Plating frame apparatus for holding substrates during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, and a method for assembling the plating frame apparatus for holding the substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. The plating frame apparatus includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a vacuum device. The front panel includes a front frame portion surrounding a front recess. The rear panel includes a rear frame portion. The front frame portion and the rear frame portion are interconnected to hold the substrate between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. The vacuum device is configured to attach the front frame portion to the rear frame portion by reducing the internal pressure between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion to below ambient pressure.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, and a method for assembling a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] Electrolytic plating is one of the most used techniques for metallizing a surface or a portion of a surface in various industries, especially in the semiconductor-related industry. This is because the electrolytic plating process is simple and scalable to various types and sizes of substrates. In addition, electrolytic plating or electrolytic plating also has the advantage of low operating costs, making it the preferred method for substrate metallization. Moreover, it is possible to process multiple substrates simultaneously.

[0003] To achieve adequate film quality and uniformity in the electroplating process, it is particularly important to ensure very good electrical contact to one or more surfaces of the substrate, which usually already have one or more conductive seed layers present to distribute the current density over the entire surface of the substrate. Very good electrical contact is achieved by mounting the substrate for the electroplating process in a plating frame, which acts as a support frame during the electroplating process. The plating frame simultaneously acts as a handling frame for moving the substrate from the loading / unloading station, through the electroplating system and the process sequence, and back to the loading / unloading station. The plating frame can also be designed to handle multiple substrates simultaneously.

[0004] Prior art plating frames consist of two frame parts, an upper and a lower half frame, between which the substrate is clamped by mechanical force. The frame parts press electrical contacts onto the substrate surface, which has been prepared with a seed layer for the electrolytic plating process. The frame can be clamped or screwed in manually. To prevent the electrical contacts from being electrolytically plated, a sealing ring can also be used around the electrical contacts, in which case they are called dry contact frames. There are also so-called wet contact frames, which do not seal the electrical contacts from the electrolyte solution.

[0005] Prior art plating frames apply mechanical force to ensure secure fixation of the substrate through complex clamping systems, typically requiring a significant amount of manual tightening of screws, which often results in non-uniform forces on the substrate, often resulting in unstable electrical contacts and non-uniform electrolytic plating processes.

[0006] Due to the intervention required for fixing the substrates by manual screwing, fully automated loading and unloading of the substrates is not possible or is only possible with the implementation of complex robotic systems.

[0007] Another major drawback of such complex geometry clamping systems is that the corners, edges and gaps make cleaning and drying after the electrolytic plating process very difficult and time consuming. Thorough water rinsing to remove all chemical residues and thorough drying to leave no drying residue are essential for a successful electrolytic plating process.

[0008] In the case of dry contact frames, most of the substrate surface is shielded from the electroplating solution, which means that a large area of ​​the substrate surface is consumed by electrical contact formation, reducing the surface area available for device construction. More functional surface area provides a significant cost advantage for the electroplating process.

[0009] Also, dry contact frames that use sealing rings to protect the electrical contacts have been found to be very problematic for automated loading and unloading of large substrates, often resulting in electrical contact failures. Such electrical contact failures are often not immediately detected, but only after the electrolytic plating step, at which point the substrate has already been subjected to the wrong process and must be scrapped at high cost.

[0010] In the case of wet contact frames, the electrical contacts or pins typically provide very reliable electrical contact, but become heavily coated during the electrolytic plating process, which results in a larger surface contact area over time, leading to plating variations on subsequently processed boards (larger contact area allows more current to flow).

[0011] At the same time, the electrical contacts when using a wet contact frame tend to be plated with a thicker layer of metal (overplated) on the substrate surface compared to other areas of the substrate. If the substrate is subjected to multiple electrolytic plating processes during device fabrication (often 10 or more times), the significant thickness of the metal layer at the electrical contacts can cause problems during subsequent processing of the substrate, for example, coating of surface layers such as photoresist layers or insulating or passivation layers. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Accordingly, there is believed to be a need for improved plating frame apparatus for holding substrates during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, particularly to enable a more uniform electrolytic plating process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The above mentioned problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further embodiments are incorporated in the dependent claims. It is noted that the aspects of the invention described hereinafter may also be applied to a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, as well as to a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate.

[0014] In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, the plating frame apparatus comprising: - Front plate, - Back plate, and - Vacuum equipment Equipped with.

[0015] The front panel includes a front frame portion surrounding a front opening.

[0016] The back plate includes a back frame portion. Optionally, the back frame portion is a back opening Surrounds the department.

