating bath;
a plurality of spray nozzles disposed on at least one side of the anode and configured to spray a plating solution to the plating bath; and
a shield which is disposed on a first and second side of the anode, the shield having a second end facing the bottom surface of the plating bath,
wherein the second end of the shield extends further towards the bottom surface of the plating bath than the first end of the anode.

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Gotae
• Yoo Byeongsun
• Ahn Byungchul
• Kim Woochan
• Jeong Juyoung
• Moon Sangcheol
• Kim Wook
• Choi Changjun

Classifications

• C25D5/04

  Electroplating with moving electrodes · CPC title

• C25D17/008

  Current shielding devices · CPC title

• C25D17/10

  Electrodes {, e.g. composition, counter electrode} · CPC title

• C25D17/12

  Shape or form (C25D17/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25D5/08 Primary

  Electroplating with moving electrolyte e.g. jet electroplating {(using locally applied jets of electrolyte C25D5/026)} · CPC title