ELECTROPLATING EQUIPMENT AND ELECTROPLATING FLUID DISTURBANCE DEVICE THEREOF

Abstract

An electroplating fluid disturbance device is used in electroplating equipment. The electroplating fluid disturbance device includes two horizontal driving devices, two fan blade structures and two fan blade structure driving devices. Each horizontal driving device connects one fan blade structure, allowing each fan blade structure to move toward or away from two surfaces of a plated substrate. Each fan blade structure driving device connects one fan blade structure, allowing each fan blade structure to move back-and-forth in a specific direction perpendicular to a surface normal of the plated substrate and the height of electroplating equipment. An included angle between 10 degrees and 50 degrees is disposed between a direction along which the width of a left fan blade or a right fan blade of the fan blade structure is extended and a direction along which the width of a central fan blade of the fan blade structure is extended.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electroplating equipment, and more particularly to the electroplating equipment and an electroplating fluid disturbance device thereof that allow the electroplating fluid to be mixed properly in electroplating without causing eddy flow or turbulent flow easily, so as to increase the electroplating quality.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A semiconductor is currently the mother of industry in science development in the whole world. The lack of chips will result in many issues of production shutdown for livelihood industries. For example, vehicles cannot be manufactured and delivered, so that payments cannot be made in time for related periphery industries. Nevertheless, the electroplating industry related to the semiconductor industry plays an important role and is still a technology that cannot be ignored at present. Furthermore, the electroplating is a common surface treatment technology, forming a layer of metal film on the surface of object to improve corrosion resistance, appearance, and other performances.

In electroplating, it is sometimes difficult to realize coating in uniform thickness, especially when performing electroplating on parts in complex shapes or tiny parts. The issue of non-uniformity of the coating thickness (i.e., the uniformity of coating thickness is bad) will result in the differences in local performances of products. Electroplating fluid will be normally heated up in an electroplating tank, and the electroplating fluid will be stirred by a stirring device; therefore, for the electroplating equipment or system, how to stop the flowing electroplating fluid from causing the turbulent flow, make temperature of the electroplating fluid uniform and properly mix the electroplating fluid, will be the key factors to affect the uniformity of coating thickness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an electroplating fluid disturbance device and electroplating equipment used in electroplating, so that the electroplating fluid can be mixed properly in electroplating without causing the eddy flow or turbulent flow easily, thereby improving the electroplating quality.

According to one object of the present invention, the present invention provides an electroplating fluid disturbance device used in the electroplating equipment, including a first horizontal driving device, a first fan blade structure, and a first fan blade structure driving device. The first fan blade structure is connected to the first horizontal driving device, wherein the first horizontal driving device is used to drive the first fan blade structure to move toward or away from a first surface of a plated substrate, forming a first specific distance between the first fan blade structure and the first surface of plated substrate. The first fan blade structure driving device is connected to the first fan blade structure and is used to drive the entire first fan blade structure, allowing the first fan blade structure to move back-and-forth in a specific direction, wherein the specific direction is perpendicular to a surface normal of the plated substrate and the height of electroplating equipment. The first fan blade structure includes at least a first left fan blade, a first central fan blade, and at least a first right fan blade. The first central fan blade of the first fan blade structure is disposed between the first left fan blade and the first right fan blade of the first fan blade structure, and a first included angle is formed between a direction along which the width of first central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of first left fan blade is extended. In addition, a second included angle is formed between the direction along which the width of first central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of first right fan blade is extended. Both the first included angle and the second included angle are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

Optionally, the electroplating fluid disturbance device further includes a second horizontal driving device, a second fan blade structure, and a second fan blade structure driving device. The second fan blade structure is connected to the second horizontal driving device, wherein the second horizontal driving device is used to drive the second fan blade structure to move toward or away from a second surface of the plated substrate, forming a second specific distance between the second fan blade structure and the second surface of plated substrate, with that the second surface is opposite to the first surface. The second fan blade structure driving device is connected to the second fan blade structure and is used to drive the entire second fan blade structure, allowing the second fan blade structure to move back-and-forth in a specific direction. The second fan blade structure includes at least a second left fan blade, a second central fan blade, and at least a second right fan blade. The second central fan blade of the second fan blade structure is disposed between the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure, and a third included angle is formed between a direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second left fan blade is extended. In addition, a fourth included angle is formed between the direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second right fan blade is extended. Both the third included angle and the fourth included angle are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

Optionally, both the first specific distance and the second specific distance are between 1 cm and 30 cm.