[0017] The front frame portion and the rear frame portion are connected to each other to hold the substrate between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion.

[0018] The vacuum device is configured to attach the front frame portion to the back frame portion by reducing an internal pressure between the front frame portion and the back frame portion to less than ambient pressure.

[0019] The front plate and the rear plate together constitute a plating frame. opening The frame may be configured to surround the portion or hole.

[0020] The front frame portion and the rear frame portion are connected to each other. This may be understood as the front frame portion and the rear frame portion simply being in contact, being located next to each other and touching each other. The front frame portion and the rear frame portion are not fixed to each other.

[0021] The internal pressure may be understood as the pressure inside the cavity formed and surrounded by the front and rear frame parts.

[0022] The ambient pressure may be understood to be atmospheric pressure.

[0023] The vacuum device may be understood as a pump, in particular a suction pump. A pressure difference between the internal pressure and the ambient pressure may create a suction force between the front frame part and the rear frame part. The suction force may create an attachment or fixed joint between the front frame part and the rear frame part so as to mechanically hold and electrically connect the substrate between the front frame part and the rear frame part.

[0024] The new plating frame apparatus can be understood as a wet contact vacuum frame in which the front and rear frame parts are held in place by suction. The suction can create a mechanical force on the substrate that holds the substrate between the front and rear frame parts. In other words, the front and rear frame parts can be understood as a two-part frame or half frame. The front and rear frame parts are pulled together by reduced pressure or vacuum instead of the traditionally used mechanical fastening devices, such as screws to fasten and contact the substrate.

[0025] The new plating frame apparatus allows for an improved fixation of the substrate with excellent mechanical stability, in particular a uniform and well-defined force being applied to the substrate. As a result, a very reliable electrical contact can be achieved, in particular on at least the front and / or rear side of the substrate, resulting in a very uniform electrolytic plating. The new plating frame apparatus may allow simple, fast and reliable automatic transfer and unloading of large substrates, while preferably still allowing manual loading.

[0026] The new plating frame apparatus may eliminate or at least significantly reduce side effects of electrolytic plating on the electrical contacts, which may allow for stable electrolytic plating of subsequently processed substrates. The new plating frame apparatus may significantly mitigate or reduce overplating in the electrical contact areas on the substrate surface, which may allow for stable electrolytic plating during subsequent processing of the same substrate. The new plating frame apparatus may significantly reduce shielded contact areas during electrolytic plating, which may allow for more substrate area to be left for functional implementation.

[0027] The new plating frame apparatus can rinse and dry very easily, efficiently and effectively without increasing rinsing and drying times and / or leaving dried residues (such as water stains) on the substrate surface, especially in the corners, edges and gaps of materials.

[0028] In one embodiment, the vacuum device comprises an internal vacuum source disposed within the plating frame. The internal vacuum source may be a pump, preferably a vacuum pump. The internal vacuum source may be disposed between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. The internal vacuum source may be attached to the front plate and / or the rear plate.

[0029] In an embodiment, the vacuum device comprises a vacuum connection line configured to be connected to an external reduced pressure source located outside the plating frame. This may be an alternative or an addition to the internal reduced pressure source. In the latter case, the external reduced pressure source may be dimensioned to initially apply the reduced pressure, while the internal reduced pressure source may be dimensioned specifically for adjusting the reduced pressure, for example to changed conditions or pressure losses. The external reduced pressure source may be located at a loading / unloading station for the substrates. The external reduced pressure source may be a pump, preferably a vacuum pump.

[0030] In one embodiment, the plating frame apparatus further includes an electrical contact portion disposed on the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion to be electrically connected to the substrate. The electrical contact portion may include an electrical contact that presses against the substrate. In one embodiment, the electrical contact portion is disposed on the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion to be electrically connected to the substrate. opening In one embodiment, the electrical contact portion extends from the rear frame portion to the rear opening In one embodiment, the electrical contacts are finger-shaped. This means that the electrical contacts have a longitudinal extension that is longer than a width perpendicular to the longitudinal extension. Furthermore, the longitudinal extension and / or the width are preferably longer than the material or wall thickness of the longitudinal extension and / or the width. The electrical contacts may be made of a metal or alloy (e.g. an alloy of copper) with a non-conductive coating (e.g. made of a plastic, in particular a polymer such as a thermoplastic fluoropolymer (e.g. Halar®)). The non-conductive coating exposes the conductive metal or alloy only where the electrical contacts are in direct contact with the substrate. To significantly reduce overplating on the electrical contacts, the shape of the electrical contacts, with or without a coating, may reduce the free electrical contact area to only the part in direct contact with the substrate surface.

