TWI831852B - A fluid delivery system and a method of electroplating a workpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid delivery system for use in an electroplating system is disclosed as including a tank adapted to contain a fluid, a first fluid deliverer having a first fluid outlet for delivering the fluid into the tank, a second fluid deliverer having a second fluid outlet and a third fluid deliverer having a third fluid outlet for delivering pressurized fluid in oppositely facing directions into the tank, the tank having an axis along which a workpiece is movable relative to said tank along the axis between the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet, the second fluid deliverer is adapted to deliver the pressurized fluid out from the second fluid outlet to exert a first repulsive force on the workpiece which is offset from the axis towards said second fluid deliverer by a first distance to move the workpiece towards the third fluid deliverer, the second fluid deliverer is adapted to deliver the pressurized fluid out from the second fluid outlet to exert a second repulsive force on the workpiece which is offset from the axis towards said second fluid deliverer by a second distance to move the workpiece towards the third fluid deliverer, the first repulsive force is larger than the second repulsive force and the first distance is larger than the second distance.

Description

Fluid delivery system and method of plating workpieces

The present invention relates to a fluid delivery system for use in a tank, particularly a treatment tank such as an electroplating system, and to a method of electroplating workpieces.

In a conventional electroplating machine, a plurality of workpiece carriers are movable through and relative to a tank containing a treatment solution, such as a plating solution. Each workpiece holder is detachably coupled to each workpiece to be electroplated. The workpiece carriers can move through the slot sequentially, that is, one after the other on a line, thereby moving the workpieces sequentially through the slot. The shape of the workpieces to be electroplated is usually rectangular and planar. When the workpiece brackets are coupled and carry the workpieces, the workpieces are oriented vertically and opposite major surfaces of the workpieces face sideways. The electroplating machine can therefore be said to be a vertical continuous electroplating machine.

A cathode rod is fixed relative to the tank of the electroplating machine, and each workpiece bracket is electrically connected to the cathode rod through sliding joints so as to be electrically connected to the cathode rod when the workpiece brackets pass through and move relative to the tank. A plurality of anode plates, each powered by a power source, are positioned within the tank and fixed relative to the tank. Therefore, when the workpieces move through the electroplating solution in the tank through the workpiece supports, they are affected by an electric field between the cathode rod and the anode plates, causing the metal in the electroplating solution to be deposited on the artifact superior.

It is generally known that the electroplating tank in the continuous electroplating machine can be 30 to 40 meters long and the effective coverage area of the electroplating machine can be as short as the width of a workpiece. Since the conductivity of the workpiece is primarily determined by the thickness of the plating applied to the workpiece during plating, it is important to ensure that no major surface of the workpiece is in physical contact with any other component in the tank. However, in conventional electroplating machines, because the fluid jet (such as a jet of electroplating solution) ejected from the nozzle during electroplating operates under the condition of conservation of net momentum at any point along the jet axis and is therefore consistent with the conservation of net momentum. A small force is exerted on the workpiece regardless of its position, so it is very difficult to avoid perturbing each workpiece moving through the slot. Even if the workpiece is held on the centerline in the groove by a plurality of guides or rollers, these guides or rollers inevitably come into sliding contact with the workpiece at some points, and thus adversely affect the plating quality.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fluid delivery system for an electroplating machine and an electroplating method in which the aforementioned disadvantages are reduced or at least provide a useful alternative to the business and public. In particular, it has been found that the aforementioned disadvantages can at least be reduced by further improvements and innovations based on existing automated electroplating systems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a fluid transport system for an electroplating system is provided, which includes: at least one tank configured to receive a fluid; a first fluid transporter having a function for transporting the fluid to a first fluid outlet in the tank; a second fluid conveyor having There is a second fluid outlet; and a third fluid conveyor having a third fluid outlet, the second and third fluid outlets being used to convey pressurized fluid in opposite directions into the tank, the tank having an axis along which a workpiece is moveable relative to the slot between the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet, wherein the second fluid conveyor is configured to convey the pressurized fluid away from the second fluid outlet so as to Applying a first repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis a first distance toward the second fluid conveyor to move the workpiece toward the third fluid conveyor, wherein the second fluid conveyor is configured to move the pressurized The fluid is conveyed away from the second fluid outlet to exert a second repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis a second distance toward the second fluid conveyor to move the workpiece toward the third fluid conveyor, wherein the first The repulsive force is greater than the second repulsive force and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for electroplating at least one workpiece is provided, which includes the following steps: (a) transporting fluid from a first fluid outlet of a first fluid transporter to a tank; (b) Transport pressurized fluid in opposite directions into the groove from a second fluid outlet of a second fluid conveyor and from a third fluid outlet of a third fluid conveyor; (c) Make the workpiece relative to the edge of the groove moving between the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet along an axis; (d) exerting a first repulsive force on the workpiece that is offset from the axis by a first distance toward the second fluid conveyor, so that the workpiece moving toward the third fluid conveyor; and (e) exerting a second repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis by a second distance toward the second fluid conveyor to cause the workpiece to move toward the third fluid conveyor, The first repulsive force is greater than the second repulsive force and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

