Electrochemical coating system
By matching the area pattern on the surface of the workpiece surface with the area pattern on the insoluble anode in the electrochemical coating system, the problem of uneven coating thickness is solved, and the uniformity of coating thickness and coating quality are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411620546.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-14
AI Technical Summary
During the electrochemical coating process, the current density and flow field distribution of the cathode surface are uneven, resulting in uneven coating thickness, which seriously affects the performance of workpieces such as IC carrier plates and metal masks.
An electrochemical coating system is designed in which the pattern formed by the area on the workpiece surface needs to be coated and matched with the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode involved in the coating to ensure uniform distribution of the current density and flow field.
By matching the pattern on the insoluble anode with the pattern on the cathode workpiece, uniformity of coating thickness is achieved and coating quality is improved.
Smart Images
Figure CN119615337A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electrochemical plating, and in particular to an electrochemical plating system. Background Art
[0002] Electrochemical coating process can quickly form a coating on the surface of a workpiece and is widely used in many industries. During electrochemical coating, the workpiece is used as the cathode, and then the cathode and anode are placed in the electrolyte at the same time. When the cathode and anode are energized, a deposited layer can be formed on the workpiece at the cathode.
[0003] However, due to the uneven current density and flow field distribution on the cathode surface, the thickness of the deposited layer on the cathode workpiece is uneven. In applications such as fine lines in IC package substrates and hole filling of metal masks, the uneven thickness of the deposited layer on the workpiece will seriously affect the performance of these workpieces. Summary of the invention
[0004] In view of the above problems, the present application proposes an electrochemical plating system, comprising:
[0005] Power supply unit for providing direct current for electroplating
[0006] an electrolytic cell having an electrolyte therein;
[0007] At least one electroplating module, the electroplating module comprising: an insoluble anode and a cathode, the insoluble anode and the cathode are arranged in the electrolyte in an opposite manner, the insoluble anode is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply device, and the cathode is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply device;
[0008] Among them, the workpiece to be coated is connected to the cathode, the surface of the workpiece to be coated is arranged toward the insoluble anode, and the pattern formed by the area on the surface of the workpiece to be coated is the first pattern; the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode participating in electrochemical coating is the second pattern; the first pattern matches the second pattern.
[0009] Optionally, the first figure and the second figure are plane figures or three-dimensional figures, and the shape of the second figure is the same as the edge shape of the first figure;
[0010] When the first figure has a uniform internal figure, the internal figure of the first figure is the same as the internal figure of the second figure.
[0011] Optionally, when the first graphic includes at least a first inner graphic with a wider width and a second inner graphic with a narrower width;
[0012] The second graphic has a third internal graphic corresponding to and matching the first internal graphic, and the second graphic also has a fourth internal graphic corresponding to and matching the second internal graphic;
[0013] The width of the third inner pattern is relatively narrow, the width of the fourth inner pattern is relatively narrow, and the current density formed between the first inner pattern and the third inner pattern is the same as the current density formed between the second inner pattern and the fourth inner pattern.
[0014] Optionally, it further comprises a support mesh, wherein the support mesh is arranged in the electrolyte, and the insoluble anode or cathode is arranged on the support mesh.
[0015] Optionally, the support net further comprises a first net body and a second net body, and the first net body and the second net body are arranged in parallel and spaced apart;
[0016] One of the insoluble anode and the cathode is disposed on the first mesh body, and the other is disposed on the second mesh body, and the disposition position of the insoluble anode corresponds to the disposition position of the cathode.
[0017] Optionally, the insoluble anode is a conductive thin plate, and the outer surface of the conductive thin plate is partially covered with an insulating material;
[0018] The area on the surface of the conductive thin plate opposite to the workpiece and not covered by the insulating material constitutes the second pattern.
[0019] Optionally, the power supply device includes a plurality of power supply modules, and when a plurality of the electroplating modules are provided in the electrolytic cell, one power supply module is connected to one of the electroplating modules.
[0020] Optionally, each power supply module is provided with an adjustment device, and each of the adjustment devices can independently adjust the current provided to one of the electroplating modules.
