Electroplating solution cooling method, electroplating solution cooling device and electroplating system

Abstract

The invention provides an electroplating liquid cooling method, an electroplating liquid cooling device and an electroplating system. The temperature stability of electroplating liquid can be improved. The electroplate liquid cooling method is suitable for the electroplate liquid cooling device, the electroplate liquid cooling device comprises a cooling tank, the cooling tank is provided with a liquid return opening used for inputting electroplate liquid and a liquid outlet used for outputting the electroplate liquid, and the method comprises the following steps that when the electroplate liquid cooling device is in a standby state, the liquid return opening is communicated with the liquid outlet; setting the target cooling temperature of the electroplating liquid cooling device at a first target value; and after a surplus cooling instruction is received, the target cooling temperature is set to be a second target value, the second target value is lower than the first target value, and a preset difference value exists between the second target value and the first target value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to the field of electroplating, and in particular to an electroplating liquid cooling method, an electroplating liquid cooling device and an electroplating system. Background Art

[0002] The electroplating process is an indispensable part of the chip manufacturing process, and the electroplating effect determines the performance and life of the chip. Here, we take the copper electroplating equipment as an example to illustrate the typical electroplating process. The copper electrode as the anode and the wafer as the cathode are set opposite to each other. During the electroplating process, the copper at the anode is oxidized into copper ions (Cu 2+ ), the copper ions in the plating solution are reduced to copper at the cathode and evenly deposited on the wafer surface. This redox reaction generates a lot of heat, which increases the temperature of the plating solution. The increase in plating solution temperature affects the combination of inorganic ions and organic additives, weakens the effect of additives in filling holes and leveling, thereby increasing electroplating defects and affecting electroplating quality.

[0003] In view of the above situation, a cooling device is required to keep the temperature of the plating solution constant during the electroplating process. When the process temperature during the electroplating process is close to the indoor temperature of the factory (such as 21°C / 25°C), the temperature control of the plating solution is relatively simple. However, the plating solution under certain processes requires a temperature that is very different from the room temperature, such as a significantly lower temperature of 17°C, which requires a higher temperature control capability of the cooling device.

[0004] Some known means can improve the temperature control capability of the cooling device, such as PID (proportional integral differential) control mechanism, increasing the coolant flow of the cooling device, and increasing the length of the cooling coil. However, the adjustment range of the first two means is limited, and the third adjustment method is limited by the volume of the cooling tank itself. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a plating liquid cooling method, a plating liquid cooling device and an electroplating system, which can improve the temperature stability of the plating liquid.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a plating liquid cooling method, which is applicable to a plating liquid cooling device, wherein the plating liquid cooling device comprises a cooling tank, wherein the cooling tank has a return port for inputting the plating liquid and a liquid outlet for outputting the plating liquid, and the method comprises the following steps: when the plating liquid cooling device is in a standby state, setting the target cooling temperature of the plating liquid cooling device at a first target value; after receiving a margin cooling instruction, setting the target cooling temperature at a second target value, wherein the second target value is lower than the first target value and the two have a preset difference.

[0007] The present invention also proposes a plating liquid cooling method, comprising the following steps: when the plating liquid cooling device is in a standby state, setting the target cooling temperature at a first target value; in response to receiving a plating command, sending a margin cooling instruction from the plating equipment to the plating liquid cooling device; in response to receiving the margin cooling instruction, setting the target cooling temperature at a second target value in the plating liquid cooling device, the second target value being lower than the first target value and the two having a preset difference.

[0008] The present invention also proposes a plating liquid cooling device, comprising: a cooling tank having a return port for inputting the plating liquid and a liquid outlet for outputting the plating liquid; at least one partition, arranged in the cooling tank to divide the cooling tank into at least two areas to limit the plating liquid in the cooling tank to pass through each area along a predetermined path; and a refrigeration component, including an evaporator located in the cooling tank, the evaporator including a plurality of cooling coils, respectively distributed in at least part of the at least two areas.