[0031] The above design can ensure that only a minimum of the substrate is shielded or hidden from the electrolyte, thus leaving more of the substrate surface for function. Another advantage of the extended or finger-shaped electrical contacts is excellent rinsing and drying properties, since only a minimum of the substrate is shielded or hidden from the rinsing liquid and drying gas flows. There is minimal resistance to the meniscus of the rinsing liquid when the substrate is pulled out of the rinsing tank, and not only are there no hidden corners, but also minimal resistance to the drying gas. Therefore, the risk of residues being left behind is extremely low.

[0032] In one embodiment, the electrical contacts are provided on the front frame portion and the back frame portion. The electrical contacts on the front frame portion may be offset relative to the electrical contacts on the back frame portion. In other words, the electrical contacts or fingers on the front frame portion or half frame and the electrical contacts or fingers on the back frame portion or half frame are not aligned in the same position but are moved a distance from each other. In particular, the contacts or fingers may be offset from left to right and from top to bottom. Such offset arrangement of the electrical contacts may allow for more uniform electrolytic plating.

[0033] The longitudinally extending or finger-shaped electrical contacts at the front frame portion may have a first direction. The finger-shaped electrical contacts at the back frame portion may have a second direction. The directions may be the same, but are preferably different. For example, the first and second directions intersect such that the finger-shaped electrical contacts at the front frame portion and the finger-shaped electrical contacts at the back frame portion intersect each other in a top view. The directions are characterized by an angle with an end of the respective frame portion. The angle between the finger-shaped electrical contacts and the adjacent end of the corresponding frame portion may be in the range of 10°-80°, preferably in the range of 20°-70°, more preferably in the range of 30°-70°.

[0034] The staggered arrangement of the electrical contacts may allow multiple subsequent processing of the same substrate without increasing the deposited metal layer in the contact area. This may be achieved by first flipping the substrate in two subsequent processing steps and then mounting the substrate so that it is rotated 180°. In this way, the average overplating in the contact area is balanced over the entire edge of the substrate. For example, if a set of two or more plating frames is used during a subsequent processing step, all of the plating frames differing only in the arrangement of the fingers, no electrical contacts are touched twice. As a result, the metal deposition on the edge of the substrate may be ultimately smooth, which allows a large portion of the substrate to be used for functional devices. This reduces the cost of consumables (COC) and allows the saving of not only substrates but also chemicals, electricity, and other necessary resources.

[0035] In an embodiment, the electrical contact is spring loaded. The electrical contact may be made of a metal (e.g. Au) or an alloy, and a membrane made of a plastic material (e.g. PTFE) may be implemented to realize the spring loading function. The spring loaded electrical contact may be understood as a pogo pin and may comprise a plunger, a barrel and a spring. When a force is applied to the pin, the spring is compressed and the plunger moves inside the barrel. The shape of the barrel holds the plunger and stops the spring from pushing it out when the pin is not locked in place. Preferably, there is a seal or membrane between the plunger and the barrel so that no liquid or electrolyte can enter the barrel and come into contact with the spring. Otherwise the liquid or electrolyte will crystallize and impede the movement of the spring and therefore the movement of the electrical contact. In other words, the spring loading may prevent the liquid or electrolyte from leaking into areas where neither the liquid nor the electrolyte should touch. Good electrical contact is always ensured and can be automatically tested before the plating frame with the substrate is immersed in the electrolyte. The spring loaded force configuration and design can be such that each electrical contact exerts the same and constant force on the substrate, thereby ensuring a constant power density transferred from the electrical contacts to the substrate for uniform electrolytic plating.

[0036] In one embodiment, the plating frame apparatus further comprises a seal on the front frame portion and / or the back frame portion for sealing the front frame portion to the back frame portion. The seal may be or may include a sealing ring. The seal may be disposed around the electrical contacts. The seal may prevent the electrical contacts from being exposed to the electrolyte and electrolytically plated.