Optionally, the first specific distance is equal to the second specific distance.

Optionally, both the first specific distance and the second specific distance are 2 cm.

Optionally, the first included angle, the second included angle, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle are all equal.

Optionally, the first included angle, the second included angle, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle are all 15 degrees.

Optionally, the first left fan blade and the first right fan blade of the first fan blade structure are all plural, and the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure are all plural.

According to one object of the present invention, the present invention provides electroplating equipment, including the abovementioned electroplating fluid disturbance device having two fan blade structures, an electroplating tank, a cathode device, a jig, a first anode device, a second anode device, and a vertical driving device. The electroplating fluid disturbance device is disposed in the electroplating tank. A top of the jig is connected to the cathode device, and is used to clamp the plated substrate. The first anode device is connected at a rear side of the first fan blade structure, and the second anode device is connected at a rear side of the second fan blade structure. The vertical driving device is connected to the cathode device, and is used to drive the cathode device and the jig to move vertically and to be positioned, so that the plated substrate that is clamped by the jig can enter into or exit from the electroplating tank or be positioned in the electroplating tank.

Optionally, the jig includes a first jig frame and a second jig frame. The first jig frame and the second jig frame are disposed on each of two sides on a top of jig, and are extended downward in a vertical direction to clamp each of the two sides of the plated substrate.

Optionally, the electroplating equipment further includes a first electroplating current providing device and a second electroplating current providing device. The first electroplating current providing device is connected electrically to the first anode device, so as to provide a first electroplating current to the first anode device. In addition, the second electroplating current providing device is connected electrically to the second anode device, so as to provide a second electroplating current to the second anode device.

Optionally, the electroplating equipment further includes an electroplating current providing device. The electroplating current providing device is connected electrically to the first anode device and the second anode device, so as to provide the electroplating current to the first anode device and the second anode device.

Accordingly, in the electroplating fluid disturbance device and the electroplating equipment used in electroplating provided by the present invention, by the abovementioned designs, when the fan blade structures face toward the surface of plated substrate and move toward two sides of the plated substrate back-and-forth, the electroplating fluid can be mixed properly in electroplating without causing the eddy flow or turbulent flow easily, thereby increasing the electroplating quality.

To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of partial structures of electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows a first cutaway view of the partial structures of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B shows a second cutaway view of the partial structures of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of a first fan blade structure of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of configuration of plural fan blades in the first fan blade structure of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a jig of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of operation of an electroplating fluid disturbance device of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of partial structures of electroplating equipment according to the present invention, FIG. 2A shows a first cutaway view of the partial structures of the electroplating equipment according to the present invention, FIG. 2B shows a second cutaway view of the partial structures of the electroplating equipment according to the present invention, FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of a first fan blade structure of the electroplating equipment according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of operation of an electroplating fluid disturbance device of the electroplating equipment according to the present invention. The present invention is primarily a design of an electroplating fluid disturbance device used in electroplating equipment, allowing the electroplating fluid (not shown in the drawings) in an electroplating tank 2 of electroplating equipment 1 to be mixed properly without causing eddy flow or turbulent flow easily, so as to increase the electroplating quality. Furthermore, when only a first surface of plated substrate A needs to be plated, the electroplating fluid disturbance device includes at least a first horizontal driving device 13, a first fan blade structure 14, and a first fan blade structure driving device 15. However, if the first surface and a second surface of the plated substrate A need to be electroplated, then the electroplating fluid disturbance device can further include a second horizontal driving device 17, a second fan blade structure 18, and a second fan blade structure driving device 19. In the present embodiment, the description is based upon an example that the first surface and the second surface of the plated substrate A need to be plated; therefore, the electroplating fluid disturbance device includes the first horizontal driving device 13, the first fan blade structure 14, the first fan blade structure driving device 15, the second horizontal driving device 17, the second fan blade structure 18, and the second fan blade structure driving device 19.