[0009] The present invention also provides an electroplating system, comprising the electroplating liquid cooling device and electroplating equipment as described above, coupled to the electroplating liquid cooling device and configured to issue the margin cooling instruction after receiving an electroplating command.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can compensate for the temperature rise of the first few cycles of electroplating by sending a margin cooling instruction to the electroplating liquid cooling device before electroplating, thereby appropriately reducing the target cooling temperature. This can reduce the temperature fluctuation of the electroplating liquid and improve stability. The present invention also increases the travel of the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank and increases the effective cooling time by setting a baffle in the cooling tank to limit the electroplating liquid to flow along a predetermined path, thereby improving the cooling capacity. In addition, the present invention sets a plurality of cooling coils in the cooling tank, which significantly increases the contact area between the electroplating liquid and the coolant and improves the cooling capacity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present application. They are included and constitute a part of the present application. The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present application and together with the present specification serve to explain the principles of the present application. In the accompanying drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an electroplating system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0013] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the first embodiment of the present application.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a schematic flow chart of a method for cooling an electroplating solution according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0015] Figure 4A-4BIt is a schematic structural diagram of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0016] Figure 5A-5B A schematic structural diagram of a plating liquid cooling device according to a third embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 6A-6B A schematic structural diagram of a plating liquid cooling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 7A-7B Schematic diagram of the structure of the cooling coil in each embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some examples or embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, the present application can also be applied to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without creative work. Unless it is obvious from the language environment or otherwise explained, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

[0020] As shown in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates an exception, the words "a", "an", "an" and / or "the" do not refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "include" and "comprise" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements that have been clearly identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. The method or device may also include other steps or elements.

[0021] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​of the parts and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application. At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship. The technology, method and equipment known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant field may not be discussed in detail, but in appropriate cases, the technology, method and equipment should be considered as a part of the authorization specification. In all examples shown and discussed here, any specific value should be interpreted as being merely exemplary, rather than as a limitation. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, so that once a certain item is defined in an accompanying drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0022] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by directional words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "lateral, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise specified, these directional words do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present application; the directional words "inside and outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the contours of each component itself.

[0023] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used here to describe the spatial positional relationship between a device or feature and other devices or features as shown in the figure. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figure. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". The device can also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptions used here are interpreted accordingly.

[0024] In addition, it should be noted that the use of words such as "first" and "second" to define components is only for the convenience of distinguishing the corresponding components. If not otherwise stated, the above words have no special meaning and cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of this application. In addition, although the terms used in this application are selected from well-known and commonly used terms, some terms mentioned in the specification of this application may be selected by the applicant at his or her discretion, and their detailed meanings are explained in the relevant parts of the description of this article. In addition, it is required to understand this application not only by the actual terms used, but also by the meaning implied by each term.

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an electroplating system according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the electroplating system 10 includes an electroplating device 100 and an electroplating solution cooling device 200. The electroplating device 100 is an electrochemical plating (ECP) device that can form a metal thin layer, such as a copper layer, on a wafer or other semiconductor device. The electroplating device 100 has one or more electroplating chambers ( Figure 1Not shown). When the temperature of the plating liquid rises, it can enter the plating liquid cooling device 200 to be cooled and then circulated back to the plating chamber. In one embodiment of the present application, the plating liquid cooling device 200 is a device independent of the electroplating equipment 100, such as a refrigerator. In another embodiment of the present application, the cooling device 200 is a component of the electroplating equipment 100. The electroplating equipment 100 and the plating liquid cooling device 200 are coupled to transmit commands and / or data. The coupling can be a wired connection or a wireless network communication. On the other hand, the coupling method between the electroplating equipment 100 and the plating liquid cooling device 200 can be a direct connection or a connection through an intermediary device. The EAP (Equipment Automation Programming, equipment automation) system 20 couples the electroplating equipment 100 to transmit commands and / or data. For example, the EAP system 20 transmits a work command to the electroplating equipment 100 to start the electroplating process.

