Electroplating Base Structure With Shielded Residual Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electroplating systems face challenges in efficiently cleaning plating solution residual from right-angle corners in the base structure, leading to high impedance and increased power consumption, which necessitates labor-intensive manual cleaning and prolonged maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of shield structures with discharging openings, bevels, and baffles in the base structure to guide and discharge plating solution residual during cleaning, enhancing efficiency and reducing the need for manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional base structure is used, then manufacturing is simple, but plating solution residual accumulates in right-angle corners causing high impedance and increased power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase structure manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The shield structure replaces conventional right-angle corners with asymmetric beveled edges at specific angles (e.g., 45 degrees). This asymmetric geometry prevents plating solution residual from accumulating in corners, eliminating the source of high impedance and reduced power consumption without significantly complicating manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The shield structure introduces curved surfaces and rounded transitions instead of sharp right-angle corners. This curvature prevents residual accumulation by eliminating crevices where plating solution can pool, thereby reducing impedance and power consumption while maintaining manufacturability through standard forming processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Device complexity

If conventional base structure is used, then structure is simple, but manual cleaning is required consuming labor and time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase structure complexityVSAvoidsystem usage efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield structure with beveled edges and curved surfaces is designed to be self-cleaning. During electroplating operation, the geometry naturally directs plating solution flow to flush residuals outward, eliminating the need for manual cleaning intervention and maximizing system uptime without adding complex automated cleaning mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of designing for residual accumulation and then cleaning, the shield structure inverts the approach by designing geometry that actively prevents residual accumulation in the first place. The beveled and curved surfaces redirect flow to continuously flush residuals away from critical areas, eliminating manual cleaning requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Loss of substance

If conventional base structure is used, then water consumption is low, but cleaning effectiveness is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater consumptionVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The curved surfaces of the shield structure optimize fluid dynamics during cleaning operations. The curvature directs water flow more effectively across surfaces, improving cleaning effectiveness with reduced water consumption by eliminating dead zones where residuals would otherwise accumulate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

This design improves cleaning efficiency, reduces water and energy consumption, decreases maintenance time, and saves critical human resources, while maintaining low impedance and preventing residual reentry.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of bevels, each of the plurality of bevels corresponding to each of the plurality of discharging openings and configured to guide the plating solution residual toward the corresponding discharging opening in the cleaning procedure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

During the manufacturing of the semiconductor devices, various processing steps are used to fabricate integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. Examples of processing steps include surface passivation, photolithography, ion implantation, etching, plasma ashing, thermal treatments, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), electroplating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroplating: Electroplating

Data Source

PatentUS12590381B2Electroplating system including an improved base structure

Publication Date: 2026.03.31 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

A base structure in an electroplating system is provided. The base structure includes: includes: an annular member; a contact ring attached to an inner surface of the annular member and configured to be electrically connected to a wafer in an electroplating process; and a pair of shield structures attached to an upper surface of the annular member and extending in an vertical direction. Each of the pair of shield structures includes: a curved plate comprising a plurality of discharging openings, wherein plating solution residual is discharged through the plurality of discharging openings in a cleaning procedure; and a plurality of bevels, each of the plurality of bevels corresponding to each of the plurality of discharging openings and configured to guide the plating solution residual toward the corresponding discharging opening in the cleaning procedure.