10:Electroplating machine

12:Slot

14:Artifact

15: Workpiece holder

16:Axis

100: Fluid delivery system

110a,110b,120,130:Nozzle

121: Fluid inlet

122,132: Fluid outlet

122a,122b,122c:Export

123:Flow path

124: Annular hole

125:Outer perimeter

126: Inner perimeter

127: Stop member

128: Annular hole area

140,150: Common fluid pipe

142,152: Entrance

d ₁ : Larger offset

d ₂ : Smaller offset

F ₁ : Repulsion

F ₂ : Nominal repulsion

t: gap thickness

The following only illustrates various embodiments of the present invention through multiple examples and accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fluid delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 1 View; Figure 3 is a partial end view of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 1; Figure 4a is an end view of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 1; Figure 4b is an other end view of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 1; Figure 5a is a front view of a nozzle of a fluid delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle along line F-F of Figure 5a; Figure 5c is a schematic side view of the nozzle of Figure 5a; Figure 5d is a schematic three-dimensional view of the nozzle of Figure 5a; Figure 5e is a three-dimensional view of the nozzle of Figure 5a; Figure 6 is a schematic three-dimensional view showing the connection between the nozzles and the pressurized nozzle; Figure 7a shows a workpiece clearly deviating through a A schematic diagram of a workpiece moving the central axis of one of the processing tanks; Figure 7b is a schematic diagram showing a workpiece slightly deviating from the central axis; Figure 7c is a schematic diagram showing a workpiece being aligned with the central axis; Figure 8 is a diagram showing the repulsive force at two different flow rates Figure 9a shows the gap distance between the nozzles and the workpiece; Figure 9a shows that when the nozzles are not flowing, the nozzle outlets and A schematic diagram of the physical contact between the workpieces; Figure 9b is a schematic diagram showing a small gap distance between the nozzle outlets and the workpiece when the nozzles deliver a small flow; Figure 9c shows a small gap distance when the nozzles deliver a large flow A schematic diagram of a large gap distance between the nozzle outlets and the workpiece during flow; and Figure 10 is a diagram showing the repulsive force of the nozzle outlets of the nozzles in three different configurations.

A schematic diagram of a vertical continuous electroplating machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 b and is generally indicated by 10 .

The electroplating machine 10 includes a tank 12 for receiving an electroplating solution. Preferably, the plurality of workpieces 14 together form a continuous and retractable material that can be sequentially passed through and moved relative to the slot 12 . Each workpiece 14 to be electroplated is detachably coupled to a workpiece carrier 15 and can be physically and electrically connected to establish physical and electrical connections therewith.

The electroplating machine 10 includes a fluid delivery system 100 . The fluid delivery system 100 includes two rows of opposing nozzles 110a, 110b for delivering the plating solution into the tank 12 (as, for example, first fluid delivery devices). The nozzles 110a are fixedly separated from each other. Similarly, the nozzles 110b are also fixedly separated from each other. The workpieces 14 move through the slot 12 sequentially and continuously between the nozzles 110a, 110b, so that a first major surface of each workpiece 14 faces the outlet of the nozzles 110a and a second major surface of each workpiece 14 faces the outlet of the nozzles 110a. The main surface faces the outlet of the nozzles 110b.