[0026] First embodiment of the electroplating liquid cooling device

[0027] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the first embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, the electroplating liquid cooling device 200 includes a cooling tank 201, a refrigeration component 210, a first temperature sensor 221, a second temperature sensor 222 and a controller 223. The cooling tank 201 is, for example, cylindrical or rectangular. Figure 2 The top view thereof is shown. The cooling tank 201 has a liquid return port 201a, a liquid outlet 201b and a liquid drain port 201c. The liquid return port 201a is used to input the plating liquid from the electroplating equipment 100, the liquid outlet 201b is used to output the plating liquid to the electroplating equipment 100, and the liquid drain port 201c is used to discharge the plating liquid in the cooling tank 201 when the plating liquid is replaced. In one example, the liquid return port 201a is arranged on one side of the cooling tank 201, and the liquid outlet 201b is arranged on the other side of the cooling tank 201. In one example, the horizontal and / or vertical distance between the liquid return port 201a and the liquid outlet 201b is arranged far enough so that the plating liquid stays for a sufficient time after entering the cooling tank 201 from the liquid return port 201a and before being output from the liquid outlet 201b. The refrigeration assembly 210 can be any known refrigeration assembly. Here, a compression refrigeration assembly is taken as an example, which includes an evaporator 211, an expansion valve 212, a condenser 213 and a compressor 214, which are connected to form a Figure 2 The evaporator 211 is in the form of a coil, that is, a cooling coil.

[0028] The first temperature sensor 221 is arranged near the liquid return port 201a, and is used to detect the first temperature T1 near the liquid return port 201a and transmit it to the controller 223. The second temperature sensor 222 is arranged near the liquid outlet 201b, and is used to detect the second temperature T2 near the liquid outlet 201b and transmit it to the controller 223. Here, the second temperature T2 is used as the plating liquid temperature in the cooling tank. In addition to coupling the first temperature sensor 221 and the second temperature sensor 222, the controller 223 can also be coupled to some components in the refrigeration assembly 210, such as the compressor 214, to control the operation, stop and temperature or flow rate of the refrigerant of the refrigeration assembly 210. The cooling capacity is characterized by the temperature reduction when the plating liquid passes through the liquid return port 201a through the cooling tank 201 and is discharged from the liquid outlet 201b (referred to as one cycle). In the embodiment in which the cooling device 200 is incorporated into the electroplating equipment 100, the controller 223 is the controller of the electroplating equipment 100.

[0029] When the electroplating system 100 is in a standby state (i.e., no electroplating process is performed in all the electroplating chambers of the electroplating equipment 100), the electroplating liquid cooling device 100 is also in a standby state. At this time, the controller 223 sets the target cooling temperature of the electroplating liquid cooling device 100 at the first target value T0. The first target value T0 is, for example, the process temperature of the electroplating liquid. The controller 223 controls the refrigeration component 210 to cool the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank 201 according to the first target value T0 and the first temperature T1. For example, the controller 223 can use a PID mechanism. Specifically, when the first temperature T1 is higher than the first target value T0, the refrigerant temperature is reduced, so that the plating liquid temperature drops and stabilizes near the first target value T0; when the first temperature T1 is equal to or lower than the first target value T0, the refrigeration component 210 stops cooling the refrigerant until the first temperature T1 exceeds the first target value T0, and the refrigeration component 210 cools the refrigerant again. In one example, the first target value T0 is 17°C.

[0030] The controller 223 also determines whether to alarm based on the offset between the second temperature T2 and the first target value T0. Specifically, the allowable fluctuation range of the plating solution temperature output by the cooling tank 201 relative to the first target value T0 is Δ1, that is, the plating solution temperature in the cooling tank 201 (i.e., the second temperature T2) needs to be controlled within the range of [T0-Δ1, T0+Δ1]. When the second temperature T2 exceeds the range of [T0-Δ1, T0+Δ1], the controller 223 sends an alarm message to the electroplating equipment 100, and the electroplating equipment 100 alarms accordingly. In one example, Δ1=1°C, then if T2 is higher than 18°C ​​or lower than 16°C, the electroplating equipment 100 will alarm.

