Electroplating apparatus and electroplating system
The electroplating apparatus addresses bubble adherence and non-uniform deposition issues by directing electroplating solution flow to displace bubbles and using a conical tank design with a flow guide plate and ion film, ensuring uniformity and reducing maintenance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ACM RES (SHANGHAI) INC
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-11
AI Technical Summary
Insoluble anodes generate bubbles during electroplating, which can adhere to the substrate surface and affect the quality of the electroplating process, and insoluble anodes do not consume metal ions, leading to non-uniform deposition and maintenance issues.
An electroplating apparatus with a specific flow direction of the electroplating solution to move bubbles away from the substrate, a conical or hemispherical tank design, and a flow guide plate assembly to ensure uniform flow velocity, combined with an ion film to separate anode and cathode regions, and a system for replenishing metal ions.
Prevents bubble adherence to the substrate, maintains uniform electric field distribution, and ensures consistent electroplating quality while reducing maintenance costs.
Smart Images

Figure 2026519062000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor electroplating equipment, and more particularly to an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating system.
Background Art
[0002] The electroplating process of a substrate refers to a process in which metal ions in an electroplating solution are plated on the surface of the substrate to form a metal-to-metal bond in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor chip.
[0003] The electroplating equipment used to perform the electroplating process on a substrate generally has a soluble anode. The soluble anode can replenish the metal ions consumed in the electroplating solution by its own dissolution, which is advantageous for maintaining the metal ion concentration in the electroplating solution. However, the soluble anode also has its own drawbacks.
[0004] Taking the soluble copper anode used when performing the copper electroplating process on a substrate as an example, in practice, when performing the electroplating process on the substrate, the following drawbacks have been found:
[0005] 1. As the copper anode is consumed, the distance between the copper anode and the substrate, which is the cathode, changes, easily causing non-uniform deposition of copper. FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing the states of the copper anode 215 before and after electroplating, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the electroplating process, as the copper anode 215 is constantly consumed, the distance between the copper anode 215 and the substrate 100, which is the cathode, constantly increases. That is, the distance between the copper anode 215 and the substrate 100 increases from d1 before electroplating to d2 after electroplating. Furthermore, the surface shape of the copper anode 215 is constantly changing. All of these make the electric field distribution between the substrate 100 and the copper anode 215 non-uniform, resulting in non-uniform deposition of copper on the surface of the substrate 100.
[0006] 2. In copper electroplating processes, phosphorus-containing copper anodes are generally used. However, when phosphorus-containing copper anodes are worn down, black anode slime (mainly composed of copper phosphide Cu3P2) is generated on their surface. This generated anode slime requires regular maintenance, and excessive anode slime can clog pipes and ion membranes.
[0007] 3. The production line needs to be shut down periodically to replenish or replace depleted anodes.
[0008] As described above, given the drawbacks of using soluble anodes for electroplating, conventional technologies have proposed using insoluble anodes instead.
[0009] During the electroplating process on the substrate, the insoluble anode does not wear down as the electroplating reaction progresses. Therefore, the surface shape of the insoluble anode remains unchanged, and the distance between the insoluble anode and the substrate also remains unchanged. Consequently, using an insoluble anode allows for the maintenance of a uniformly distributed electric field between the anode and the cathode, which is advantageous for achieving good electroplating uniformity.
[0010] However, during electroplating of a substrate using an insoluble anode, a reduction reaction occurs on the surface of the substrate (the cathode), reducing metal ions in the electroplating solution to solid metal. An oxidation reaction occurs on the surface of the insoluble anode, where water in the electroplating solution is electrolyzed to produce oxygen, resulting in the formation of bubbles on the surface of the insoluble anode. Taking copper electroplating as an example, the following reactions occur when using an insoluble anode: Cathode: C U 2+ +2e=Cu Anode: 2H2O-4e=O2+4H + Overall response: 2C U SO4 + 2H2O = 2Cu + O2 + 2H2SO4
[0011] In practical applications, if bubbles generated on the surface of an insoluble anode adhere to the substrate surface, pores may form in the plating film, potentially affecting the quality of the substrate. This, to some extent, hinders the application of insoluble anodes in the field of substrate electroplating.