[0037] The advantage of using reduced pressure or vacuum to hold the front and back plates together as two parts or half frames compared to conventional mechanical fastening devices, such as screws, is that the forces applied are very uniform and well defined. This allows the plating frame apparatus to be constructed using softer materials compared to the prior art, such as stainless steel. The advantage of many soft materials, such as Al or many copper alloys, is that their basic material properties are very high thermal and electrical conductivity, allowing high current densities (up to 400 amps) to reach the substrate surface, thereby enabling a significantly faster deposition process. This results in a significantly increased substrate throughput per deposition apparatus, which significantly reduces the cost of ownership of the apparatus and increases the profit margin. High thermal conductivity is also advantageous for safety reasons, for example to prevent overheating in case of sudden localized very high current densities. Many materials, such as stainless steel, Ti-Pt, Au, Pt, CuSn6, Ag, CuBe, etc., can be used to construct the new plating frame apparatus with this design.

[0038] As mentioned above, the use of reduced pressure or vacuum may allow the substrate to be held with a more uniform or smaller force than the mechanical fastening devices used in the past, such as screws. The smaller force may allow the plating frame, consisting of the front frame and the rear frame, to be thinner than in the prior art. In one embodiment, the thickness of the plating frame at the location where the front frame part and the rear frame part are connected is 15 mm or less, preferably 13 mm or less. In one example, the thickness of the plating frame at the location where the front frame part and the rear frame part are connected is in the range of 5 to 15 mm, more preferably 5 to 10 mm. The thinner plating frame may allow the substrate to be placed significantly closer to a supply (e.g., for high speed plating) than in the prior art. This may further increase the plating speed.

[0039] As explained above, the use of reduced pressure or vacuum may allow for the use of lower forces and therefore softer materials than in the prior art. In an embodiment, the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion are made of a material having a yield strength of 500 MPa or less. The front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion may be made of a material having a yield strength of 400 MPa or less. The yield strength may be in the range of 50-300 MPa, preferably in the range of 50-200 MPa, more preferably in the range of 50-100 MPa. The front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion may be made of a material having a lower yield strength than conventionally used steel.

[0040] The use of reduced pressure or vacuum may allow for the use of softer and / or thinner plating frames (both front and back frames) than in the prior art, as less force may be used. Softer and / or thinner plating frames may have higher electrical and thermal conductivity than prior art materials (e.g., steel), allowing for a greater current density to reach the substrate surface, thereby significantly speeding up the deposition process. In one embodiment, the front frame portion and / or the back frame portion have an electrical conductivity of 2×10 at 20° C. 6 S / m or more, and preferably the electrical conductivity at 20°C is 3×10 6 S / m or more, and more preferably an electrical conductivity of 4×10 6 In one embodiment, the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion are made of a material having a thermal conductivity of 65 W / mK or more at 20° C., preferably an electrical conductivity of 150 W / mK or more at 20° C., more preferably 250 W / mK or more at 20° C. The front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion may be made of a material having a higher electrical and / or thermal conductivity than conventionally used steel.

[0041] In an embodiment, the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion are coated with a polymeric material or the like. The coating may be made of a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic fluoropolymer. The coating may be made of Halar®, a perfluoroalkoxyalkane, or the like. The coating may protect the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion from chemical attack.

[0042] In an embodiment, the plating frame apparatus further comprises a locking device arranged on the front plate and / or the rear plate to lock the front frame part relative to the rear frame part. The locking device may be understood as a second locking part in addition to the above-mentioned first locking part by the reduced pressure between the front frame part and the rear frame part. In other words, the locking device may constitute an additional locking mechanism in addition to the reduced pressure or vacuum. The locking device may be a backup in case of failure of the reduced pressure or vacuum. The first locking part and the second locking part together may preferably constitute a dual locking mechanism. The locking device or the second locking part may be based on a reduced pressure or vacuum vessel, (electro)magnetic force, mechanical clamping force or other technology. This may fix the substrate in place if the first locking part by the reduced pressure between the front frame part and the rear frame part fails to hold the two frame apparatus together.