[0021] In the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, the pattern formed by the area on the surface of the workpiece to be plated is the first pattern, and the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode participating in the electrochemical plating is the second pattern, and the first pattern matches the second pattern. By matching the second pattern on the insoluble anode with the first pattern on the cathode workpiece, the current density and flow field distribution formed between the insoluble anode and the cathode workpiece are more uniform, and the thickness of the coating on the cathode workpiece is also more uniform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.
[0023] Figure 1 A simplified structural diagram of an electrochemical plating system provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0024] Figure 2 A front view of an electroplating module provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0025] Figure 3 A front view of another electroplating module provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0026] Figure 4 A front view of an insoluble anode provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0027] Figure 5 Another schematic diagram of the structure of an electrochemical plating system provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application. The "including" mentioned in the entire specification and claims is an open term, so it should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". "Approximately" means that within an acceptable error range, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problems within a certain error range and basically achieve the technical effects. In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, a plurality of refers to two or more. In the absence of mutual contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples.
[0029] Figure 1 This is a simplified structural diagram of an electrochemical plating system provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1In one embodiment of the present application, an electrochemical plating system is provided, which includes a power supply device 1, an electrolytic cell 2 and at least one electroplating module, and the electroplating module includes an insoluble anode 4 and a cathode 3. The power supply device 1 can provide electroplating direct current to the electroplating module. Under the action of the current, various ions in the electrolyte undergo oxidation-reduction reactions, thereby forming a metal plating layer on the cathode 3. Specifically, when a workpiece needs to be electroplated, a conductive workpiece is usually connected to the cathode 3, or the conductive workpiece is directly used as the cathode 3 of the electroplating module, and the corresponding metal ions in the electrolytic solution obtain electrons, thereby being deposited on the cathode workpiece, and a plating layer can be formed on the workpiece surface.
[0030] The electrolytic cell 2 contains an electrolyte. During the electroplating process, the insoluble anode 4 and the cathode 3 need to be completely immersed in the electrolyte. In order to avoid direct conduction between the insoluble anode 4 and the cathode 3, the insoluble anode 4 and the cathode 3 are arranged in the electrolyte with a gap, the insoluble anode 4 is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply device 1, and the cathode 3 is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply device 1.
[0031] Since electrochemical plating is a complicated process, for insoluble anodes 4 and cathodes 3 of different shapes, the current density and flow field distribution on the surface of cathode 3 are likely to be uneven when the current flows from the anode to the cathode 3, which will lead to uneven thickness of the deposited layer on the cathode workpiece, and the deposited surface is mostly in a "saddle" shape with high edges and low middle. For some applications such as fine lines in IC substrates and hole filling of metal mask plates, the performance of IC substrates and metal mask plates will be seriously affected after plating, and they may even become unusable and scrapped.
[0032] In the technical solution provided in the present application, the workpiece to be plated is connected to the cathode 3, or the workpiece to be plated is directly used as the cathode 3 of the electroplating module. In some fields (for example, the production of IC carriers and metal mask plates), the coating of these workpieces is not performed on the entire surface of the workpiece, but on a specific partial surface or some areas of a partial surface. In order to improve the efficiency and quality of the coating, in the technical solution provided in the present application, the surface of the workpiece to be plated is arranged toward the insoluble anode 4. Specifically, the surface of the workpiece to be plated is relatively spaced from the surface of the insoluble anode 4 that participates in the coating reaction.
[0033] Further, the pattern formed by the area on the workpiece surface to be plated is the first pattern 31, and the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode 4 participating in the electrochemical plating is the second pattern 41, and the first pattern 31 matches the second pattern 41. It can be understood that in the process of electrochemical plating, the area of the first pattern 31 on the workpiece surface is in contact with the electrolyte, and the area of the second pattern 41 on the insoluble anode 4 is also in contact with the electrolyte. When the electroplating direct current is applied to the insoluble anode 4 and the cathode 3, the current will be conducted between the cathode 3 and the anode through the electrolyte between the first pattern 31 and the second pattern 41, thereby forming a deposited layer on the workpiece surface. In the technical solution provided in the present application, by matching the first pattern 31 with the second pattern 41, the current will form a uniform current density and flow field in the electrolyte between the first pattern 31 area on the workpiece surface and the second pattern 41 area on the insoluble anode 4, so the thickness of the deposited layer formed on the workpiece surface is uniform and the coating quality is high.
