Electroplating system and pressure device thereof

This invention relates to an electroplating system and its pressure device. The electroplating system placed in an electroplating tank filling with plating solution is adapted to deposit a plating material on an object.

In conventional electroplating process, a plating object and a metal anode element are placed in an electroplating tank and electrically connected to a cathode and an anode of a power supply, respectively. An electroplating solution filling in the electroplating tank is provided to deposit a plating material onto the plating object. For instance, the plating object is a wafer or a circuit board, the metal anode element is a copper sheet and the electroplating solution is CuSO 4 , and a copper layer or a copper wire can be formed on the surface of the plating object when powered on.

However, the plating rate of the conventional electroplating process is slower, and bubbles and/or impurities may remain in fine-pitch wires or blind holes of the wafer and circuit board during the conventional electroplating process, so plating defect may occur in the fine-pitch wires or blind holes.

The object of the present invention is to prevent plating defect and enhance plating efficiency.

The electroplating system of the present invention is adapted to deposit a plating material on an object when placed in an electroplating tank with an electroplating solution. The electroplating system includes a pressure device and an anode element. The pressure device includes a lid and a base. The lid has a first surface, a second surface, first through holes and second through holes. The first surface faces toward the object, and the first and second surfaces are communicated with each other through the first and second through holes. The base has a third surface, a chamber recessed on the third surface, conduction tubes and third through holes. The third through holes are formed in the chamber and penetrate through the base. Each of the conduction tubes is positioned in the chamber and includes a conduction hole, and each of the conduction holes connects to one of the third through holes. The lid covers an opening of the chamber, the first through holes communicate with the chamber, and each of the second through holes reveals one of the conduction holes. When the electroplating solution is filled in the chamber, the electroplating solution in the chamber is sprayed toward the object through the first through holes. When the electroplating solution is filled in the conduction holes and the third through holes, the conduction holes and the third through hole connected with each other become a passage of electric force line. The anode element is disposed outside the pressure device, the object is located outside a first end of the passage of electric force line and the anode element is located outside a second end of the passage of electric force line.

The electroplating solution, filled and pressed in the chamber, can spray toward the object through the first through holes, and the electroplating solution spraying from the chamber can wash the bubbles and/or impurities remained on the object to prevent plating defect and enhance plating efficiency. Furthermore, the passage of electric force line formed in the conduction holes and the third through holes provides a benefit for the deposition of the plating material on the object.

FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly diagram illustrating an electroplating system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the electroplating system of the present invention and an object which are placed in an electroplating tank.

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded diagram illustrating the electroplating system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front-side view diagram illustrating a lid of a pressure device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view diagram illustrating the pressure device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view diagram illustrating the electroplating system of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electroplating system 10 of the present invention can be placed in an electroplating tank 20 with an electroplating solution 30 to deposit a plating material on an object 40 . The object 40 is, but not limited to, a wafer or a circuit board.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 , the electroplating system 10 includes a pressure device 100 and an anode element 200 positioned outside the pressure device 100 . Preferably, the anode element 200 is a titanium basket which can accommodate a metal piece.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 , the electroplating system 10 further includes a carrier 300 and the pressure device 100 is connected to the carrier 300 in this embodiment. The carrier 300 has an accommodation space 310 where the anode element 200 is placed. Preferably, the electroplating system 10 further includes a frame 400 which is positioned in the accommodation space 310 , and the anode element 200 is placed in the frame 400 . Furthermore, the anode element 200 (e.g. titanium basket) and/or the frame 400 are replaceable.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 6 , the pressure device 100 includes a lid 110 and a base 120 . The lid 110 has a first surface 111 , a second surface 112 , first through holes 113 and second through holes 114 . The first surface 111 faces toward the object 40 when the electroplating system 10 is placed in the electroplating tank 20 filling with the electroplating solution 30 . With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 , the first and second surfaces 111 and 112 are communicated with each other via the first and second through holes 113 and 114 , in other words, the first and second through holes 113 and 114 penetrate through the lid 110 . Preferably, the first and second through holes 113 and 114 are aligned radially on the lid 110 , and the first through holes 113 have a diameter equal to or smaller than that of the second through holes 114 .