[0031] The inventor of the present application found that during the operation of the electroplating equipment 100, the thick film For example, during the simultaneous electroplating of four electroplating chambers, each time the 12th wafer is electroplated, the temperature of the plating solution supplied to the electroplating chamber by the cooling tank 201 will rise to 17.8°C and approach the process upper limit (such as 18°C), and there is a risk of exceeding the upper limit of the process temperature of the plating solution. When the 13th wafer is electroplated, the temperature of the plating solution supplied to the electroplating chamber by the cooling tank 201 exceeds 18°C, and the electroplating equipment 100 immediately alarms.

[0032] After analysis, it is found that in the early stage of electroplating, the speed at which the cooling device 200 responds to the temperature rise of the plating solution and regulates the temperature of the refrigerant is slower than the temperature rise rate of the plating solution, causing the plating solution temperature to rise cumulatively and exceed the process temperature of the plating solution. Specifically, when the plating solution cooling device 200 is in standby mode, the plating solution temperature in the cooling tank 201 is stabilized at the first target value T0 (such as 17°C); when the electroplating equipment 100 starts to operate, after the electroplating equipment electroplates a number of wafers (such as 4 wafers), the first temperature T1 detected by the first temperature sensor 221 is assumed to be 17.6°C, then the refrigerant temperature in the refrigeration component 210 needs to be reduced to improve the cooling capacity of the plating solution, so that the second temperature T2 of the liquid outlet 201b is maintained near the first target value T0. However, the drop in the refrigerant temperature has a time lag, and the liquid outlet temperature cannot be quickly reduced to the first target value T0. This is because the cooling capacity of the refrigeration component 210 is basically maintained at the cooling capacity in the standby state in the early stage of electroplating, and cannot cope with the sudden rise in the temperature of the plating solution in the early stage of electroplating.

[0033] To this end, the present embodiment introduces the surplus cooling of the electroplating solution. First, estimate the estimated temperature increase (denoted as ΔT) of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank after the first electroplating from the standby state. In one example, compare the estimated temperature increase with the allowable fluctuation range Δ1 of the temperature of the electroplating solution output from the cooling tank relative to the first target value T0. When ΔT < Δ1, set the target cooling temperature at the first target value. This situation usually occurs when the electroplating solution cooling device 200 is in the standby state. When Δ1 ≤ ΔT < 2Δ1, it is usually when electroplating is required, but not limited to this. When electroplating is required, the EAP system 20 sends an electroplating command to the electroplating device 100. The electroplating device 100 is configured to issue a surplus cooling instruction to the electroplating solution cooling device 200 after receiving this electroplating command or determining that Δ1 ≤ ΔT < 2Δ1 is satisfied. After receiving this surplus cooling instruction, the controller 223 in the electroplating solution cooling device 200 sets the target cooling temperature at the second target value T0'. The second target value T0' is lower than the aforementioned first target value T0 and there is a preset difference Δ between them. This preset difference is a surplus value set to offset the cumulative temperature rise after the start of electroplating. In one embodiment, the selection of the preset difference needs to consider the aforementioned allowable fluctuation range (denoted as Δ1) and the estimated temperature increase (denoted as ΔT) of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank after the first electroplating from the standby state. As an example, the preset difference Δ is between Δ1 and ΔT - Δ1, that is, T0 - Δ1 < T0' < T0 - (ΔT - Δ1). For example, Δ = 0.5ΔT. Here, the estimated temperature increase can be obtained through experiments or simulations.

[0034] For example, before electroplating, the controller 223 pre-sets the target cooling temperature to 16.2 °C (i.e., the second target value T0'). Before the start of electroplating, the temperature of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank 201 drops from 17 °C to 16.2 °C. After the temperature of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank 201 stabilizes at 16.2 °C, the electroplating device 100 then executes the electroplating process. In this example, the controller 223 is configured to send a surplus cooling completion message when it determines that the temperature of the electroplating solution (the second temperature T2) in the cooling tank 201 reaches the second target value T0', notifying the electroplating device 100 to start executing the electroplating process. In an alternative example, the electroplating process is executed while the temperature of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank 201 starts to drop from 17 °C to 16.2 °C. In this example, the electroplating device 100 can start executing the electroplating process simultaneously with or immediately after (within a short time) sending the surplus cooling instruction, which can reduce the waiting time and improve the electroplating efficiency.

