Electroplating Device and Electroplating System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022243350-A1
Application number	US-202217588243-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2022
Priority date	Jan 29, 2021
Publication date	Aug 4, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electroplating device for electroplating an alloy comprising a plurality of metals on a workpiece includes an electroplating bath, a plurality of groups of anodes, and a power supply device. The electroplating bath contains an electroplating solution in which the workpiece as a cathode is at least partially immersed. Each of the plurality of groups of anodes provides at least one metal required for electroplating. An electrolytic potential of at least one metal of each group of anodes is distinct from that of at least one metal of any other group of anodes. The power supply device adjusts the proportion of current transmitted to each group of anodes according to the proportion of the metals in the alloy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electroplating device adapted to electroplate an alloy comprising a plurality of metals on a workpiece, the electroplating device comprising:
an electroplating bath containing an electroplating solution in which the workpiece acting as a cathode is at least partially immersed; a plurality of groups of anodes, each group providing at least one metal required for electroplating, an electrolytic potential of at least one metal of each group of anodes is distinct from that of at least one metal of any other group of anodes; and a power supply device adjusting the proportion of current transmitted to each group of anodes according to the proportion of the metals in the alloy.

2 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply device further adjusts the proportion of current transmitted to each group of anodes according to the electrolysis speed of the plurality of groups of anodes.

3 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of groups of anodes include a first anode group and a second anode group, and the electrolytic potential of at least one metal of the first anode group is higher than that of at least one metal of the second anode group.

4 . The electroplating device according to claim 3 , wherein the power supply device comprises:
a first current regulator regulating the current transmitted to the first anode group; and a second current regulator regulating the current transmitted to the second anode group.

5 . The electroplating device according to claim 4 , further comprising a weak electrolysis device adapted to ensure that the second anode group immersed in the electroplating solution has a positive potential when the first anode group and the second anode group stop the electroplating operation.

6 . The electroplating device according to claim 5 , wherein the weak electrolysis device comprises an auxiliary cathode and a third current regulator, the cathode of the third current regulator is connected to the auxiliary cathode, and the anode of the third current regulator is connected to the second anode group, the third current regulator supplying power to the second anode group as the second current regulator stops transmitting current to the second anode group, so that the second anode group has a positive potential to prevent the replacement reaction between the second anode group and the electroplating solution.

7 . The electroplating device according to claim 6 , wherein the third current regulator maintains the current in the circuit of the weak electrolysis device at about 0.01 ampere.

8 . The electroplating device according to claim 3 , wherein the electroplating device separates the second anode group from the electroplating solution when the first anode group and the second anode group stop the electroplating operation.

9 . The electroplating device according to claim 8 , wherein the electroplating device moves the second anode group out of the electroplating solution when the first anode group and the second anode group stop the electroplating operation, the electroplating device reducing the liquid level of the electroplating solution in the electroplating bath when the first anode group and the second anode group stop the electroplating operation, so that the second anode group is separated from the electroplating solution.

10 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein the second anode group is placed in a basket with a plurality of first through holes.

11 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , further comprising two partition walls separating the electroplating bath into an outer containing part and an inner containing part located inside the outer containing part, the first anode group is arranged in the inner containing part, the second anode group is arranged in the outer containing part, the partition wall is provided with a plurality of second through holes to allow the electroplating solution in the outer containing part to flow into the inner containing part through the second through holes.

12 . The electroplating device according to claim 11 , wherein the first anode group is installed on the partition wall by a first bracket, and the second anode group is installed on the side wall of the electroplating bath by a second bracket.

13 . The electroplating device according to claim 11 , further comprising a liquid spraying device configured to spray the electroplating solution towards the first anode group, the liquid spraying device comprises:
a main body part provided with at least one inlet for conveying the electroplating solution into the main body part; and a plurality of nozzles installed on the main body part, wherein at least part of the nozzles are arranged so that a flow direction of the electroplating solution ejected from the nozzle is substantially parallel to a direction of a power line formed by the first anode group and the cathode.

14 . The electroplating device according to claim 13 , wherein the first anode group is provided between the liquid spraying device and the workpiece, and a plurality of third through holes are formed on each first anode of the first anode group, and a part of the electroplating solution ejected from the nozzle flows through the third through holes.

15 . The electroplating device according to claim 13 , wherein the main body part comprises:
a first part; and two second parts respectively provided at both ends of the main body part and extending towards the workpiece, the nozzle comprises: a plurality of first nozzles installed on the first part, and the flow direction of the electroplating solution ejected from the first nozzles is substantially parallel to the direction of the power line formed by the first anode group and the cathode; and a plurality of second nozzles provided on the inner side of the two second parts and adapted to eject the electroplating solution towards the workpiece.

16 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is arranged on a material strip which moves horizontally through the electroplating bath, the flow direction of the electroplating solution ejected from the first nozzle is perpendicular to the moving direction of the material strip, and wherein the material strip moves through two overflow ports respectively formed on two opposite side walls of the electroplating bath.

17 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of first liquid inlet holes substantially aligned with the second anodes of the second anode group are formed on the bottom wall of the electroplating bath, and the first liquid inlet holes convey the electroplating solution to the second anodes in a vertical direction.

18 . The electroplating device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of second liquid inlet holes substantially aligned with the workpiece are formed on the bottom wall of the electroplating bath, and the second liquid inlet holes convey the electroplating solution to the workpiece in a vertical direction.

19 . The electroplating device according to claim 18 , wherein a pair of adjustment covers are respectively provided on both sides of the second liquid inlet hole, and the adjustment cover is suitable for adjusting the liquid level of the electroplating solution at the workpiece.

20 . An electroplating system, comprising:
an electroplating device comprising:
an electroplating bath adapted to contain an electroplating solution i

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
• Tyco Electronics Suzhou Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Daiqiong (Diana)
• Zhou Chunyan (Cherie)
• Peng Dongqing (Gates)
• Liang Yuelin (Kevin)
• Huang Zhongxi

Classifications

• C25D21/12

  Process control or regulation (controlling or regulating in general G05) · CPC title

• C25D21/10

  Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks · CPC title

• C25D17/10

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

• C25D17/007

  Current directing devices · CPC title

• C25D7/0685

  Spraying of electrolyte · CPC title