When operating the electroplating machine 10, the workpiece 14 can be moved along a The central axis 16 moves while swinging substantially perpendicular to the axis. For example, the workpiece 14 can swing between a first position in which the workpiece 14 is coaxial with the axis 16 and a second position in which the workpiece 14 is deviated from the axis 16 . This swing is extremely unnecessary because the workpiece 14 will inevitably contact some physical objects in the slot 12, especially the nozzles 110a, 110b. This plating performance is unnecessarily affected.

The fluid delivery system 100 further includes two rows of nozzles for pressurizing the electroplating solution to a higher pressure and delivering the pressurized electroplating solution to the tank 12 , that is, a row of second nozzles 120 (as, for example, a second row of nozzles). fluid conveyor) and a row of third nozzles 130 (as, for example, a third fluid conveyor). The nozzles 120 , 130 are preferably positioned on opposite sides of the workpiece 14 and deliver the pressurized plating solution in opposite directions toward opposite major surfaces of the workpiece 14 .

Please refer to Figures 5a to 5e below for a detailed description of the structure of the nozzles 120 and 130. Each nozzle 120 includes a fluid inlet 121 for receiving the electroplating solution and a fluid outlet 122 for delivering the electroplating solution to the tank 12. . The fluid inlet 121 has a circular cross-sectional area, and the fluid outlet 122 has an annular area. The nozzle 120 also includes a flow path 123 for fluidly communicating the fluid inlet 121 and the fluid outlet 122 . The cross-sectional area of the flow path 123 converges from the larger cross-sectional area of the fluid inlet 121 to the smaller cross-sectional area of the fluid outlet 122 . Initially, the electroplating solution is introduced into the nozzle 120 at a first speed through the fluid inlet 121, and is discharged through the fluid outlet 122 at a second speed higher than the first speed after passing through the inner flow path 123.

The fluid outlet 122 further includes an annular hole 124 , that is, a ring in the flow path 123 . The annular hole 124 may be bounded by an outer perimeter 125 and an inner perimeter 126 . The annular hole 124 need not be configured in an annular shape and the outer and inner peripheries 125, 126 may be configured in different shapes. For example, the outer and inner perimeters 125, 126 may be individually selected from any trigonometric shape such as circles, triangles, polygons, and even any irregular shape.

The annular hole 124 can extend through the flow path 123 formed between the fluid inlet 121 and the fluid outlet 122 . In particular, an annular channel may be formed by a cylindrical stop member 127 provided along the flow path 123 . The stop member 127 stabilizes the pressure along the flow path 123 and increases the pressure of the pressurized fluid at the fluid outlet 122 . In order to maintain a stable flow, the stopper member 127 is preferably disposed in a central portion of the flow path 123 . That is, if the nozzle 120 and the stop member 127 are both cylindrical, then the nozzle 120 and the stop member 127 form a concentric arrangement.

Referring to an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6 , the first nozzles 110 a and the second nozzles 120 are connected to a common fluid pipe 140 upstream, and on the other hand, the first nozzles 110 b on the opposite side (not shown in FIG. 6 ) and the third nozzles 130 are connected to another common fluid pipe 150 . The diameters of the second nozzles 120 and the third nozzles 130 are larger than those of the first nozzles 110a and 110b. The second nozzles 120 and the third nozzles 130 are closer to the workpiece 14 than the first nozzles 110a and 110b. Therefore, the flow rate at the fluid outlets 122 of the second nozzles 120 and the flow rate at the fluid outlets of the third nozzles 130 are greater than the flow rates at the outlets of the nozzles 110a and 110b.

For example, a fluid flow is introduced through the inlets 142 and 152 of the fluid tubes 140 and 150 respectively. A lower speed fluid flow is discharged through the outlets of the first nozzles 110a and 110b respectively. A higher velocity fluid flow is discharged through the second and third nozzles 120, 130. Preferably, the second and third nozzles 120 and 130 are each positioned between the two first nozzles 110a and 110b that are separated from each other by a minimum distance.