[0012] As described above, overcoming the impact of bubbles generated in the insoluble anode during electroplating on the substrate on the substrate quality is a technical problem that those skilled in the art should resolve as soon as possible. [Overview of the project]
[0013] In response to the technical problems described above, the present invention aims to overcome the problem that insoluble anodes generate a large amount of bubbles during the electroplating process on a substrate, affecting the quality of the substrate. To achieve this objective, the present invention provides an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating system.
[0014] In some embodiments, an electroplating apparatus used for plating a metal onto a substrate comprises: an electroplating tank for containing an electroplating solution and the substrate; an insoluble anode disposed inside the electroplating tank and located below the substrate; an anode solution inlet for supplying the electroplating solution into the electroplating tank; and an anode solution outlet for discharging the electroplating solution from the electroplating tank, wherein the anode solution inlet is positioned higher than the insoluble anode and the anode solution outlet so that when electroplating is performed, the electroplating solution flows between the anode solution inlet and the anode solution outlet in a first direction away from the substrate, and the flow velocity of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank is arranged so that the electroplating solution exerts a force on bubbles generated on the surface of the insoluble anode that directs the bubbles in the first direction, and the force is greater than the buoyancy of the bubbles, thereby moving the bubbles away from the substrate.
[0015] Furthermore, the bottom of the electroplating tank is conical or hemispherical, and the anode outlet is located at the center of the bottom of the electroplating tank.
[0016] The system further includes a flow guide plate assembly positioned between the insoluble anode and the anode liquid outlet.
[0017] Furthermore, the flow guide plate assembly comprises a plurality of flow guide plates arranged at intervals, wherein the distance between at least two adjacent flow guide plates gradually decreases along the first direction to form a flow path for the electroplating solution.
[0018] Furthermore, the electroplating tank is further equipped with an ion film installed inside the electroplating tank, the ion film partitioning the inside of the electroplating tank vertically into a cathode region and an anode region, the anode liquid inlet and anode liquid outlet are both located in the anode region, and the substrate is located in the cathode region.
[0019] Furthermore, multiple anode solution inlets are installed on the side wall of the electroplating tank, and the anode solution inlets are distributed at the same height and spaced apart in the horizontal direction of the electroplating tank.
[0020] The electroplating apparatus further comprises: an electroplating solution supply pipeline connected to the anode solution inlet and used to supply the electroplating solution into the electroplating tank via the anode solution inlet; an electroplating solution discharge pipeline connected to the anode solution outlet and used to discharge the electroplating solution via the anode solution outlet; and a liquid pump installed in the electroplating solution supply pipeline and / or electroplating solution discharge pipeline and used to adjust the flow rate of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank.
[0021] Furthermore, the electroplating apparatus is further equipped with a power supply for supplying power to the insoluble anode and the substrate.
[0022] Further, the electroplating apparatus further includes a liquid supply device for supplying an electroplating solution to the electroplating apparatus.
[0023] In some embodiments, the electroplating system includes the above electroplating apparatus and further includes a liquid supply device for supplying an electroplating solution to the electroplating apparatus.
[0024] Also, the liquid supply device of the electroplating system includes a dissolution tank for supplying an electroplating solution to the electroplating tank, a powder metering and adding device for supplying metal powder to the dissolution tank, a current metering device for detecting the output charge amount of a power source, and a controller arranged to control the powder metering and adding device to add a predetermined amount of the metal powder each time the current metering device detects that the output charge amount of the power source has increased by a preset ampere-hour.
[0025] Further, the electroplating system further includes a buffer tank connected between the electroplating tank and the dissolution tank for temporarily storing and mixing the electroplating solution circulating between the dissolution tank and the electroplating tank.
[0026] Also, the inside of the dissolution tank includes a stirring device and / or a temperature control device.
[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects.