[0043] In an embodiment, the plating frame apparatus further comprises a handling device. The combination of the plating frame apparatus and the handling device may also be understood as a plating frame system. The handling device or Bernoulli device may be configured for contactless holding of the substrate. This means that the handling device or Bernoulli device may hold the substrate without contacting the substrate. The contactless holding may be understood as holding or supporting the substrate without touching, i.e. without contacting, the substrate. "Contactless" and "without touching, i.e. without contacting the substrate" may be understood as essentially contactless and essentially without touching, i.e. without contacting, the substrate. A specific part or part having utility or a functional structure or a maximum area of ​​the substrate is not touched. However, the substrate may be touched at edge(s), corner(s) or specially designed (exclusive) area(s) or small area(s) of the substrate. The handling device may touch and hold the substrate by passive means (e.g. pins) or passive means (e.g. clamps). The reason is to protect the surface of the substrate and the features provided on the surface of the substrate. The handling device may hold the substrate. In particular, the handling device may fix the substrate against slides, e.g. lateral slides. The handling device may also straighten a curved substrate, making the curved substrate more even or flat. The handling device may be movable relative to the front plate and the rear plate to move the substrate relative to the plating frame formed by the front plate and the rear plate. The handling device may be configured to move, handle or transport the substrate inside the plating frame, in particular inside a chamber formed by the front plate and the rear plate. The handling device may be movable in a lateral (horizontal) direction along a width of the plating frame and / or the substrate perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the plating frame and / or the substrate.The handling device may be movable in a first (X) lateral (horizontal) direction and a second (Y) lateral (horizontal) direction perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the plating frame and / or the substrate.

[0044] In an embodiment, the plating frame apparatus further comprises a handling arm configured to touch and hold the substrate only within a predetermined holding portion of the substrate, for example, an exclusive area outside a so-called functional structure or other useful portion on the substrate surface. The combination of the plating frame apparatus and the handling device may also be understood as a plating frame system. The predetermined holding portion of the substrate may be located at an edge and / or a corner of the substrate. The handling arm or robot arm may hold the substrate by, for example, a vacuum end effector, a magnetic grip, a mechanical clamp, etc. The handling arm may be movable relative to the front plate and / or the back plate to move the substrate relative to the plating frame (where the front plate and the back plate are integrated). The handling device may be used to move, handle, and transport the substrate into and / or out of the plating frame, specifically into and / or out of an open chamber defined by the front plate and the back plate. The handling arm may be movable in a linear (vertical) direction along the longitudinal extension of the plating frame and / or the substrate.

[0045] The combination of the handling arm and the contactless handling device may be configured to carry the substrate to (near) the plating frame by the handling arm gripping and holding the substrate at least at a suitable predetermined holding portion (exclusion area) of the substrate. The handling arm may then be configured to transfer or hand over the substrate to the handling device. The handling device may also hold the substrate contactlessly in the area of ​​a feature on the substrate surface or in other useful areas. The handling arm and / or the handling device may be configured to carry the substrate to enter the open plating frame formed by the front plate and the back plate. The handling device may be configured to move and adjust the substrate inside the plating frame. The handling device may be configured to hold the substrate until the plating frame is used to hold the substrate by an applied suction force. The handling device may then be configured to release the substrate. The handling device and the handling arm may be moved back to their rest positions.

[0046] In other words, the substrate may first be held and moved by the handling arm, which holds the predetermined holding portion of the substrate. The substrate may then be gripped by the handling device, for example at any and even functional or useful portion on the substrate surface. As soon as the handling device has held the substrate, the holding arm may release the predetermined holding portion. The handling device may manipulate the substrate into the plating frame, where the predetermined holding portion of the substrate is not gripped by the plating frame. As soon as the plating frame holds the substrate, the handling device may release the substrate surface. As a result, the substrate may be handled and manipulated without damaging functional structures and other useful portions on the substrate surface.

[0047] In some embodiments, the plating frame apparatus further comprises a controller for controlling the handling device and the handling arm, and the clamping and / or release of the substrate by the handling device and the handling arm, the controller being configured to control the clamping and / or release of the substrate by the plating frame.

[0048] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a plating system for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, the plating system comprising the plating frame apparatus described above and a substrate, the substrate being held between a front frame portion and a rear frame portion of the plating frame apparatus.

[0049] According to the present disclosure there is also provided a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, the method comprising the following steps, not necessarily in this order: - Front opening providing a front frame portion surrounding the front plate; - providing a back frame portion to a back plate; - inserting a substrate between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion such that the substrate is held between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; - attaching the front frame portion to the rear frame portion by reducing the internal pressure between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion to less than ambient pressure.

[0050] The new method of assembling a plating frame apparatus allows for the assembly of a plating frame apparatus with improved fixation of the substrate with excellent mechanical stability, in particular a particularly uniform and well-defined force being applied to the substrate, so that a very reliable electrical contact can be provided, in particular on at least the front and / or rear side of the substrate, which allows a very uniform electrolytic plating after assembly.

[0051] The new method of assembling the plating frame apparatus may eliminate or at least significantly reduce the side effects of electrolytic plating on the electrical contacts, which may allow for consistent electrolytic plating of subsequently processed substrates.

