Agitation monitoring system for plating process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12399006-B2
Application number	US-202217702839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 24, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a monitoring system for a plating process using a monitoring device including a metrology component for collecting agitation intensity data on at least one agitation component within a plating equipment and transferring the collected agitation intensity data to a process control station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A monitoring system comprising:
a plating equipment comprising a material flight bar, at least one agitation component that is configured to be mechanically agitated, and a monitoring device, the monitoring device being mounted on the agitation component and comprising:
a metrology component configured to collect agitation intensity data,
a microcontroller;
a realtime connectivity component configured to transfer the collected agitation intensity data; and
a power source; and

a process control station configured to be coupled with the realtime connectivity component to receive the collected agitation intensity data.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1 , the metrology component further comprising an accelerometer, a gyroscope and/or a magnetometer.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the material flight bar.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1 , the plating equipment further comprising an equipment agitation system configured to mechanically agitate the plating equipment.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the equipment agitation system.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1 , the plating equipment further comprising a panel basket.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the panel basket.

8. A plating monitoring process comprising:
providing a monitoring device and a plating equipment comprising a material flight bar and at least one agitation component;
placing substrates into the plating equipment;
performing plating process steps, wherein the plating process steps comprise:
mechanically agitating the at least one agitation component and the monitoring device;

collecting agitation intensity data using the monitoring device; and
transferring the collected agitation intensity data to a process control station;

wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the agitation component and comprises:
a microcontroller,
a metrology component,
a power source; and
a realtime connectivity component.

9. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein mechanically agitating the at least one agitation component comprises mechanically agitating the at least one agitation component with an equipment agitation system.

10. The plating monitoring process of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the equipment agitation system; and
wherein the plating monitoring process further comprises collecting the agitation intensity data at the equipment agitation system.

11. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the agitation intensity data comprises the vibration and/or acceleration of motion of the at least one agitation component.

12. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the agitation intensity data comprises the angular velocity of the at least one agitation component.

13. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the agitation intensity data comprises the relative change of a magnetic field of the at least one agitation component.

14. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , further comprising comparing the agitation intensity data with standard agitation intensity data to detect malfunctioning of the mechanical agitation.

15. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the plating process comprises an electroless plating process.

16. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the monitoring device is mounted on the material flight bar; and
wherein the plating monitoring process further comprises collecting the agitation intensity data at the material flight bar.

17. The plating monitoring process of claim 8 , wherein the plating equipment comprises a panel basket and the monitoring device is mounted on the panel basket; and
wherein the plating monitoring process further comprises collecting the agitation intensity data at the panel basket that is comprised in the plating equipment.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Bayraktaroglu Adrian
• Lampner David
• Grujicic Darko

Classifications

• C23C18/1675

  Process conditions · CPC title

• C23C18/1669

  Agitation, e.g. air introduction · CPC title

• C23C18/1628 Primary

  Specific elements or parts of the apparatus · CPC title

• G05D19/02

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• C23C18/405

  Formaldehyde · CPC title