[0034] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment provided in the present application, the first figure 31 and the second figure 41 can be a plane figure or a three-dimensional figure, and the shape of the second figure 41 is the same as the edge shape of the first figure 31. For example, when the workpiece to be plated is an IC substrate, the fine circuit on the IC substrate can be considered as a plane-type first figure 31, and the edge shape of the second figure 41 on the insoluble anode 4 is the same as the edge shape of the first figure 31, so that the first figure 31 matches the second figure 41. For another example, when the workpiece to be plated is a hole filling on a metal mask, the hole filling can be considered as a three-dimensional first figure 31, and at this time, the edge shape of the second figure 41 is also a hole shape.
[0035] Further, when the first pattern 31 has a uniform internal pattern, the internal pattern of the first pattern 31 is the same as the internal pattern of the second pattern 41. Figure 2 For example, when the surface of the workpiece to be coated has four internal patterns with the same length, width and spacing, then correspondingly, the surface of the insoluble anode 4 also has four internal patterns with the same length, width and spacing.
[0036] See also Figure 3In one embodiment provided in the present application, when the first graphic 31 includes at least a first internal graphic 311 with a relatively wide width and a second internal graphic 312 with a relatively narrow width, the second graphic 41 has a third internal graphic 411 corresponding to and matching the first internal graphic 311, and also has a fourth internal graphic 412 corresponding to and matching the second internal graphic 312. The third internal graphic 411 is relatively narrow, and the fourth internal graphic 412 is relatively wide. The current density formed between the first internal graphic 311 and the third internal graphic 411 is the same as the current density formed between the second internal graphic and the fourth internal graphic 412.
[0037] By matching the narrower third inner pattern 411 with the wider first inner pattern 311, and matching the wider fourth inner pattern 412 with the narrower second inner pattern 312, the current density formed between the first inner pattern 311 and the third inner pattern 411 can be made the same as the current density formed between the second inner pattern 312 and the fourth inner pattern 412. It can be simply understood that the total area of the first inner pattern 311 and the third inner pattern 411 in contact with the electrolyte is the first total area, the total area of the second inner pattern 312 and the fourth inner pattern 412 in contact with the electrolyte is the second total area, and the first total area and the second total area are substantially the same. When the same voltage is applied between the first inner pattern 311 and the third inner pattern 411, and between the second inner pattern 312 and the fourth inner pattern 412 at the same time, since the first total area and the second total area are approximately equal, the resistance between the first inner pattern 311 and the third inner pattern 411 is approximately the same as the resistance between the second inner pattern 312 and the fourth inner pattern 412, and the current density between the two must also be approximately equal. The thickness of the electrodeposited layer formed on the first inner pattern 311 and the second inner pattern 312 will be approximately the same.
[0038] In the technical solution provided in the present application, by matching the first internal graphic 311 and the third internal graphic 411, the second internal graphic 312 and the fourth internal graphic 412, the current density formed between the internal graphics is the same, then the thickness of the electrodeposited layer formed on the first internal graphic 311 and the second internal graphic 312 is also the same, and the thickness of the electrodeposited layer formed on the entire surface of the workpiece to be coated is uniform.
[0039] See also Figure 4In one embodiment provided in the present application, the first graphic 31 to be coated on the cathode workpiece includes two areas, wherein the first area is provided with sparse circuits, and the second area is provided with dense circuits, and these circuits need to be coated. Two pictographic anode plates are provided on the insoluble anode, and the shape of the first pictographic anode plate 401 is the same as the shape of the first area, and the shape of the second pictographic anode plate 402 is the same as the shape of the second area. However, the pattern on the first pictographic anode plate is a dense circuit structure, and the dense circuit structure pattern (which can be considered as the third internal graphic 411) matches the sparse circuit pattern in the first area (which can be considered as the first internal graphic 311). Similarly, the pattern on the second pictographic anode plate is a sparse circuit structure, and the sparse circuit structure pattern (which can be considered as the fourth internal graphic 412) matches the sparse circuit pattern in the first area (which can be considered as the second internal graphic 312).
