Systems for electroplating and methods of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713514-B2
Application number	US-202016987105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Aug 8, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

A system for electroplating a web of conductive material with a source material comprises a transport mechanism, an electrical contact, a plating bath, and at least one nozzle. The transport mechanism transports the web through the system. The electrical contact electrically engages the web to cause current to flow into the web. The plating bath contains a volume of an electrically conductive liquid contain ions of the source material. The nozzle is configured to flow a low electrical conductivity fluid onto the web. A portion of the web is immersed in the electrically conductive liquid. The current flowing in the web causes the ions of the source material in the electrically conductive liquid to attach to a surface of the portion of the web.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a frame;
transport mechanism portions coupled to corresponding slots in the frame and configured to advance a web through the system;
an electrical contact configured to electrically engage the web thereby causing a current to flow from the electrical contact into the web, wherein the electrical contact is comprised of an electrical brush contact and includes a base and a plurality of bristles, each of the plurality of bristles having a proximal end coupled to the base and a distal end configured to electrically engage the web, wherein the electrical brush-contact is coupled to the frame such that each of at least a portion of the plurality of bristles is positioned at an angle relative to the web, and wherein at least a first portion of the plurality of bristles has a first length, and at least a second portion of the plurality of bristles has a second length, the first length being different from the first length such that distal ends of each bristle of the first portion of the plurality of bristles and each bristle of the second portion of the plurality of bristles are coplanar;
a bath configured to contain a volume of an electrically conductive liquid therein, the electrically conductive liquid including a plurality of ions of a source material, the transport mechanism portions configured to transport the web through the bath such that a portion of the web is disposed in the electrically conductive liquid; and
at least one nozzle coupled to the frame, the at least one nozzle configured to direct a low electrical conductivity fluid onto a surface of the portion of the web to remove residual electrically conductive liquid disposed on the web.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bristles includes brass.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical brush contact is coupled to the frame such that no movement is allowed.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bristles has an electrical resistance and wherein a current path of the current flowing through at least a portion of the web has an electrical resistance, the electrical resistance of each of the plurality of bristles being (i) less than an upper threshold electrical resistance that is greater than the electrical resistance of the current path and (ii) greater than a lower threshold electrical resistance that is less than the electrical resistance of the current path.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is a compound angle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical brush-contact is coupled to the frame such that each of at least a portion of the plurality of bristles is positioned at a first angle relative to an x-z plane and at a second angle relative to a y-z plane.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a direction of transport of the web is along an x-axis of the x-z plane and the y-z plane.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first angle is between about thirty-five degrees and about fifty-five degrees and the second angle is between about fifteen degrees and about thirty-five degrees.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is between about thirty degrees and about eighty degrees.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is about forty-five degrees.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is about twenty-five degrees.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein a plane formed by distal ends of each of the plurality of bristles is generally parallel to the web.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles includes a first row of bristles and a second row of bristles, both the first row of bristles and the second row of bristles extending generally parallel to a direction of transport of the web through the system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each bristle in the first row of bristles has a first length, and wherein each bristle in the second row of bristles has a second length, the first length being different than the second length such that distal ends of each of the plurality of bristles are coplanar.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein a plane formed by distal ends of each of the plurality of bristles is generally parallel to the web.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a support member disposed adjacent the electrical contact such that the web is disposed between the electrical contact and the support member, the support member configured to contact a side of the web opposite the electrical contact.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the support member is a roller extending generally perpendicular to a direction of transport of the web through the system.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the support member is a plate extending generally parallel to a direction of transport of the web through the system.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the support member comprises a plate coupled to the frame by at least one spring, wherein the at least one spring provides a spring tension biasing support member and the web towards the electrical contact.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the plate includes a lubricious material.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism portions include a first roller disposed on a first side of the web and a second roller disposed on a second side of the web, the first roller and the second roller configured to have the web disposed between the first roller and the second roller, the first roller and the second roller configured to transport the web in a direction generally of a longitudinal axis of the system.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the electrical contact is configured to deliver 400 amperes of current to the web.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is configured to deliver a maximum of 500 amperes of current to the web.

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is configured to deliver between 150 amperes and 250 amperes of current to the web.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the electrical contact is configured to deliver 200 amperes of current to the web.

26. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is configured to deliver between 300 amperes and 500 amperes of current to the web.

27. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bath is configured as a plating bath.

28. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bath is configured as an electropolishing bath.

29. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bath is configured as an electroetching bath.

30. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical brush-contact is configured to be in contact with the web near an edge of the web.

31. A system comprising:
a frame;
transport mechanism portions coupled to corresponding slots in the frame and coupled to frame and configured to transport a web through system;
an electrical contact coupled to the frame and configured to electrically engage the web to cause current to flow from the electrical contact into the web, wherein the electrical contact is comprised of an electrical brush contact and includes a base and a plurality of bristles, each of the plurality of bristles having a proximal end coupled to the base and a distal end configured to electrically engage the web, wherein the electrical brush-contact is coupled to the frame such that each of at least a portion of the plurality of bris

Assignees

• Hutchinson Technology

Inventors

• Riemer Douglas P
• Toperzer Stephen P
• Turvold Donovan D
• Rosenau Christopher R
• Johnson Dylan S

Classifications

• C25D17/04 Primary

  External supporting frames or structures · CPC title

• C25D3/22

  of zinc · CPC title

• C25D3/38

  of copper · CPC title

• C25D7/0614 Primary

  Strips or foils · CPC title

• C25D17/005

  Contacting devices · CPC title