[0028] 1. By forming a downward flow direction of the electroplating solution above the insoluble anode and generating an acting force for the electroplating solution to move away from the substrate with respect to the bubbles, it becomes difficult for the bubbles to approach or adhere to the surface of the substrate, thereby avoiding the formation of concave holes in the electroplating film of the substrate.
[0029] 2. By installing multiple anode solution inlets and placing the anode solution outlet below the insoluble anode, and combining this with the flow guide plate and the conical or spherical bottom of the electroplating bath, the flow velocity of the electroplating solution flowing over the surface of the insoluble anode can be made nearly uniform, the reaction rate between each part of the surface of the insoluble anode and the electroplating solution can be made nearly uniform, and the force exerted by the electroplating solution on bubbles at each part of the surface of the insoluble anode can be made nearly uniform.
[0030] 3. By dividing the electroplating tank into an anode area and a cathode area with an ion film, it can be used, on the one hand, to prevent additives in the cathode area from entering the anode area and being oxidized and decomposed during the electroplating process, and on the other hand, to prevent solid particles smaller than 1 μm that are introduced into the anode area from the anode solution inlet from entering the cathode area and adhering to the substrate surface, thereby affecting the yield.
[0031] 4. By using an insoluble anode, the anode is not consumed during the electroplating process on the substrate, its shape and position remain unchanged, providing a stable and uniform electric field distribution, and guaranteeing that the uniformity of the electroplating remains unchanged. Furthermore, compared to phosphorus-containing copper anodes, anode passivation does not occur on the surface of the insoluble anode, allowing for higher anode current densities and lower maintenance costs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0032] The features and performance of the present invention can be further explained by the following embodiments and their drawings. [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the initial state of a copper anode in the electroplating process of a substrate. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the state of a copper anode after a certain period of time has been electroplated in the electroplating process of a substrate. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the electroplating apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 4]This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a flow guide plate assembly in an electroplating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the electroplating system of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0033] To more clearly illustrate embodiments of the present invention or the technical considerations in the prior art, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the drawings in the following description represent only a few embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings and other embodiments based on these drawings without any creative effort.
[0034] To simplify the drawings, each drawing schematically shows only the parts relevant to the invention and does not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, to simplify and facilitate understanding, in some drawings, only one of the parts with the same structure or function is schematically depicted, or only one of them is numbered. In this specification, "one" can refer not only to "single" but also to "multiple."
[0035] In describing the present invention, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the terms “attachment,” “contact,” and “connection” should be understood in a broad sense, for example, a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; direct contact, indirect contact via an intermediate medium, or communication between the interiors of two elements. Those skilled in the art will be able to specifically understand the concrete meaning of the above terms in the present invention.
[0036] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used solely for the purpose of distinction and should not be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance.
[0037] As shown in Figure 3, this embodiment discloses an electroplating apparatus 21, which is used for the electroplating process of a substrate, that is, for plating a metal onto a substrate 100.
[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the electroplating apparatus 21 is arranged to perform electroplating on a substrate 100 and has an electroplating tank 210 for housing the electroplating solution and the substrate 100. An insoluble anode 213 is installed inside the electroplating tank 210, and the plated substrate 100 can be fixed above the insoluble anode 213. The dotted line in Figure 3 represents the liquid level of the electroplating solution. The anode solution inlet 216 is used to supply the electroplating solution to the electroplating tank 210, and the anode solution outlet 217 is used to discharge the electroplating solution from the electroplating tank 210. The electroplating apparatus 21 is further equipped with a power supply 260 (as shown in Figure 5), which is used to supply power to the insoluble anode 213 and the plated substrate 100. In this application, metal ions refer to ions of the metal plated on the substrate.
[0039] Here, the insoluble anode 213 has a mesh-like or plate-like structure. If a plate-like insoluble anode 213 is selected, multiple through holes penetrating vertically can be provided on the surface of the insoluble anode 213, or a gap can be pre-provided between the edge of the insoluble anode 213 and the inner wall of the electroplating tank 210 so that the electroplating solution flows from the through holes or gap to the anode solution outlet 217 below the insoluble anode 213. Furthermore, titanium can be selected as the base material for the insoluble anode 213, and a precious metal coating such as iridium, tantalum, or platinum may be applied to its surface, or materials such as lead, carbon, platinum, graphite, nickel, stainless steel, lead alloy, and cast magnetic iron oxide may be selected.