[0040] To facilitate the workpiece or the insoluble anode 4 to be suspended in the electrolyte, see Figure 1 and Figure 5 In one embodiment provided in the present application, the electrochemical plating system further includes a support mesh, the support mesh is disposed in the electrolyte, and the insoluble anode 4 or cathode 3 is disposed on the support mesh. The support material may be an insulating material, such as a PP (polypropylene) mesh, a nylon mesh, a plastic mesh, etc. The support mesh may also be a conductive material, such as a PP anode mesh doped with metal, a metal mesh, etc. When the support mesh is a metal conductive mesh, the insoluble anode 4 may be directly disposed on the metal conductive mesh, and one or more insoluble anodes 4 may be directly electrically connected to the metal conductive mesh. The current provided by the power supply may be directly conducted to the insoluble anode 4 by directly connecting the metal support mesh to the positive electrode of the power supply device 1 through the wire 6.
[0041] Further, in another embodiment provided in the present application, the support net includes a first net body 51 and a second net body 52, the first net body 51 and the second net body 52 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, one of the insoluble anode 4 and the cathode 3 is arranged on the first net body 51, and the other is arranged on the second net body 52, and the arrangement position of the insoluble anode 4 corresponds to the arrangement position of the cathode 3. Figure 1As shown, along the depth direction of the electrolytic cell, the first mesh body 51 is arranged at a position close to the bottom of the electrolytic cell, and the second mesh body 52 is arranged at a position close to the liquid surface of the electrolyte in the electrolytic cell. The insoluble anode 4 can be arranged on the first mesh body 51, or the workpiece to be coated can be arranged on the first mesh body 51. Taking the arrangement of the insoluble anode 4 on the first mesh body 51 as an example, the first mesh body 51 is a metal conductive mesh, and the positive electrode of the power supply device 1 is connected to the metal conductive mesh through the wire 6, so that multiple insoluble anodes 4 on the first mesh body 51 can be powered at the same time. The workpiece is arranged on the second mesh body 52. In order to avoid the formation of a precipitation layer on the second mesh body 52, the second mesh body 52 is an insulating material, and the workpiece to be coated is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply device 1 through the wire 6. When multiple workpieces to be coated are arranged on the second mesh body 52, the multiple workpieces need to be connected to the negative electrode of the power supply device 1 through the wire 6 separately.
[0042] In addition to being arranged in a horizontal direction, the support net can also be arranged in a vertical direction, so that more groups of electroplating modules can be placed in the electrolytic cell 2.
[0043] In one embodiment provided in the present application, the insoluble anode 4 is a conductive thin plate, and the outer surface of the conductive thin plate is partially covered with an insulating material; the area on the surface of the conductive thin plate opposite to the workpiece that is not covered by the insulating material constitutes a second figure 41. Specifically, when the IC carrier board and the metal mask board are used as the cathode 3 of the electroplating module, the cathode 3 can be considered as the cathode thin plate, and the fine lines and filled holes on the surface of the cathode thin plate can be considered as the area to be plated; the area on the conductive thin plate (insoluble anode 4) that participates in the electroplating chemical reaction constitutes the second figure 41. Except for the second figure 41, other areas on the conductive thin plate are mostly covered with insulating materials to avoid contact with the electrolyte. Insulating materials include but are not limited to: insulating glue, insulating photoresist, insulating stickers, insulating paint, etc.
