Plating Apparatus Movable Block Member Electric Field Diversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrate holders with openings on both surfaces often experience a large gap between the holder and the plating tank, leading to diversion of the electric field during the plating process, which results in non-uniform plating film thickness on substrates.
Innovation Solution
A plating apparatus is designed with a movable block member and a moving mechanism that extends from the plating tank's wall into the tank to reduce the gap between the substrate holder and the tank, using a fluid spring or cam mechanism to adjust the position of a seal block to prevent electric field diversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a substrate holder with openings on both surfaces is used to perform plating on both surfaces of a substrate, then the productivity is improved by enabling simultaneous or sequential plating of both surfaces, but a large gap exists between the substrate holder and the plating tank which causes diversion of the electric field and deteriorates the manufacturing precision of the plating film thickness
Solution Approach 1:
A block member is introduced as an intermediary component between the substrate holder and the plating tank wall. This block member fills the large gap that causes electric field diversion, thereby preventing the electric field from bending around to the back surface of the substrate. The block member acts as a mediator that maintains the desired electric field geometry while allowing the substrate holder with openings to function for dual-surface plating, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement and plating film thickness uniformity.
2Ease of operation
If the substrate holder is positioned away from the plating tank wall to accommodate substrates with openings, then the ease of operation is improved by allowing substrate insertion and removal, but the electric field diversion occurs which deteriorates the manufacturing precision of plating film thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The block member serves as an intermediary structure that allows the substrate holder to be positioned away from the plating tank wall for easy substrate handling, while simultaneously filling the resulting gap to prevent electric field diversion. This mediator enables both the ease of operation for substrate insertion/removal and the manufacturing precision of uniform plating film thickness to be achieved together.
Solution Approach 2:
The block member is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. During substrate loading and unloading operations, the block member can be retracted to allow easy access. During the actual plating process, the block member moves into position to fill the gap and prevent electric field diversion, thus maintaining manufacturing precision. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and plating film thickness uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a plating apparatus that prevents or reduces a diversion of an electric field. According to one embodiment, a plating apparatus for performing a plating process on a substrate held onto a substrate holder is provided. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank configured to receive the substrate holder holding the substrate, a block member that extends to an inside of the plating tank from a wall surface of the inside of the plating tank, and is movable inside the plating tank, and a moving mechanism configured to move the block member toward the substrate holder disposed inside the plating tank.