[0035] Further, the controller 223 is also configured to restore the target cooling temperature to the first target value T0 when the first temperature T1 detected by the first temperature sensor 221 is greater than or equal to the first target value T0. Specifically, during the electroplating process, when the first temperature T1 exceeds the first target value T0, the controller 223 automatically sets the target cooling temperature to the first target value T0 (such as 17°C). In this way, the electroplating temperature can be more accurately controlled to be around 17°C.

[0036] In another example, the temperature fluctuation amplitude of the electroplating process is further controlled within the temperature control accuracy Δ0 of the refrigeration component. Here, Δ0 is, for example, 0.5°C. First, the estimated temperature increment (set as ΔT) of the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank after the first electroplating from the standby state is also estimated. The estimated temperature increment is compared with the temperature control accuracy Δ0 of the refrigeration component. When ΔT<Δ0, the target cooling temperature is set at the first target value T0. When Δ0≤ΔT<2Δ0, the target cooling temperature is set at the second target value T0'. The remaining details are similar to the previous example and will not be repeated.

[0037] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cooling method of electroplating liquid according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 Describe the electroplating liquid cooling method. In step 301, when the electroplating liquid cooling device 200 is in a standby state, its target cooling temperature is set at a first target value T0 (such as 17°C). In step 302, after the electroplating liquid cooling device 200 receives the margin cooling instruction, the target cooling temperature is set at a second target value T0', and the second target value T0' is less than the first target value T0 and the two have a preset difference Δ. Corresponding to step 302, the electroplating equipment 100 responds to receiving the electroplating command and sends the aforementioned margin cooling instruction to the electroplating liquid cooling device 200. In step 303, when the electroplating liquid cooling device 200 determines that the plating liquid temperature (here the second temperature T2) reaches the second target value T0', a margin cooling completion message is sent to the electroplating equipment 100. In response to this margin cooling completion message, the electroplating equipment 100 will start to execute the electroplating process. In step 304, the first temperature T1 near the return liquid port 201a is detected. In step 305, when the first temperature T1 detected by the first temperature sensor 221 is greater than or equal to the first target value T0, the electroplating liquid cooling device 200 restores the target cooling temperature to the first target value T0. In step 306, the second temperature T2 near the liquid outlet 201b is detected. In step 307, it is determined whether to issue an alarm message based on the comparison result between the second temperature T2 and the first target value T0. For other details of this method, please refer to the previous description, which will not be expanded here.

[0038] Flowcharts are used in this application to illustrate the operations performed by the system according to the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed precisely in order. On the contrary, various steps may be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. For example, steps 306 and 307 may be performed continuously during the process of the method, and not necessarily after step 305. At the same time, other operations may be added to these processes, or one or more operations may be removed from these processes. For example, step 303 may be omitted, and the electroplating process may be performed by the electroplating equipment 100 while issuing a margin cooling instruction or immediately thereafter.

[0039] Through the above-mentioned margin cooling method, the temperature fluctuation of the plating solution can be reduced, the stability can be improved, and in particular, the temperature rise of the plating solution in the first few cycles of electroplating can be suppressed. It should be pointed out that whether this method can make the plating solution temperature control meet the requirements of the electroplating process is related to the process requirements and other factors, such as the cooling capacity of the refrigeration component 210. For example, when it is found that ΔT≥2Δ1, other means can be combined to further improve the temperature stability of the plating solution, such as improving the cooling capacity of the cooling component, and other embodiments will be described in detail below.

