Method and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745665-B2
Application number	US-201314396348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2013
Priority date	Apr 25, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

For improving the current transfer during the electrolytic metallization of workpieces, a method is proposed: (a) providing a metal depositing apparatus 17 , in which the workpiece, at least one anode 40, 41 and a metal deposition electrolyte AE are arranged and which has a device for electric current generation 60 and at least one current feeding device 31 with in each case at least one electrical contact element 34, 35 for making electrical contact with the workpiece; (b)
bringing the at least one electrical contact element 34, 35 into contact with the workpiece; and (c) feeding electric current to the workpiece via the at least one electrical contact element 34, 35 in order that the deposition metal deposits on the workpiece. Before method step (b), in a further method step (d), deposition metal is deposited on the at least one electrical contact element 34, 35.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS), comprising the following method steps:
(a) providing an electrolytic metal depositing apparatus, in which the workpiece (WS), at least one anode and a deposition electrolyte (AE) are arranged and which has a device for electric current generation and at least one current feeding device wherein each has at least one electrical contact element for making electrical contact with the workpiece (WS);
(b) bringing the at least one electrical contact element into contact with the workpiece (WS); and
(c) feeding electric current to the workpiece (WS) via the at least one electrical contact element in order that the deposition metal electrodeposits on the workpiece (WS);

wherein before method step (b), in a further method step (d), the deposition metal is electrodeposited on a respective contact area on the at least one electrical contact element.

2. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 1 , characterized in that deposition metal present on the at least one electrical contact element is removed before method step (d) in a further method step (e).

3. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the method steps (b), (c) and (d) are repeated cyclically.

4. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the deposition metal is copper and that the deposition metal electrodeposited in method step (d) is electrodeposited with a thickness such that, before repeating method step (c), the layer thickness on the respective contact area is at least 0.5 μm.

5. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 4 , characterized in that, in method step (d), in addition to the electrodeposited metal being electrodeposited on the respective contact area on the at least one electrical contact element of the at least one current feeding device, the deposition metal is also electrodeposited on parts of the at least one current feeding device, adjacent to the respective contact area on the at least one electrical contact element.

6. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 5 , wherein the electrolytic metal depositing apparatus comprises a continuous plating apparatus, and characterized in that the workpiece (WS) is guided in the continuous plating apparatus, and wherein continuous electrolytic metal deposition takes place on a transport path (TB), in that a plurality of said current feeding devices are guided parallel to the transport path (TB), wherein, first, the electrical contact elements of the current feeding devices are in electrical contact with the workpiece (WS) in accordance with method step (b) and, second, the workpiece (WS) is polarized via the electrical contact elements in accordance with method step (c), in that, after method step (c), the electrical contact elements are firstly freed of the deposition metal electrodeposited thereon, and in that the deposition metal is electrodeposited again on the respective contact area on the electrical contact elements in accordance with method step (d) before the electrical contact elements are brought into contact with a further workpiece (WS).

7. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the current feeding devices are held on a holding device forming a circulation, in that the electrical contact elements of the current feeding devices are brought into contact with the workpiece (WS) in a first region of the circulation, the deposition metal is electrodeposited on the workpiece (WS) in the first region, and the contact between the workpiece (WS) and the respective contact area on the electrical contact elements is released at the end of the first region, in that the deposition metal electrodeposited on the respective contact area on the electrical contact elements is stripped in a second region of the circulation, and in that the deposition metal is electrodeposited again on the respective contact area on the electrical contact element in a third region of the circulation.

8. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the deposition metal is copper and that the deposition metal electrodeposited in method step (d) is electrodeposited with a thickness such that, before feeding electric current to the workpiece via the at least one electrical contact element in method step (c), the layer thickness on the respective contact area is at least 0.5 μm.

9. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 2 , wherein the electrolytic metal depositing apparatus comprises a continuous plating apparatus ( 1 ), and characterized in that the workpiece (WS) is guided in the continuous plating apparatus ( 1 ), and wherein continuous electrolytic metal deposition takes place on a transport path (TB), in that a plurality of said current feeding devices are guided parallel to the transport path (TB), wherein, first, the electrical contact elements of the current feeding devices are in electrical contact with the workpiece (WS) in accordance with method step (b) and, second, the workpiece (WS) is polarized via the electrical contact elements in accordance with method step (c), in that, after method step (c), the electrical contact elements are firstly freed of the deposition metal electrodeposited thereon, and in that the deposition metal is electrodeposited again on the respective contact area on the electrical contact elements in accordance with method step (d) before the electrical contact elements are brought into contact with a further workpiece (WS).

10. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the method steps (b), (c) and (d) are repeated cyclically.

11. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the deposition metal is copper and that the deposition metal electrodeposited in method step (d) is electrodeposited with a thickness such that, before feeding the electric current to the workpiece via the at least one electrical contact element in method step (c), the layer thickness on the respective contact area is at least 0.5 μm.

12. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 1 , characterized in that, in method step (d), in addition to the deposition metal being electrodeposited on the respective contact area on the at least one electrical contact element of the at least one current feeding device, the deposition metal is also electrodeposited on parts of the at least one current feeding device, adjacent to the respective contact area on the at least one electrical contact element.

13. Method for electrolytically depositing a deposition metal on a workpiece (WS) according to claim 12 , characterized in that the current feeding devices are held on a holding device forming a circulation, in that the electrical contact elements of the current feeding devices are brought into contact with the workpiece (WS) in a first region of the circulation, the deposition metal is electrodeposited on the workpiece (WS) in the first region, and the contact between the workpiece (WS) and the respective contact area on the electrical contact ele

Assignees

• Atotech Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Britz Dominik
• Schmitt Bernd
• Böse Bernd
• Mücklich Frank
• Selzner Christian

Classifications

• H05K3/241

  characterised by the electroplating method; means therefor, e.g. baths or apparatus · CPC title

• C25D17/06 Primary

  Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated · CPC title

• C25D17/28 Primary

  with means for moving the objects individually through the apparatus during treatment · CPC title

• C25D17/005 Primary

  Contacting devices · CPC title

• Y10S204/07

  Current distribution within the bath · CPC title