[0052] The new method of assembling a plating frame apparatus may enable the assembly of a plating frame apparatus that is very easy, efficient and effective in rinsing and drying without increasing rinsing and drying times and / or leaving dried residues (such as water stains) on the substrate surface, especially in the corners, edges and gaps of the material.

[0053] In one embodiment, a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus includes providing an internal reduced pressure source disposed within the plating frame apparatus. In one embodiment, a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus includes providing a vacuum connection line configured to connect to an external reduced pressure source disposed outside the plating frame apparatus.

[0054] In one embodiment, a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus includes arranging electrical contacts on the front frame portion and / or the back frame portion to electrically connect with the substrate. The electrical contacts may include electrical contacts that are pressed onto the substrate. The electrical contacts may extend from the front frame portion to the front opening The electrical contact portion may extend from the back frame portion to the back opening In one embodiment, the electrical contact portions are finger-shaped. The electrical contact portions at the front frame portion may be offset relative to the electrical contact portions at the back frame portion.

[0055] In one embodiment, a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus includes disposing a seal on the front frame portion and / or the back frame portion to seal the front frame portion to the back frame portion.

[0056] In one embodiment, a method of assembling a plating frame apparatus includes placing a seal on the front plate and / or the back plate to lock the front frame portion relative to the back frame portion.

[0057] In one embodiment, the method of assembling a plating frame apparatus comprises holding and / or moving the substrate near the plating frame apparatus by a handling arm that contacts at least a predetermined holding portion of the substrate. In one embodiment, the method of assembling a plating frame apparatus comprises holding and / or moving the substrate near the plating frame apparatus by a handling device that contacts any functional or useful portion on the substrate surface, for example. In one embodiment, the method of assembling a plating frame apparatus comprises releasing the handling arm and the predetermined holding portion as soon as the handling device holds the substrate. In one embodiment, the method of assembling a plating frame apparatus comprises holding and / or contacting the substrate by the plating frame, preferably at the predetermined holding portion of the substrate. In one embodiment, the method of assembling a plating frame apparatus comprises releasing the handling device as soon as the plating frame holds the substrate.

[0058] It shall be understood that the devices and methods according to the independent claims have similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, in particular as defined in the dependent claims. It shall be further understood that a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure can also be any combination of the dependent claims with the respective independent claims.

[0059] These and other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0060] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1]1 illustrates, in a schematic and exemplary manner, one embodiment of a plating apparatus according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. [Diagram 2] 2A-2C are schematic and exemplary diagrams illustrating details of an embodiment of a plating frame apparatus according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate; [Figure 3a] 1 illustrates, in a top view, a schematic and exemplary representation of one embodiment of a plating apparatus according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. [Figure 3b] In side view, the same plating system is shown. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are schematic and exemplary cross-sectional views of one embodiment of a plating frame apparatus according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate; [Diagram 5] 1A-1C are schematic and exemplary cross-sectional views of one embodiment of a plating frame apparatus according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 shows a schematic and exemplary embodiment of a plating system according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 shows a schematic and exemplary embodiment of a handling device or Bernoulli device for contactlessly holding a substrate; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0061] FIG. 1 is a schematic and exemplary diagram illustrating one embodiment of a plating system according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate 30 during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate 30. In FIG. 1, the plating system is shown in an exploded view. The plating system includes a substrate 30 and a plating frame apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure for holding the substrate 30 during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate 30. The plating frame apparatus 10 includes a front plate 11, a back plate 14, and a vacuum device 17. The front plate 11 is provided with a front plate 12 and a rear plate 14 ... opening The front frame portion 12 surrounds the rear panel 13. opening The front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15 are connected to each other so as to sandwich and hold the substrate 30. The front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15 are in an assembled state in which they are not fixed to each other, and are simply in contact with each other.

[0062] The vacuum device 17 is configured to attach the front frame part 12 to the rear frame part 15 by reducing the internal pressure between the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15 below the ambient pressure. The vacuum device 17 here is at least a suction pump. The internal pressure is the pressure inside an enclosed cavity or chamber formed by the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15. The ambient pressure is atmospheric pressure here.

[0063] The vacuum device 17 here includes an internal reduced pressure source disposed within the plating frame 10 and on the back plate 14. The vacuum device 17 here further includes a vacuum connection line 18 that is connected to an external reduced pressure source (not shown) disposed outside the plating frame 10.

[0064] The substrate 30 is sandwiched between the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15 of the plating frame apparatus 10. A pressure difference between the internal pressure and the ambient pressure generates a suction force between the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15. This suction force attaches the front frame part 12 to the rear frame part 15, and the substrate 30 is mechanically held between the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15 and electrically connected.