[0040] Second embodiment of the electroplating liquid cooling device

[0041] Figure 4A-4B 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the second embodiment of the present application. The parts in the figure that are the same as those in other embodiments are not numbered. Figure 4A-4B As shown, in this embodiment, a first partition 202 and a second partition 203 are provided in the cooling tank 201. The first partition 202 extends from the first wall 201d (the front wall in the figure) of the cooling tank 201 to the opposite second wall 201e (the rear wall in the figure), and does not contact the second wall 201e, but leaves a channel. In addition, the second partition 203 extends from the third wall 201f of the cooling tank 201 to the first partition 202 and then bends to extend toward the first wall 201d, forming an L-shape, and enclosing the two liquid outlets 201b. In this way, the cooling tank 201 is divided into a first area S1, a second area S2 and a third area S3, the liquid return port 201a is located in the first area S1, and the liquid outlet 201b is located in the third area S3, and the effective distance between the two is significantly lengthened. These partitions 202 and 203 limit the electroplating solution in the cooling tank 201 to pass through each area along a predetermined path (as shown by the arrows in the figure). In this way, the travel distance of the electroplating solution in the cooling tank 201 can be increased, thereby improving the effective cooling time.

[0042] It can be understood that the number and arrangement of the partitions can be varied, provided that the travel of the plating solution can be extended compared to not using the partitions. For example, one partition or more than three partitions are used. The partition arrangement can be arranged according to the designed plating solution path. An exemplary plating solution path is serpentine. Therefore, the plating solution cooling device 200 of the present application includes at least one partition, which is arranged in the cooling tank 201 and divides the cooling tank 201 into at least two areas to limit the plating solution in the cooling tank 201 to pass through each area along a predetermined path.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present application, at least a portion of the partition is movable to facilitate installation or removal.

[0044] Correspondingly, the evaporator 211 includes a plurality of cooling coils, which are respectively distributed in the first area S1 and the second area S2. For example, the first area S1 includes 6 cooling coils 211a, and the second area S2 includes 6 cooling coils 211b. In one example, these cooling coils are connected in parallel. The third area S3 is not arranged with cooling coils, but it is not limited to this, and one or more cooling coils can be arranged in each area. On the one hand, these cooling coils are basically arranged closely to make the best use of the horizontal space of the cooling tank 201 and increase the contact area between the coolant and the electroplating liquid. Compared with the first embodiment, multiple cooling coils are arranged in this embodiment, which can increase the cooling area of ​​the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank 201 and improve the cooling capacity. The sizes of the cooling coils in each area can be equal, such as the cooling coil 211a, or partially unequal, such as the cooling coil 211b has two sizes.

[0045] Furthermore, at least some of the cooling coils in the plurality of cooling coils have two ends perpendicular to the predetermined path that contact the wall surface of the region in which they are located. For example, the left and right ends of five of the six cooling coils 211a contact the wall surface of the region S1 in which they are located, namely, the fourth wall surface 201g (the left wall surface in the figure) and the wall surface of the first partition 202. The left and right ends of five of the six cooling coils 211b contact the wall surface of the region S2 in which they are located, namely, the wall surface of the first partition 202, and the third wall surface 201f (the right wall surface in the figure) or the wall surface of the second partition 203. This mutual contact allows the electroplating solution to flow forward only through the gaps of the cooling coils, thereby being fully heat exchanged.

[0046] The structure of a single cooling coil 211a or 211b can refer to Figure 7A-7B, including a bracket 2111 and a coil 2112 wound on the bracket 2111. In one embodiment, the longitudinal spacing of the coil 2112 is 1 mm to 5 mm to increase the contact area between the electroplating solution and the coil 2112 and improve the cooling efficiency. The inlet and outlet of each coil 2112 are respectively led out and connected in parallel. The winding direction of each coil 2112 is vertical, which is the same as the depth direction of the cooling tank 201, and the height of the coil 2112 is the same as or slightly lower than the depth of the cooling tank 201, so as to make full use of the vertical space of the cooling tank 201 and increase the contact area between the coolant and the electroplating solution.

[0047] Other details of the electroplating liquid cooling device of this embodiment can be referred to the first embodiment, and will not be repeated here. In one example, the electroplating liquid cooling method performed in the electroplating liquid cooling device of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration component is significantly improved.