Referring to Figures 7a to 7c, the fluid enters the fluid inlet 121 at a relatively low velocity and at a high static pressure. The fluid is then accelerated to a higher velocity through a pressure drop (due to Hellenic's theorem) and exits through an annular hole region 128 (ie, 2πrt) formed between the circular lip of the fluid outlet 122 and the workpiece 14 The fluid outlet 122. Theoretically, the final static pressure of the fluid exiting the fluid outlet 122 must be equal to the pressure of the fluid outside the tank 12 . Therefore, the pressure of the fluid upstream of the annular hole 124 is higher than the pressure of the external fluid and this pressure difference creates a "buffer" therebetween. Therefore, the cushioning exerts a repulsive force on the workpiece 14 that is dependent on the pressure difference between the exiting fluid at the fluid outlet 122 and the external fluid pressure.

The inventor also found out through his own research that the repulsive force exerted on the workpiece 14 is inversely related to the corresponding gap thickness t between the fluid outlets 122 and 132 and the workpiece 14 . Perturbation of the workpiece 14 from the axis 16 toward one of the nozzles 120, 130 reduces the annular area 128 and thus increases the fluid velocity through the annular hole. According to White-Eye's theorem, the upstream pressure increases with the square of the supplied velocity and also increases inversely with the square of the annular area 128 . Therefore, the closer the workpiece 14 is positioned to the fluid outlet 122, the more the area of the annular hole 128 is reduced and exerted on The greater the repulsive force on the workpiece 14 is.

In use, the workpiece 14 can move along the axis 16 and deviate from the axis 16 due to the flow of the first nozzles 110a, 110b. The workpiece 14 can move along the axis 16 between the second nozzles 120 and the third nozzles 130 and deviate from the axis 16 due to the fluid flow delivered by the first nozzles 110a, 110b. Referring to Fig. 7a, the workpiece 14 with a larger offset _d1 relative to the axis 16, that is, a smaller gap t, is exerted a repulsive force _F1 by the pressurized fluid delivered by the second fluid outlet 122 and can move toward the workpiece 14. The third fluid outlet 132 moves. Alternatively, the workpiece 14 having a smaller offset d ₂ relative to the axis 16 , that is, a larger gap t as shown in FIG. 7 b , is exerted a nominal repulsive force F ₂ by the pressurized fluid delivered by the second fluid outlet 122 and It can move toward the third fluid outlet 132 . If the workpiece 14 is positioned substantially aligned with the axis 16, ie without offset, as shown in Figure 7c, then the pressurized fluid delivered by the second fluid outlet 122 exerts no other force or at most a negligible force. The force is on the workpiece 14.

In addition, the inventor also figured out that the repulsive force exerted on the workpiece 14 is related to the flow rate of the nozzles 120 and 130 . This is shown in Figure 8, which shows the repulsive force exerted on the workpiece 14 with different gaps between the nozzles 120, 130 and the workpiece 14. Generally speaking, the greater the flow rate of the pressurized flow injected to the workpiece 14 , the greater the repulsive force exerted on the main surface of the workpiece 14 .

Please refer to Figures 9a, 9b and 9c of three different configurations in which the second and third nozzles 120 and 130 operate at different flow rates. If the nozzle 120 produces a zero flow, then because the first nozzle 110b faces a The jet momentum in the opposite direction is so that the effective distance between the nozzle outlet and the workpiece 14 is negligible and even as low as zero distance (see Figure 9a). If the nozzle 120 generates a small flow, the effective distance between the nozzle outlet and the workpiece 14 is small, such as 2 mm (see FIG. 9b ). Finally, if the nozzle 120 generates a large flow, the effective distance between the nozzle outlet and the workpiece 14 is large, such as 4 mm (see Figure 9c).

The second and third nozzles 120 and 130 should be separated from each other by a required gap distance. If the second and third nozzles 120, 130 are separated by a small distance from each other, the repulsive force exerted on the workpiece 14 by one nozzle, such as 120, will be excessive and push the workpiece 14 away from the axis 16 and toward the other nozzle. 130. If the second and third nozzles 120 and 130 are separated from each other by an excessive distance, the repulsive force exerted by one nozzle 120 on the workpiece 14 is negligible and insufficient to push the workpiece 14 toward the axis 16 and offset the offset. 16. Optimally, the second and third nozzles 120, 130 should be placed between a gap distance slightly wider than the thickness of the workpiece 14, so that the deflection of the workpiece 14 from the axis 16 can be achieved by moving the workpiece 14 from two opposite directions. The pressurized flow in the direction of the fluid outlets 122, 132 is offset.

