Contact Cleaning Nozzle Retraction in Plating Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plating apparatuses fail to adequately address the issue of plating solution attachment to contact cleaning members during substrate cleaning, which can lead to inaccurate leakage determination and potential contamination of the contact member region.

Innovation Solution

A plating apparatus with a substrate holder, contact cleaning member, driving mechanism, and nozzle cleaning cover is designed to move the contact cleaning member between cleaning and retracted positions, using a nozzle cleaning cover to prevent plating solution attachment and facilitate accurate leakage determination by an electrical conductivity meter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the contact cleaning member is positioned between the plating tank and substrate holder to clean the contact member, then the contact member can be cleaned of plating solution, but the cleaning liquid containing plating solution may attach to the contact cleaning member and enter the arranged region of the contact member, affecting leakage determination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleakage determination accuracyVSAvoidplating solution attachment to contact cleaning member

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The contact cleaning member is designed to be movable between a cleaning position (where it can clean the contact member) and a retracted position (where it is pulled back to prevent plating solution attachment). This dynamic positioning allows the system to benefit from both cleaning functionality and contamination prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The contact cleaning member is extracted from the fixed structure and made separable from the substrate holder assembly. By pulling the contact cleaning member back to a retracted position, the harmful plating solution attachment is separated from the contact member's arranged region, preventing false leakage detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the contact cleaning member remains in the cleaning position to maintain cleaning capability, then the contact member can be continuously cleaned, but the plating solution may continuously attach to the contact cleaning member and affect conductivity measurements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact member cleaning effectivenessVSAvoidconductivity measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact cleaning member transitions dynamically between cleaning position and retracted position. During cleaning operations, it is positioned to effectively clean the contact member. During measurement operations, it is retracted to prevent plating solution attachment that would interfere with conductivity measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The contact cleaning member is pulled back to the retracted position before conductivity measurements are taken. This preliminary action prevents plating solution from attaching to the contact cleaning member during the measurement process, ensuring accurate conductivity readings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively cleans the contact cleaning member and ensures accurate leakage determination, reducing contamination and improving the homogeneity of the plating process by preventing plating solution ingress into the contact member region.

Implementation Method 1

The contact cleaning member is for discharging a cleaning liquid to the contact member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid discharge:

Implementation Method 2

The driving mechanism is configured to move the contact cleaning member between the cleaning position and a retracted position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical motion:

Implementation Method 3

The nozzle cleaning cover is configured to cover an upper portion of the contact cleaning member while the contact cleaning member is at the retracted position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical coverage:

Implementation Method 4

it is considered that presence or absence of a leakage of the plating solution is determined based on a conductivity of the cleaning liquid after cleaning the contact member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conductivity measurement:

Data Source

PatentUS12624472B2Plating apparatus

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 EBARA CORP

AI summary

Provided is a plating apparatus that allows cleaning a contact cleaning member.The plating apparatus includes: a plating tank configured to house a plating solution; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward, the substrate holder including a contact member for feeding power to the substrate; a contact cleaning member 482 for discharging a cleaning liquid to the contact member while the contact cleaning member is at a cleaning position between the plating tank and the substrate holder; a driving mechanism 476 configured to move the contact cleaning member 482 between the cleaning position and a retracted position retracted from between the plating tank and the substrate holder; and a nozzle cleaning cover 489 configured to cover an upper portion of the contact cleaning member 482 while the contact cleaning member 482 is at the retracted position.