[0044] Taking the insulating material as insulating photoresist as an example, when the circuit to be plated on the IC substrate is complex and fine, the second pattern 41 on the insoluble anode 4 is also a complex and fine pattern. To facilitate the formation of the second pattern 41 on the insoluble anode 4, the insulating photoresist can be first coated on the surface of the insoluble anode 4, and then the second pattern 41 is formed on the insulating photoresist by exposure, and then the insulating photoresist on the exposed area is washed off, so that the second pattern 41 not covered by the insulating photoresist can be formed on the insoluble anode 4.
[0045] See also Figure 5In one embodiment provided in the present application, the power supply device 1 includes a plurality of power supply modules 11. When a plurality of electroplating modules are provided in the electrolytic cell 2, one power supply module is connected to one electroplating module. Such a technical solution can adapt to different electroplating modules. When the workpieces on different electroplating modules are different, the corresponding power supply module 11 can provide current that meets the coating requirements according to actual needs.
[0046] In order to facilitate the adjustment of the coating thickness and coating speed of the workpiece in different electroplating modules, in one embodiment provided in the present application, each power supply module 11 is provided with an adjustment device 111, and each adjustment device 111 can individually adjust the current provided to an electroplating module. When a faster coating speed is required, the voltage output by the power supply module 11 can be increased through the adjustment module, and the current between the corresponding insoluble anode 4 and cathode 3 will also increase, and the electroplating speed will be accelerated.
[0047] In summary, in the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, the pattern formed by the area on the surface of the workpiece to be plated is the first pattern, the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode participating in the electrochemical plating is the second pattern, and the first pattern matches the second pattern. By matching the second pattern on the insoluble anode with the first pattern on the cathode workpiece, the current density and flow field distribution formed between the insoluble anode and the cathode workpiece are more uniform, and the thickness of the coating on the cathode workpiece is also more uniform.
[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.
Claims
1. An electrochemical coating system, characterized in that: include: Power supply unit for providing direct current for electroplating an electrolytic cell having an electrolyte therein; At least one electroplating module, the electroplating module comprising: an insoluble anode and a cathode, the insoluble anode and the cathode are arranged in the electrolyte in an opposite manner, the insoluble anode is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply device, and the cathode is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply device; Among them, the workpiece to be coated is connected to the cathode, the surface of the workpiece to be coated is arranged toward the insoluble anode, and the pattern formed by the area on the surface of the workpiece to be coated is the first pattern; the pattern formed by the area on the insoluble anode participating in electrochemical coating is the second pattern; the first pattern matches the second pattern.
2. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first figure and the second figure are plane figures or three-dimensional figures, and the shape of the second figure is the same as the edge shape of the first figure; When the first figure has a uniform internal figure, the internal figure of the first figure is the same as the internal figure of the second figure.
3. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the first graphic includes at least a first inner graphic having a wider width and a second inner graphic having a narrower width; The second graphic has a third internal graphic corresponding to and matching the first internal graphic, and the second graphic also has a fourth internal graphic corresponding to and matching the second internal graphic; The width of the third inner pattern is relatively narrow, the width of the fourth inner pattern is relatively narrow, and the current density formed between the first inner pattern and the third inner pattern is the same as the current density formed between the second inner pattern and the fourth inner pattern.
4. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a support net, which is arranged in the electrolyte, and the insoluble anode or cathode is arranged on the support net.
5. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support net also includes a first net body and a second net body, wherein the first net body and the second net body are arranged in parallel and spaced apart; One of the insoluble anode and the cathode is disposed on the first mesh body, and the other is disposed on the second mesh body, and the disposition position of the insoluble anode corresponds to the disposition position of the cathode.
6. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The insoluble anode is a conductive thin plate, and the outer surface of the conductive thin plate is partially covered with insulating material; The area on the surface of the conductive thin plate opposite to the workpiece and not covered by the insulating material constitutes the second pattern.
7. The electrochemical plating system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The power supply device includes a plurality of power supply modules. When a plurality of electroplating modules are provided in the electrolytic cell, one power supply module is connected to one electroplating module.
8. The electrochemical plating system according to claim 7, characterized in that: Each power supply module is provided with an adjustment device, and each of the adjustment devices can independently adjust the current provided to one of the electroplating modules.