[0065] The plating frame apparatus 10 here includes a seal 20 disposed on the rear frame part 15 to seal the front frame part 12 and the rear frame part 15 from each other so as to prevent the electrical contacts from receiving the electrolyte and being electrolytically plated. The seal 20 here includes two sealing rings.

[0066] 2 shows schematic and exemplary details of one embodiment of a plating frame apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate 30 during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plating frame apparatus 10 includes a front frame portion 12 and a rear frame portion 15, and includes a plurality of electrical contact portions 19 that are electrically connected to the substrate 30. The electrical contact portions 19 are electrically connected to the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15. opening Part 13 or later opening 2. The electrical contacts 19 extend from the front frame 12 to the rear frame 15. The electrical contacts 19 are finger-shaped, i.e., they have a longitudinal extension that is greater than their width perpendicular to the longitudinal extension. The longitudinal extension of the electrical contacts 19 attached to the front frame 12 extends in the opposite direction to the longitudinal extension of the electrical contacts 19 attached to the rear frame 15. In the top view of FIG. 2, the electrical contacts 19 attached to the front frame 12 intersect with the electrical contacts 19 attached to the rear frame 15. Furthermore, the electrical contacts 19 on the front frame 12 and the electrical contacts 19 attached to the rear frame 15 do not start at the same position, but are shifted or offset relative to each other.

[0067] 3a shows a schematic and exemplary top view and FIG. 3b shows a side view of one embodiment of a plating system according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate 30 during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate 30. Similar to FIG. 1, the plating system includes a substrate 30 and a plating frame apparatus 10. The plating frame apparatus 10 includes a front plate 11, a back plate 14, and a vacuum device. The front plate 11 is provided with a front plate 12 and a rear plate 14 ... opening The front frame portion 12 surrounds the rear panel 13. opening The plating frame 10 includes a back frame section 15 surrounding a vacuum section 16. Here, the vacuum system includes a vacuum connection line 18 that is connected to an external reduced pressure source (not shown) located outside the plating frame 10.

[0068] The front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15 are only in contact with each other in the assembled state. The pressure difference between the internal pressure and the ambient pressure creates an attraction force between the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15. This attraction force fixes the front frame portion 12 to the rear frame portion 15, and the substrate 30 is mechanically held between the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 15 and electrically connected thereto.

[0069] 4 and 5 show schematic and exemplary cross-sections of one embodiment of a plating frame apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate. The electrical contacts 19 are spring loaded.

[0070] 6 is a schematic and exemplary overall three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a plating system according to the present disclosure for holding a substrate 30 during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate 30. The plating system here includes a handling device 25 or Bernoulli device for contactlessly holding the substrate 30 without touching it in order to protect the surface of the substrate 30 and the functional structures provided on the surface of the substrate 30. The handling device 25 can transport the substrate 30 in a plating frame, which can be understood as a chamber formed by the front plate 11 and the back plate 14 of the plating frame apparatus 10. The handling device 25 is movable in at least one lateral direction (horizontal direction) along a width perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the plating frame apparatus 10 and / or the substrate 30.

[0071] The plating system here further includes a handling arm 24 for contacting and holding the substrate 30 at a predetermined holding portion of the substrate 30 outside the functional structure or other useful portion on the substrate surface. The handling arm or robot arm can hold the substrate 30, for example, by a vacuum end effector or the like. The handling arm 24 is movable relative to the front plate 11 and / or the rear plate 14, and can move the substrate 30 relative to the front plate 11 and / or the rear plate 14. The handling device 25 can transport and move the substrate 30 in and / or out of the plating frame, which can be understood as a chamber formed by the front plate 11 and the rear plate 14 of the plating frame apparatus 10. The handling arm 24 here is movable in a linear (vertical) direction along the longitudinal extension of the plating frame apparatus 10 and / or the substrate 30.

[0072] By combining the handling arm 24 and the non-contact handling device 25, the handling arm 24 can bring the substrate 30 close to the plating frame by gripping and holding the substrate 30 at a suitable predetermined holding portion. The handling arm 24 can then transfer the substrate 30 to the handling device 25, which can hold the substrate 30 without contacting the substrate 30 even in the area of ​​the functional structure or other useful portion of the substrate surface. The handling device 25 can insert and adjust the substrate 30 in the open plating frame. The handling device 25 can hold the substrate 30 until the plating frame is closed, and hold the substrate 30 by the suction force applied to the substrate 30, and then the handling device 25 can be released and moved to the starting position or the rest position.