[0048] Third embodiment of the electroplating liquid cooling device

[0049] In the third embodiment, at least one of the two ends of at least some of the cooling coils among the plurality of cooling coils perpendicular to the predetermined path has a gap with the wall surface of the area where they are located, and the wall surface has a flow-blocking wall protruding toward the position between adjacent cooling coils. Figure 5A-5B Schematic diagram of the structure of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the third embodiment of the present application. The parts in the figure that are the same as those in other embodiments are not numbered. Figure 5A-5B As shown, the left ends of the six cooling coils 211a contact the wall of the region S1, i.e., the fourth wall 201g (the left wall in the figure), and there is a gap between the right end and the wall of the first partition 202. Similarly, the left ends of five cooling coils 211b among the six cooling coils 211b contact the wall of the first partition 202, and there is a gap between the right end and the third wall 201f (the right wall in the figure). Accordingly, the wall of the first partition 202 has a flow-blocking wall 202a protruding toward the position between the adjacent cooling coils 211a. Similarly, the wall of the third wall 201f or the wall of the second partition 203 also has a flow-blocking wall 202a protruding toward the position between the adjacent cooling coils 211b. These flow-blocking walls 202a can prevent the plating solution from directly passing through the gap, and guide the plating solution to flow through each cooling coil 211a and 211b, so as to be fully heat exchanged.

[0050] In an embodiment not shown in the figure, the cooling coil may have gaps between its left and right ends and the two walls of the area where it is located, and the flow-blocking walls may protrude from the two walls respectively.

[0051] Fourth embodiment of the electroplating liquid cooling device

[0052] In a fourth embodiment, at least some of the cooling coils are arranged in different directions. Figure 6A-6B1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electroplating liquid cooling device of the fourth embodiment of the present application. The parts in the figure that are the same as those in other embodiments are not numbered. Figure 6A-6B As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the third embodiment is that four cooling coils 211b of the same size are used in the second area S2, and one cooling coil 211b at the downstream is placed at an angle so as to be accommodated in a narrow space. In addition, both ends of this cooling coil contact the wall surface of the area, that is, the wall surface of the first partition 202 and the wall surface of the third partition 203.

[0053] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the above invention disclosure is only used as an example and does not constitute a limitation of the present application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements and amendments to the present application. Such modifications, improvements and amendments are suggested in the present application, so such modifications, improvements and amendments still belong to the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0054] At the same time, the present application uses specific words to describe the embodiments of the present application. For example, "one embodiment", "an embodiment", and / or "some embodiments" refer to a certain feature, structure or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different positions in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, some features, structures or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present application can be appropriately combined.

[0055] Some aspects of the present application may be performed entirely by hardware, entirely by software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or by a combination of hardware and software. The above hardware or software may be referred to as "data blocks", "modules", "engines", "units", "components" or "systems". The processor may be one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DAPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or combinations thereof. In addition, various aspects of the present application may be expressed as computer products located in one or more computer-readable media, which include computer-readable program codes. For example, computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, tapes ...), optical disks (e.g., compact disks CDs, digital versatile disks DVDs ...), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., cards, sticks, key drives ...).

[0056] Similarly, it should be noted that in order to simplify the description of the disclosure of this application and thus help understand one or more embodiments of the invention, in the above description of the embodiments of this application, multiple features are sometimes combined into one embodiment, figure or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not mean that the features required by the object of this application are more than the features mentioned in the claims. In fact, the features of the embodiments are less than all the features of the single embodiment disclosed above.

[0057] In some embodiments, numbers describing the number of components and attributes are used. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of the embodiments are modified by the modifiers "about", "approximately" or "substantially" in some examples. Unless otherwise specified, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" indicate that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximate values, which may change according to the required features of individual embodiments. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should take into account the specified significant digits and adopt the general method of retaining digits. Although the numerical domains and parameters used to confirm the breadth of their range in some embodiments of the present application are approximate values, in specific embodiments, the setting of such numerical values ​​is as accurate as possible within the feasible range.