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 , the base 120 includes a third surface 121 , a fourth surface 122 , a chamber 123 recessed on the third surface 121 , conduction tubes 124 and third through holes 125 . The third through holes 125 are formed in the chamber 123 and penetrate through the base 120 . There are an opening 123 a and a bottom 123 b in the chamber 123 , and the opening 123 a reveals the bottom 123 b . In this embodiment, the third through holes 125 are formed on the bottom 123 b and penetrate through the fourth surface 122 . The conduction tubes 124 are located in the chamber 123 and each includes a conduction hole 124 a . Preferably, the diameter of the first through holes 113 is equal to or smaller than that of the conduction holes 124 a , and each of the conduction holes 124 a is connected with one of the third through holes 125 .

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 , each of the conduction tubes 124 in this embodiment includes a basal portion 124 b and a connecting portion 124 c , and the conduction hole 124 a is formed in the basal portion 124 b and the connecting portion 124 c . The basal portion 124 b is connected to the bottom 123 b of the chamber 123 , and the connecting portion 124 c is protruded from the third surface 121 .

With reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 , the lid 110 covers the opening 123 a , the first through holes 113 communicate with the chamber 123 and the second through holes 114 reveal the conduction holes 124 a . In this embodiment, the connecting portion 124 c of each of the conduction tubes 124 is inserted into one of the second through holes 114 , and the first surface 111 of the lid 110 and the fourth surface 122 of the base 120 are communicated with each other through the conduction holes 124 a and the third through holes 125 which are connected together. Moreover, each of the conduction tubes 124 in this embodiment further includes a supporting portion 124 d located between the basal portion 124 b and the connecting portion 124 c . The supporting portion 124 d is adapted to support the lid 110 covering the opening 123 a in order to prevent the lid 110 from distorting.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 6 , the pressure device 100 in this embodiment further includes at least one feeding pipe 130 which is designed to communicate with the chamber 123 . When the lid 110 covers the opening 123 a of the chamber 123 , the feeding pipe 130 is provided to supply the electroplating solution 30 to the chamber 123 . Preferably, a motor is utilized to deliver the electroplating solution 30 in the electroplating tank 20 to the chamber 123 through the feeding pipe 130 .

With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 , owing to the connecting portion 124 c of each of the conduction tubes 124 is inserted into the second through hole 114 when the lid 110 covers the opening 123 a of the chamber 123 , the electroplating solution delivered to the chamber 123 by the feeding pipe 130 can be sprayed through the first through holes 113 . The higher the flow quantity or flow rate of the electroplating solution delivered to the chamber 123 through the feeding pipe 130 , the higher impact the electroplating solution 30 sprayed from the first through holes 113 . Besides, the smaller the diameter of the first through holes 113 , the higher impact the electroplating solution 30 sprayed from the first through holes 113 .

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 6 , when the electroplating system 10 and the object 40 are placed in the electroplating tank 20 with the electroplating solution 30 and the conduction holes 124 a and the third through holes 125 are filled with the electroplating solution, the object 40 and the anode element 200 can be electrically connected to a cathode and a anode of a DC power supply respectively, allow the conduction holes 124 a and the third through holes 125 connected with each other to become a passage of electric force line P. The object 40 is located outside a first end P 1 of the passage of electric force line P and the anode element 200 is located outside a second end P 2 of the passage of electric force line P for the deposition of the plating material on the object 40 . Otherwise, when the electroplating solution 30 is delivered to the chamber 123 via the feeding pipe 130 , the electroplating solution filling in the chamber 123 can be sprayed toward the object 40 through the first through hole 113 to enhance the electroplating efficiency. And the electroplating solution 30 sprayed from the first through holes 113 also can wash the bubbles and/or impurities remained on the object 40 so as to prevent defective plating.

While this invention has been particularly illustrated and described in detail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that is not limited to the specific features shown and described and various modified and changed in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.