[0040] In this embodiment, when using an insoluble anode 213, a large amount of bubbles are generated on the surface of the insoluble anode 213 due to the electrolysis of water in the electroplating solution during the process of plating the substrate by the electroplating apparatus 21, which affects the quality of the substrate. The anode solution inlet 216 is configured to be higher than the insoluble anode 213 and the anode solution outlet 217. In the example shown in Figure 3, the anode solution inlet 216 is installed on the side wall of the electroplating tank 210 and is located higher than the insoluble anode 213, and the anode solution outlet 217 is installed at the bottom of the electroplating tank 210 and is located below the insoluble anode 213. Since the anode solution inlet 216 is located above the anode solution outlet 217 and the insoluble anode 213, when performing electroplating, the electroplating solution flows between the anode solution inlet 216 and the anode solution outlet 217 along a first direction d away from the substrate 100. This prevents bubbles generated on the surface of the insoluble anode 213 due to the flow of the electroplating solution from rising upwards. Here, the flow velocity of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 210 is such that the electroplating solution exerts a force on the bubbles to move away from the substrate 100 in the first direction d, and this force is greater than the buoyancy of the bubbles. This prevents bubbles from rising and adhering to the surface of the substrate 100, forming pores in the electroplating film, and affecting the quality of the substrate.
[0041] In one specific example, the electroplating apparatus 21 further includes an electroplating solution supply pipeline 2160 and an electroplating solution discharge pipeline 2170. As shown in Figure 3, the electroplating solution supply pipeline 2160 is connected to the anode solution inlet 216 and is used to supply the electroplating solution into the electroplating tank 210. The electroplating solution discharge pipeline 2170 is connected to the anode solution outlet 217 and is used to discharge the electroplating solution from the electroplating tank 210. In addition, a liquid pump 219 for adjusting the flow rate of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 210 is installed in at least one of the electroplating solution supply pipeline 2160 and the electroplating solution discharge pipeline 2170. In the example shown in Figure 3, the liquid pump 219 is installed in the electroplating solution supply pipeline 2160.
[0042] For example, if the diameter of the cross-section of the anode solution outlet 217 along the flow direction of the electroplating solution is 300 mm, in order to make the force acting away from the substrate 100 applied to the bubbles from the electroplating solution greater than the buoyancy force of the bubbles, the flow velocity of the electroplating solution at the anode solution outlet 217 may be set to 0.01 m / s or 0.02 m / s by the liquid pump 219.
[0043] Furthermore, in order to make the flow velocity of the electroplating solution flowing over the surface of the insoluble anode 213 more uniform, the bottom of the electroplating tank 210 may be designed to be conical or hemispherical, and the anode solution outlet 217 may be placed in the center of the bottom of the electroplating tank 210 and positioned on the centerline of the insoluble anode 213. Alternatively, a flow guide plate assembly 218 may be installed between the insoluble anode 213 and the anode solution outlet 217. Furthermore, by uniformly installing multiple anode solution inlets 216 at the same horizontal height on the side wall of the electroplating tank 210, and connecting each of the multiple electroplating solution supply lines 2160 to each of the multiple anode solution inlets 216, or by branching the same electroplating solution supply line 2160 into multiple branches and connecting each branch to each of the multiple anode solution inlets 216, the uniformity of the flow velocity of the electroplating solution on the surface of the insoluble anode 213 can be improved. In this way, the reaction rate of the electroplating solution at each part of the surface of the insoluble anode 213 becomes more uniform, resulting in good plating uniformity on the plated substrate 100. Moreover, the force acting on bubbles applied by the electroplating solution to each part of the surface of the insoluble anode 213 also becomes more uniform, more effectively suppressing bubble rise and further avoiding the impact of bubbles on the quality of the substrate.