The electroplating equipment 1 includes the abovementioned electroplating fluid disturbance device, the electroplating tank 2, a cathode device 11, a jig 12, a first anode device 16A, a second anode device 16B, and a vertical driving device 3. The electroplating fluid disturbance device is disposed in the electroplating tank 2. A top 121 of the jig 12 is connected to the cathode device 11 and is used to clamp the plated substrate A. The first anode device 16A is connected at a rear side of the first fan blade structure 14 (i.e., the side where the first fan blade structure 14 is extended toward a negative-X axis), and the second anode device 16B is connected at a rear side of the second fan blade structure 18 (i.e., the side where the second fan blade structure 18 is extended toward a positive-X axis). The vertical driving device 3 is connected to the cathode device 11, and is used to drive the cathode device 11 and the jig 12 to move vertically (i.e., moving toward a positive-Z axis and a negative-Z axis) and to be positioned, so that the plated substrate A that is clamped by the jig 12 can enter into and exit from the electroplating tank 2 or be positioned in the electroplating tank 2.

The first fan blade structure 14 is connected to the first horizontal driving device 13, wherein the first horizontal driving device 13 is used to drive the first fan blade structure 14 to move toward the first surface of the plated substrate A (i.e., moving toward the positive-X axis) or move away from the first surface of the plated substrate A (i.e., moving toward the negative-X axis), so as to form a first specific distance D (as shown in FIG. 2B) between the first fan blade structure 14 and the first surface of the plated substrate A. The first fan blade structure driving device 15 is connected to the first fan blade structure 14, and is used to drive the entire first fan blade structure 14, allowing the first fan blade structure 14 to move back-and-forth in a specific direction (i.e., moving toward a positive-Y axis and a negative-Y axis), wherein the specific direction is perpendicular to a surface normal of the plated substrate A (i.e., along the negative-X axis) and the height of electroplating equipment 1 (i.e., along the positive-Z axis).

The second fan blade structure 18 is connected to the second horizontal driving device 17, wherein the second horizontal driving device 17 is used to drive the second fan blade structure 18 to move toward (i.e., moving toward the negative-X axis) or away from (i.e., moving toward the positive-X axis) the second surface of plated substrate A, thereby forming a second specific distance (not shown in the drawings) between the second fan blade structure 18 and the second surface of plated substrate A, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface. The second fan blade structure driving device 19 is connected to the second fan blade structure 18, and is used to drive the entire second fan blade structure 18, allowing the second fan blade structure 18 to move back-and-forth (i.e., toward the positive-Y axis and the negative-Y axis) in a specific direction.

In the present embodiment, both the first specific distance D and the second specific distance are between 1 cm and 30 cm, so that the electroplating fluid on the first surface and the second surface of the plated substrate A can be mixed properly and uniformly. In addition, it is preferred that the first specific distance D is equal to the second specific distance, and both the specific distances are 2 cm. However, there is no limitation in the present invention, and the first specific distance D can be different from the second specific distance according to various needs, and is not necessarily 2 cm.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, and FIG. 6, FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of configuration of plural fan blades in the first fan blade structure of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention. The first fan blade structure 14 includes at least a first left fan blade 141, a first central fan blade 142, and at least a first right fan blade 143. In the present embodiment, both the first left fan blade 141 and the first right fan blade 143 of the first fan blade structure 14 are plural. The first central fan blade 142 of the first fan blade structure 14 is disposed between the first left fan blade 141 and the first right fan blade 143 of the first fan blade structure 14, a first included angle θ1 is formed between a direction along which the width of first central fan blade 142 is extended and a direction along with the width of first left fan blade 141 is extended, and a second included angle θ2 is formed between the direction along which the width of first central fan blade 142 is extended and a direction along with the width of first right fan blade 143 is extended. Both the first included angle θ1 and the second included angle θ2 are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

