Electrochemical-deposition apparatuses and associated methods of electroplating a target electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680330-B2
Application number	US-202217738729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2022
Priority date	Jul 22, 2021
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A method of electroplating a target electrode comprises establishing a first electric current through an electrolytic solution, comprising a quantity of an electrically charged material, an initial electrode, and a transitional electrode, so that a quantity of the electrically charged material is converted to a quantity of an electrically neutral material, which is electroplated, as a deposit, onto the transitional electrode; and establishing a second electric current through the electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode so that a quantity of the electrically neutral material from the deposit is converted to a quantity of the electrically charged material, which is dissolved into the electrolytic solution, and a quantity of the electrically charged material in the electrolytic solution is converted to a quantity of the electrically neutral material, which is electroplated onto the surface of the target electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical-deposition apparatus for forming a part, comprising:
an initial electrode;
a transitional electrode, wherein the initial electrode and the transitional electrode are coplanar and a first plane passes through the initial electrode and the transitional electrode;
a target electrode, wherein a second plane passes through the target electrode and does not pass through the initial electrode nor the transitional electrode, the second plane being offset from and parallel to the first plane, and wherein the initial electrode and the transitional electrode are individually addressable and form part of an electrode array of a printhead;
an electric-power supply circuit, electrically couplable with the initial electrode, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode; and
a controller, configured to, sequentially:
direct the electric-power supply circuit to establish a first electric current through an electrolytic solution, the initial electrode, and the transitional electrode when a surface of at least a portion of the initial electrode is in direct physical contact with the electrolytic solution, and a surface of at least a portion of the transitional electrode is in direct physical contact with the electrolytic solution, so that a quantity of an electrically charged material in the electrolytic solution is converted to a quantity of an electrically neutral material, which is electroplated, as a deposit, onto the surface of at least the portion of the transitional electrode, direct the electric-power supply circuit to terminate the first electric current through the electrolytic solution, the initial electrode, and the transitional electrode, and
direct the electric-power supply circuit to either:
establish a second electric current through the electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode when a surface of at least a portion of the deposit is in direct physical contact with the electrolytic solution, and a surface of at least a portion of the target electrode is in direct physical contact with the electrolytic solution, so that:
a quantity of the electrically neutral material from the deposit is converted to a quantity of the electrically charged material, which is dissolved into the electrolytic solution, and
a quantity of the electrically charged material in the electrolytic solution is converted to a quantity of the electrically neutral material, which is electroplated onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode, wherein the quantity of the electrically neutral material electroplated onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode forms at least a portion of the part, or

establish a third electric current through a second electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode when a surface of at least a portion of the deposit is in direct physical contact with the second electrolytic solution, and a surface of at least a portion of the target electrode is in direct physical contact with the second electrolytic solution, so that:
a quantity of the electrically neutral material from the deposit is converted to a quantity of the electrically charged material, which is dissolved into the second electrolytic solution, and one of:
 a quantity of the electrically charged material in the second electrolytic solution is converted to a quantity of the electrically neutral material, which is electroplated onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode, or
 a quantity of a second electrically charged material in the second electrolytic solution is converted to a quantity of a second electrically neutral material, which is electroplated onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode wherein the quantity of the second electrically neutral material electroplated onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode forms at least a portion of the part.

2. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the electric-power supply circuit to establish the first electric current through the electrolytic solution, the initial electrode, and the transitional electrode and also to direct the electric-power supply circuit to either establish the second electric current through the electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode, or to establish the third electric current through the second electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode, such that a rate of electroplating the quantity of the electrically neutral material onto the surface of at least the portion of the transitional electrode is higher than a rate of electroplating the quantity of the electrically neutral material onto the surface of at least the portion of the target electrode.

3. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first electric current, passing through the electrolytic solution, the initial electrode, and the transitional electrode, is established by an electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode;
the second electric current, passing through the electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode, is established by an electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode; and
the electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode is greater than the electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode.

4. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode is above 2V, and the electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode is below 1V.

5. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: the first electric current, passing through the electrolytic solution, the initial electrode, and the transitional electrode, is established by an electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode;
the third electric current, passing through the second electrolytic solution, the transitional electrode, and the target electrode, is established by an electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode; and
the electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode is greater than the electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode.

6. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the electric potential difference between the initial electrode and the transitional electrode is above 2V, and the electric potential difference between the target electrode and the transitional electrode is below 1V.

7. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the initial electrode comprises a quantity of an electrode material; and
the transitional electrode comprises a quantity of the electrode material.

8. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the target electrode comprises a quantity of the electrode material.

9. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the electrically neutral material and the electrode material have different chemical compositions.

10. The electrochemical-deposition apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the electrically neutral material is more electrochemically reactive than the electrode material.

Assignees

• Fabric8Labs Inc

Inventors

• Shaik Kareemullah
• Edmonds Andrew
• Nicholl Ryan
• Pain David

Classifications

• C25D21/14

  Controlled addition of electrolyte components · CPC title

• C25D17/007 Primary

  Current directing devices · CPC title

• C25D3/02 Primary

  from solutions (C25D5/34 - C25D5/46 take precedence) · CPC title

• C25D21/18

  of electrolytes (C25D21/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25D17/02

  Tanks; Installations therefor · CPC title