[0044] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the flow guide plate assembly 218 may be configured as a plurality of flow guide plates 2180 positioned between the insoluble anode 213 and the anode solution outlet 217. Each flow guide plate 2180 is installed in parallel with spacing between them, and both ends of each flow guide plate 2180 are fixed to the side wall of the electroplating tank 210, with the spacing between at least two adjacent flow guide plates 2180 gradually decreasing along the first direction d. A flow path for the electroplating solution is formed between adjacent flow guide plates 2180 and is used to adjust the flow velocity of the electroplating solution near the side wall and centerline of the electroplating tank 210. This avoids a situation where the flow velocity of the electroplating solution is slow near the side wall of the electroplating tank 210 but fast near the centerline of the electroplating tank 210, and further improves the uniformity of the flow velocity of the electroplating solution on the surface of the insoluble anode 213. Furthermore, the flow guide plate assembly 218 may be configured as a plate member with multiple through holes on its surface, the axial direction of each through hole facing the anode solution outlet 217, forming a flow path for the electroplating solution and used to adjust the flow velocity of the electroplating solution near the side walls and centerline of the electroplating tank 210.
[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, an ion film 214 can be placed inside the electroplating tank 210. It is preferable that the ion film 214 be installed horizontally, but small angular errors are also permissible, that is, a small angle between the ion film 214 and the horizontal plane is also permissible. The ion film 214 divides the inside of the electroplating tank 210 vertically into a cathode area 211 and an anode area 212. The substrate 100 is located in the cathode area 211, and both the anode solution inlet 216 and the anode solution outlet 217 are located in the anode area 212. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, during the process in which the electroplating solution in the anode area 212 circulates between the electroplating tank 210 and the dissolution tank 220, the ion film 214 can isolate particles in the electroplating solution, preventing solid particles with a diameter of 1 μm or more from entering the cathode area 211 and adhering to the surface of the substrate 100, thereby affecting the substrate yield.
[0046] As shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments, an electroplating system 200 is further disclosed, which comprises the electroplating apparatus 21 described above, and also comprises a solution supply device 22. The solution supply device 22 is used to supply the electroplating solution to the electroplating apparatus 21.
[0047] During the electroplating process on the substrate 100, metal ions in the electroplating solution undergo a reduction reaction on the surface of the substrate 100 to form a metal electroplating film, thus decreasing the concentration of metal ions in the electroplating solution within the electroplating tank 210.
[0048] To solve the above technical problems, in the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the supply device 22 includes a dissolution tank 220, a transport pipeline 230, a powder metering and adding device 240, an ammetering device 270, and a controller 290. Referring to Figure 5, the dissolution tank 220 is connected to the electroplating tank 210 via the transport pipeline 230 and is used to supply the electroplating solution. The powder metering and adding device 240 is connected to the dissolution tank 220 and supplies metal powder to the dissolution tank 220 to replenish the electroplating solution with metal ions. The ammetering device 270 is connected to a power supply 260 located in the electroplating apparatus 21 and is used to detect the output charge amount of the power supply 260. For example, an amperemeter, which is an instrument that measures the amount of charge by applying the principle of integrating current with respect to time, can be selected as the ammetering device 270. The controller 290 is electrically connected to the current metering device 270 and the powder metering and adding device 240, respectively, and is used to control the powder metering and adding device 240 to the dissolution tank 220 based on the output charge amount detected by the current metering device 270.
[0049] Based on the theory that metal ion consumption is directly proportional to ampere-time, the amount of metal powder to be added from the powder metering and adding device 240 can be calculated when the power supply 260 outputs a preset ampere-time. Therefore, in this invention, the controller 290 controls the powder metering and adding device 240 to add a predetermined amount of metal powder each time the output charge amount of the power supply 260, as measured by the current metering device 270, increases by a preset ampere-time, thereby replenishing metal ions in the electroplating solution and maintaining a stable metal ion concentration in the electroplating solution.