Similarly, the second fan blade structure 18 includes at least a second left fan blade (not shown in the drawings), a second central fan blade (not shown in the drawings), and at least a second right fan blade (not shown in the drawings). In the present embodiment, both the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure 18 are plural. The second central fan blade of the second fan blade structure 18 is disposed between the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure 18, a third included angle is formed between a direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second left fan blade is extended, a fourth included angle is formed between the direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second right fan blade is extended, and both the third included angle and the fourth included angle are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

It is preferred that in the present embodiment, the first included angle θ1, the second included angle θ2, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle are all equal, and are 15 degrees. However, there is no limitation in the present invention, and in some embodiments, the first included angle θ1, the second included angle θ2, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle can be totally different or partly equal. Moreover, in one embodiment, the first included angle θ1, the second included angle θ2, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle can be rotated by a tool or a driving piece to comply with a predetermined request (normally related to the material of electroplating fluid).

It is noted that the second fan blade structure 18 is similar to the first fan blade structure 14, so the second left fan blade, the second central fan blade, the second right fan blade, the third included angle, the fourth included angle and the second specific distance of the second fan blade structure 18 will not be shown in figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a jig of the electroplating equipment, according to the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the jig 12 includes a first jig frame 122 and a second jig frame 123. The first jig frame 122 and the second jig frame 123 are disposed on each of two sides on the top 121 of the jig 12, and are extended downward in a vertical direction (i.e., extending toward the negative-Z axis), to be clamped at each of the two sides of the plated substrate A. It is noted that the implementation of abovementioned jig 12 is not used to limit the present invention, and in other embodiments, the jig 12 can be implemented by other methods.

It should be mentioned that the electroplating equipment can further include a first electroplating current providing device P1 and a second electroplating current providing device P2. The first electroplating current providing device P1 is connected electrically to the first anode device 16A, so as to provide a first electroplating current to the first anode device 16A. In addition, the second electroplating current providing device P2 is connected electrically to the second anode device 16B, so as to provide a second electroplating current to the second anode device 16B.

On the other hand, the first anode device and the second anode device can also use a same electroplating current. Therefore, in another embodiment, the electroplating equipment can even include an electroplating current providing device P which is connected electrically to the first anode device 16A and the second anode device 16B, so as to provide an electroplating current to the first anode device 16A and the second anode device 16B.

Accordingly, the electroplating fluid disturbance device and the electroplating equipment used in electroplating, provided by the present invention, includes primarily the fan blade structure which is provided with at least a left fan blade, a central fan blade, and at a least a right fan blade. An included angle between 10 degrees and 50 degrees is disposed between the direction along which the width of central fan blade is extended and the direction along which the width of left fan blade is extended; whereas, an include angle between 10 degrees and 50 degrees is also formed between the direction along which the width of central fan blade is extended and the direction along which the width of right fan blade is extended. By the design of abovementioned included angles and keeping a specific distance between the fan blade structure and the surface of plated substrate, when the fan blade structure moves toward the surface of plated substrate and moves back-and-forth toward two sides on the surface of plated substrate, the electroplating fluid can be mixed properly in electroplating without causing the eddy flow or turbulent flow, thereby increasing the electroplating quality.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An electroplating fluid disturbance device used in electroplating equipment, comprising a first horizontal driving device;a first fan blade structure, which is connected to the first horizontal driving device, wherein the first horizontal driving structure is used to drive the first fan blade structure to move toward or away from a first surface of a plated substrate, forming a first specific distance between the first fan blade structure and the first surface of the plated substrate; anda first fan blade structure driving device, which is connected to the first fan blade structure and is used to drive the entire first fan blade structure, allowing the first fan blade structure to move back-and-forth in a specific direction, with that the specific direction is perpendicular to a surface normal of the plated substrate and is perpendicular to a height of electroplating equipment;wherein the first fan blade structure includes a first left fan blade, a first central fan blade, and a first right fan blade, with that the first central fan blade of the first fan blade structure is disposed between the first left fan blade and the first right fan blade of the first fan blade structure, a first included angle is disposed between a direction along which a width of the first central fan blade is extended and a direction along which a width of the first left fan blade is extended, a second included angle is disposed between a direction along which the width of the first central fan blade is extended and a direction along which a width of the first right fan blade is extended, and both the first included angle and the second included angle are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

2. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 1, further comprising a second horizontal driving device;a second fan blade structure, which is connected to the second horizontal driving device, wherein the second horizontal driving device is used to drive the second fan blade structure to move toward or away from a second surface of the plated substrate, forming a second specific distance between the second fan blade structure and the second surface of the plated substrate, with that the second surface is opposite to the first surface; anda second fan blade structure driving device, which is connected to the second fan blade structure and is used to drive the entire second fan blade structure, allowing the second fan blade structure to move back-and-forth in a specific direction;wherein the second fan blade structure includes a second left fan blade, a second central fan blade, and a second right fan blade, with that the second central fan blade of the second fan blade structure is disposed between the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure, a third included angle is disposed between a direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second left fan blade is extended, a fourth included angle is disposed between a direction along which the width of second central fan blade is extended and a direction along which the width of second right fan blade is extended, and both the third included angle and the fourth included angle are between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

3. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 2, wherein both of the first specific distance and the second specific distance are between 1 cm and 30 cm.

4. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 3, wherein the first specific distance is equal to the second specific distance.

5. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 4, wherein both of the first specific distance and the second specific distance are 2 cm.

6. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 2, wherein the first included angle, the second included angle, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle are all equal.

7. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 6, wherein the first included angle, the second included angle, the third included angle, and the fourth included angle are all 15 degrees.

8. The electroplating fluid disturbance device according to claim 2, wherein both of the first left fan blade and the first right fan blade of the first fan blade structure are plural, and both of the second left fan blade and the second right fan blade of the second fan blade structure are plural.

9. An electroplating equipment, comprising the electroplating fluid disturbance device described in any one claim in claim 2;an electroplating tank, wherein the electroplating fluid disturbance device is disposed in the electroplating tank;a cathode device;a jig, which is disposed in the electroplating tank when the electroplating equipment performs electroplating to the plated substrate, wherein a top of the jig is connected to the cathode device, and the jig is used to clamp the plated substrate;a first anode device, which is connected at a rear side of the first fan blade structure;a second anode device, which is connected at a rear side of the second fan blade structure; anda vertical driving device, which is connected to the cathode device to drive the cathode device and the jig to move vertically and to be positioned, allowing the plated substrate clamped by the jig to enter into or exit from the electroplating tank or to be positioned in the electroplating tank.

10. The electroplating equipment according to claim 9, wherein the jig includes a first jig frame and a second jig frame, the first jig frame and the second jig frame are disposed on each of two sides on the top of the jig, and are extended downward in a vertical direction, so as to clamp each of the two sides of the plated substrate.

11. The electroplating equipment according to claim 9, further comprising a first electroplating current providing device, which is connected electrically to the first anode device to provide a first electroplating current to the first anode device; anda second electroplating current providing device, which is connected electrically to the second anode device to provide the second electroplating current to the second anode device.

12. The electroplating equipment according to claim 9, further comprising an electroplating current providing device, which is connected electrically to the first anode device and the second anode device to provide an electroplating current to the first anode device and the second anode device.