[0058] Although the present application has been described with reference to the current specific embodiments, ordinary technicians in this technical field should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present application, and various equivalent changes or substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the present application. Therefore, as long as the changes and modifications to the above embodiments are within the essential spirit of the present application, they will fall within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for cooling an electroplating liquid, applicable to an electroplating liquid cooling device, wherein the electroplating liquid cooling device comprises a cooling tank, wherein the cooling tank has a return port for inputting the electroplating liquid and a liquid outlet for outputting the electroplating liquid, and the method comprises the following steps: When the electroplating liquid cooling device is in a standby state, setting a target cooling temperature of the electroplating liquid cooling device at a first target value; After receiving the margin cooling instruction, the target cooling temperature is set at a second target value, where the second target value is lower than the first target value and there is a preset difference between the two.

2. The electroplating solution cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: detecting a first temperature near the liquid return port; When the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first target value, the target cooling temperature is restored to be set to the first target value.

3. The electroplating solution cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: detecting a second temperature near the liquid outlet; Whether to issue an alarm message is determined according to a comparison result between the second temperature and the first target value.

4. The electroplating solution cooling method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preset difference is between Δ0 and ΔT-Δ0, or between Δ1 and ΔT-Δ1, wherein Δ0 is the temperature control accuracy of the electroplating liquid cooling device, Δ1 is the allowable fluctuation range of the electroplating liquid temperature output from the cooling tank relative to the first target value, and ΔT is the estimated temperature increment of the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank after the first electroplating from the standby state.

5. A method for cooling an electroplating solution, comprising the following steps: When the electroplating liquid cooling device is in a standby state, setting the target cooling temperature to a first target value; In response to receiving the electroplating command, sending a margin cooling instruction from the electroplating equipment to the electroplating liquid cooling device; In response to receiving the margin cooling instruction, the target cooling temperature is set at a second target value in the electroplating liquid cooling device, where the second target value is lower than the first target value and there is a preset difference between the two.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Also includes: When the electroplating liquid cooling device determines that the temperature of the electroplating liquid reaches the second target value, sending a margin cooling completion message to the electroplating equipment; In response to the margin cooling completion message, the electroplating equipment starts to perform an electroplating process.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Also includes: At the same time as or immediately after the step of sending a margin cooling instruction from the electroplating equipment to the electroplating liquid cooling device, the electroplating equipment starts to perform the electroplating process.

8. The electroplating solution cooling method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The preset difference is between Δ0 and ΔT-Δ0, or between Δ1 and ΔT-Δ1, wherein Δ0 is the temperature control accuracy of the electroplating liquid cooling device, Δ1 is the allowable fluctuation range of the electroplating liquid temperature output from the cooling tank relative to the first target value, and ΔT is the estimated temperature increment of the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank after the first electroplating from the standby state.

9. A plating liquid cooling device, comprising: A cooling tank having a liquid return port for inputting the electroplating solution and a liquid outlet port for outputting the electroplating solution; At least one partition plate is disposed in the cooling tank to divide the cooling tank into at least two areas so as to limit the electroplating solution in the cooling tank to pass through each area along a predetermined path; The refrigeration component comprises an evaporator located in the cooling tank, wherein the evaporator comprises a plurality of cooling coils respectively distributed in at least part of the at least two areas.

10. The electroplating liquid cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes a controller configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The electroplating liquid cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The cooling coil comprises a coil, which is coiled in the longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal spacing of the coil is 1 mm to 5 mm.

12. The electroplating liquid cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: Two ends of at least some of the cooling coils among the plurality of cooling coils, which are perpendicular to the predetermined path, contact the wall surface of the area where they are located.

13. The electroplating liquid cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: At least one of the two ends of at least some of the cooling coils in the plurality of cooling coils that are perpendicular to the predetermined path has a gap with the wall surface of the area where it is located, and the wall surface has a flow-blocking wall that protrudes toward a position between adjacent cooling coils.

14. The electroplating liquid cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The plurality of cooling coils are connected in parallel.

15. An electroplating system comprising: The electroplating liquid cooling device according to any one of claims 10 to 14; The electroplating equipment is coupled to the electroplating liquid cooling device and is configured to issue the margin cooling instruction after receiving the electroplating command.

16. The electroplating system according to claim 15, characterized in that The controller of the electroplating liquid cooling device is further configured to notify the electroplating equipment to start the electroplating process when it is determined that the temperature of the electroplating liquid in the cooling tank reaches the second target value.

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