[0050] Here, copper oxide powder may be selected as the metal powder, and the electroplating solution in the dissolution tank 220 may contain components such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, copper sulfate, and water. The copper oxide powder may also react with sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to dissolve in the dissolution tank 220 and form copper ions.
[0051] Specifically, in this example, the powder weighing and adding device 240 includes a hopper 241 for storing metal powder, the hopper 241 having an inlet 242 for introducing metal powder into the hopper and an outlet 243 for quantitatively discharging the metal powder, the outlet 243 being installed above the dissolution tank 220 and equipped with an electrically driven control structure (not shown), for example, a screw discharge rod driven by an electric motor.
[0052] Specifically, in this example, the power supply 260 is connected to the plated substrate 100 via a cathode line 261 and to the insoluble anode 213 via an anode line 262, and is used to supply power to the insoluble anode 213 and the plated substrate 100.
[0053] Furthermore, the electroplating tank 210 may be connected bidirectionally to the dissolution tank 220 via a transport pipeline 230. By transporting the electroplating solution from the dissolution tank 220 to the electroplating tank 210 via one transport pipeline 230, and recovering the electroplating solution from the electroplating tank 210 back into the dissolution tank 220 via another transport pipeline 230, replenishing metal ions, and then transporting it back to the electroplating tank 210, bidirectional circulation of the electroplating solution can be achieved. In addition, the electroplating tank 210 may be connected unidirectionally to the dissolution tank 220 via a transport pipeline 230. By transporting the electroplating solution from the dissolution tank 220 to the electroplating tank 210 via one transport pipeline 230, and discharging the electroplating solution from the electroplating tank 210 to another recovery device other than the dissolution tank 220 via another transport pipeline 230, the electroplating solution in the dissolution tank 220 can also be replenished from the other device, thus achieving unidirectional flow of the electroplating solution.
[0054] Preferably, in this example, the supply device further comprises a buffer tank 250 connected between the electroplating tank 210 and the dissolution tank 220, which is used to temporarily store and mix the electroplating solution circulating between the dissolution tank 220 and the electroplating tank 210.
[0055] Referring to Figure 5, in this example, the transport pipeline 230 is used to circulate the electroplating solution between the electroplating tank 210, the buffer tank 250, and the dissolution tank 220 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5. Specifically, the transport pipeline 230 comprises a first input pipeline 231, a first output pipeline 232, a second input pipeline 233, and a second output pipeline 234. The first input pipeline 231 and the first output pipeline 232 are connected between the dissolution tank 220 and the buffer tank 250, and a liquid pump 235 is located in the first input pipeline 231. The second input pipeline 233 and the second output pipeline 234 are connected between the buffer tank 250 and the electroplating tank 210, and a liquid pump 238 is located in the second input pipeline 233. Here, the first input pipeline 231 is used to transport the electroplating solution in the dissolution tank 220 to the buffer tank 250. The first output pipeline 232 is used to return the electroplating solution in the buffer tank 250 to the dissolution tank 220. The second input pipeline 233 is used to transport the electroplating solution in the buffer tank 250 to the electroplating tank 210. The second output pipeline 234 is used to return the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 210 to the buffer tank 250. The second input pipeline 233 corresponds to the electroplating solution supply pipeline 2160 in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the second output pipeline 234 corresponds to the electroplating solution discharge pipeline 2170 in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, and the liquid pump 238 corresponds to the liquid pump 219 in the embodiment shown in Figure 3.
[0056] To prevent impurities such as metal powder that have not yet dissolved in the dissolution tank 220 from being transported into the electroplating tank 210, a multi-stage filter device 236 may be installed in the first input pipeline 231.
[0057] Preferably, the electroplating system 200 further includes a concentration analyzer 280 for monitoring the concentration of metal ions in the electroplating solution. The concentration analyzer 280 may be installed in the buffer tank 250 as shown in Figure 5. In other embodiments, the concentration analyzer 280 may be installed in other tanks, for example in the electroplating tank 210 or the dissolution tank 220, and may also be installed on the transport pipeline 230, for example on the second input pipeline 233 or the second output pipeline 234.
