Substrate Holder Thickness Absorbing Mechanism for Plating Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate holders for plating apparatuses face challenges in securely holding substrates of varying thicknesses, leading to potential deflection and inconsistent sealing, which can result in plating solution leakage or substrate damage.
Innovation Solution
A substrate holder with a thickness absorbing mechanism, comprising a movable base and compression springs, that adjusts to the substrate's thickness to maintain a consistent sealing force and prevent deflection, ensuring secure sealing and electrical contact regardless of substrate thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional substrate holder is used to hold substrates of varying thicknesses, then the substrate can be held between holding members, but the substrate sealing member compression amount varies leading to sealing inconsistency and potential plating solution leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder employs a movable holding member that can dynamically adjust its position along the thickness direction based on the substrate thickness. This dynamic adjustment mechanism ensures that the substrate sealing member maintains consistent compression regardless of substrate thickness variations, thereby resolving the contradiction between sealing consistency and adaptability to different substrate thicknesses
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the movable holding member to adapt to different substrate thicknesses. By adjusting the position parameter of the holding member, the compression amount of the substrate sealing member is kept constant, enabling consistent sealing performance across substrates with varying thicknesses
2Reliability
If the substrate sealing member compression amount is increased to prevent leakage, then sealing reliability improves, but substrate breakage and sticking risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable holding member dynamically adjusts its position to maintain optimal substrate sealing member compression. This dynamic control prevents excessive compression that could cause substrate damage while ensuring sufficient compression for reliable sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and substrate safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through the movable holding member's position adjustment based on substrate thickness detection. This feedback mechanism ensures the substrate sealing member is compressed to the appropriate degree without exceeding safe limits, preventing substrate damage while maintaining sealing reliability
3Reliability
If electrical contact force on the substrate is increased to reduce contact resistance, then electrical connection improves, but substrate scratch risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder applies localized electrical contact force through specifically positioned contact members that make contact with the substrate at designated points. This localized contact approach ensures sufficient electrical connection reliability while distributing the force to minimize substrate scratch risk
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts the contact force parameter of the electrical contact members based on substrate thickness and properties. By optimizing this parameter, the system achieves reliable electrical connection without applying excessive force that could cause substrate scratches
4Ease of manufacture
If a substrate holder design is simplified for easy manufacture, then manufacturing cost decreases, but adaptability to different substrate thicknesses deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder uses a relatively simple movable holding member mechanism that can be manufactured with standard components, while still achieving adaptability to different substrate thicknesses through its ability to move along the thickness direction. This dynamic simplicity resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The movable holding member serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the substrate, enables thickness adaptation through position adjustment, and maintains consistent sealing pressure. This multi-functionality allows a relatively simple structure to achieve both ease of manufacture and adaptability to different substrate thicknesses
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 substrate holder effectively absorbs thickness variations, preventing deflection and maintaining a consistent sealing force, thereby ensuring reliable plating without leakage or substrate damage across different substrate sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of compression springs 86 arranged at positions along the substrate sealing line 64 in a radial direction of the substrate W
Implementation Method 2
pressing a substrate sealing member (inner sealing member) 66, mounted to the second holding member 58, against a peripheral portion of the substrate W to seal the contact portion
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a substrate holder which can absorb a change in the thickness between substrates and can hold a substrate while preventing deflection of the substrate and keeping the amount of compression of a substrate sealing member within a certain narrow range. The substrate holder includes a first holding member and a second holding member, both for detachably holding a substrate by holding a peripheral portion of the substrate therebetween; and a substrate sealing member, mounted to the second holding member, for sealing the peripheral portion of the substrate along a substrate sealing line. The first holding member has a thickness absorbing mechanism which biases the substrate toward the second holding member at positions along the substrate sealing line.