[0073] 7 shows diagrammatically and exemplarily one embodiment of a handling device 25 or Bernoulli device for contactless holding of a substrate. The substrate 30 is held by a lifting force L or suction force provided by an air pressure A or air flow through the handling device 25.

[0074] It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to different inventive subject matter. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method type claims, whereas other embodiments are described with reference to apparatus type claims. However, those skilled in the art will understand from the above and following description that, unless otherwise specified, any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter, as well as any combination between features relating to different subjects, is considered to be disclosed in the present application. However, all features can be combined to provide a synergistic effect that is greater than the simple sum of the features.

[0075] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered exemplary or illustrative and not restrictive. The present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims.

[0076] In the claims, the word "comprises" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article ("a" or "an") does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting their scope.

Claims

1. 1. A plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, comprising: - front plate; - back plate; - electrical contacts, and - equipped with a vacuum device, The front panel includes a front frame portion surrounding a front opening, The rear panel includes a rear frame portion, the front frame portion and the rear frame portion are connected to each other to hold the substrate between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; the vacuum device is configured to attach the front frame portion to the back frame portion by reducing an internal pressure between the front frame portion and the back frame portion to less than an ambient pressure. the electrical contacts are disposed on the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; the electrical contact portion is finger-shaped; the electrical contact portions on the front frame portion have a first orientation and the finger-shaped electrical contact portions on the back frame portion have a second orientation; the first direction and the second direction intersect such that the finger-shaped electrical contact portions on the front frame portion and the finger-shaped electrical contact portions on the rear frame portion intersect with each other in a top view; The top view is parallel to the front-to-rear axis of the front panel and the rear panel across the front panel or the rear panel; Plated frame device.

2. 10. The plating frame of claim 1, wherein the vacuum device comprises a vacuum connection line configured to be connected to an internal reduced pressure source disposed within the plating frame or an external reduced pressure source disposed outside the plating frame.

3. 3. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rear frame portion surrounds a rear opening.

4. 4. The plating frame apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electrical contacts extend from the front frame portion into the front opening and / or from the rear frame portion into the rear opening.

5. The plating frame apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the electrical contact portion is provided on the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, the electrical contact portion on the front frame portion is offset relative to the electrical contact portion on the rear frame portion; Plated frame device.

6. 6. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are spring loaded.

7. 7. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing portion for sealing the electrical contact portion in the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion.

8. 8. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combined thickness of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion is 15 mm or less.

9. 9. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front frame portion and / or the rear frame portion have a yield strength of 500 MPa or less and an electrical conductivity of 2×10 ６ A plated frame apparatus made of a material having a thermal conductivity of 65 W / mK or more and / or a thermal conductivity of 65 S / mK or more.

10. 10. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a locking device arranged on the front plate and / or the rear plate to lock the front frame portion relative to the rear frame portion.

11. 11. The plating frame apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an angle between the finger-shaped electrical contact portion and an adjacent edge of the corresponding frame portion is between 10° and 80°.

12. A plating frame system comprising the plating frame apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and a handling device for contactlessly holding the substrate, the handling device is movable relative to the front plate and / or the back plate to move the substrate relative to the plating frame. Plated frame system.

13. 13. The plating frame system of claim 12, further comprising a handling arm configured to contact and hold a predetermined holding portion of the substrate, the handling arm is movable relative to the front plate and / or the back plate to move the substrate relative to the plating frame; Plated frame system.

14. 1. A method for assembling a plating frame apparatus for holding a substrate during chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of the substrate, comprising the steps of: - providing a front plate with a front frame part surrounding a front opening; - providing a rear frame portion to the rear plate; - placing electrical contacts on said front frame portion and said rear frame portion; - inserting a substrate between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion such that the substrate is held between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; - attaching the front frame part to the rear frame part by reducing the internal pressure between the front frame part and the rear frame part to less than the ambient pressure, the electrical contact portions are finger-shaped, the electrical contact portions at the front frame portion having a first orientation and the finger-shaped electrical contact portions at the back frame portion having a second orientation; the first direction and the second direction intersect such that the finger-shaped electrical contact portions on the front frame portion and the finger-shaped electrical contact portions on the rear frame portion intersect with each other in a top view; The top view is parallel to the front-to-rear axis of the front panel and the rear panel across the front panel or the rear panel; method.

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