[0058] Furthermore, a stirring device 221 can be additionally installed in the dissolution tank 220 to ensure that the metal powder is thoroughly dissolved. A temperature control device 222 can also be additionally installed in the dissolution tank 220 to monitor the temperature of the electroplating solution.
[0059] This electroplating system 200, during the electroplating process, can prevent bubbles generated on the surface of the insoluble anode 213 from rising to the surface of the substrate 100 and adhering to it, thereby forming pores in the electroplated film and affecting the quality of the substrate. Furthermore, the ion film 214 isolates impurity particles in the electroplating solution, preventing them from entering the cathode area 211 and adhering to the surface of the substrate 100, thus affecting the yield of the substrate. In addition, the system can precisely control the concentration of metal ions in the electroplating solution within the electroplating tank 210, thereby improving the controllability of the electroplating efficiency of the substrate 100.
[0060] Furthermore, the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can make some improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. An electroplating apparatus used for plating metal onto a substrate, An electroplating tank for housing the electroplating solution and the substrate, An insoluble anode is disposed inside the electroplating bath and located below the substrate, The electroplating tank includes an anode solution inlet for supplying the electroplating solution, The electroplating tank is equipped with an anode solution outlet for discharging the electroplating solution, The anode solution inlet is positioned higher than the insoluble anode and the anode solution outlet so that when the electroplating operation is performed, the electroplating solution flows between the anode solution inlet and the anode solution outlet along a first direction away from the substrate, and An electroplating apparatus characterized in that the flow velocity of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank is such that the electroplating solution applies a force to the bubbles generated on the surface of the insoluble anode in the first direction, and the force is greater than the buoyancy of the bubbles, thereby causing the bubbles to move away from the substrate.
2. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom of the electroplating tank is conical or hemispherical, and the anode solution outlet is located at the center of the bottom.
3. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a flow guide plate assembly disposed between the insoluble anode and the anode liquid outlet.
4. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flow guide plate assembly comprises a plurality of flow guide plates arranged at intervals, and the distance between at least two adjacent flow guide plates gradually decreases along the first direction to form a flow path for the electroplating solution.
5. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ion film installed inside the electroplating tank, wherein the ion film partitions the inside of the electroplating tank vertically into a cathode region and an anode region, the anode liquid inlet and the anode liquid outlet are both located in the anode region, and the substrate is located in the cathode region.
6. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of anode solution inlets are installed on the side wall of the electroplating tank, and the plurality of anode solution inlets are distributed at the same height in the horizontal direction of the electroplating tank with intervals between them.
7. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an electroplating solution supply pipeline connected to the anode solution inlet and used to supply the electroplating solution into the electroplating tank via the anode solution inlet; an electroplating solution discharge pipeline connected to the anode solution outlet and used to discharge the electroplating solution via the anode solution outlet; and a liquid pump installed in the electroplating solution supply pipeline and / or the electroplating solution discharge pipeline and used to adjust the flow rate of the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank.
8. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the insoluble anode and the substrate.
9. An electroplating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, An electroplating system further comprising a liquid supply device for supplying an electroplating solution to the electroplating apparatus.
10. The aforementioned liquid supply device is A dissolution tank for supplying the electroplating solution to the electroplating tank, A powder weighing and adding device for supplying metal powder to the aforementioned dissolution tank, An ammeter for detecting the output charge amount of a power supply, The electroplating system according to claim 9, further comprising: a controller configured to control the powder metering and adding device to add a predetermined amount of the metal powder whenever the current metering device detects that the output charge amount of the power supply has increased by a preset ampere time; and a controller configured to control the powder metering and adding device to add a predetermined amount of the metal powder.
11. The electroplating system according to claim 10, further comprising a buffer tank connected between the electroplating tank and the dissolution tank for temporarily storing and mixing the electroplating solution that circulates between the dissolution tank and the electroplating tank.
12. The electroplating system according to claim 10, characterized in that the dissolution tank is equipped with a stirring device and / or a temperature control device.