The repulsive force generated by each of the three different configurations is also shown in Figure 10, in which the performance of the two outlets 122a and 122b with the stopper member 127 is compared with the outlet 122c without the stopper 127 (control experiment). In general, if the stop member 127 is removed from the fluid outlet 122, the performance of the outlet 122 is significantly reduced.

It should be understood that the above merely illustrates a number of examples by which the invention may be implemented and that the invention may be implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Make various modifications and/or substitutions to other examples.

It is also to be understood that certain features of the invention, which are described in the context of different embodiments for clarity of understanding, may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are described for simplicity in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination.

12:Slot

14:Artifact

100: Fluid delivery system

110a,110b,120,130:Nozzle

121: Fluid inlet

122,132: Fluid outlet

Claims (17)

A fluid transport system for an electroplating system, which includes: at least one tank adapted to receive a fluid; a first fluid transporter having a first fluid outlet for transporting the fluid to the tank; a second fluid conveyor having a second fluid outlet; and a third fluid conveyor having a third fluid outlet, the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet being used to move the fluid toward the opposite direction. Pressurized fluid is delivered into the groove, the groove has an axis, and a workpiece can move relative to the groove along the axis between the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet, wherein the second fluid conveyor is adapted to move The pressurized fluid is conveyed away from the second fluid outlet to exert a first repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis toward the second fluid conveyor by a first distance to move the workpiece toward the third fluid conveyor, wherein The second fluid conveyor is adapted to convey the pressurized fluid away from the second fluid outlet so as to exert a second repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis a second distance toward the second fluid conveyor to cause the workpiece to orient The third fluid conveyor moves, wherein the first repulsive force is greater than the second repulsive force and the first distance is greater than the second distance. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the pressurized fluid at the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet is related to the relationship between the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet and the workpiece. between The distance is inversely related. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein a pressurized fluid is delivered at a first speed to the workpiece deviated from the first distance from the axis, and a pressurized fluid is delivered at a second speed to a workpiece deviated from the axis. The second distance to the workpiece, wherein the first speed is lower than the second speed. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein each of the second fluid delivery device and the third fluid delivery device further includes a fluid inlet, and the fluid is introduced through the fluid inlet at a lower speed and through the fluid inlet at a higher speed. The second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet are respectively delivered to the tank. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the range of the hole area of the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet is the distance between the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet and the workpiece. Inversely related. The fluid delivery system of claim 4, wherein each of the second fluid delivery device and/or the third fluid delivery device further includes a stop member at the central portion and along the fluid inlet and the A flow path is formed between the fluid outlets. The fluid delivery system of claim 6, wherein the stop member is adapted to stabilize the pressure along the flow path and increase the pressure of the pressurized fluid at the fluid outlet. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet each include an annular hole. The fluid delivery system of claim 8, wherein the annular hole is formed by an outer periphery and an inner periphery. The fluid delivery system of claim 9, wherein the outer periphery and the inner periphery have different shapes. The fluid delivery system of claim 1 further includes a plurality of groups of the second fluid conveyor and the third fluid conveyor, and each group is fixedly separated from each other. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is separated from the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet by a minimum distance. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the diameters of the second fluid delivery device and the third fluid delivery device are larger than the diameter of the first fluid delivery device. The fluid transport system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first fluid transporter and the shaft is greater than the distance between the second fluid transporter and/or the third fluid transporter and the shaft. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the pressurized fluid at the second fluid outlet and/or the third fluid outlet is greater than the external pressure of the fluid contained in the tank. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the fluid system is an electroplating solution. A method of electroplating at least one workpiece, which includes the following steps: (a) transporting fluid from a first fluid outlet of a first fluid conveyor to a tank; (b) transporting pressurized fluid in opposite directions from a second fluid outlet of a second fluid conveyor and from a third fluid outlet of a third fluid conveyor to the tank; (c) ) moving the workpiece relative to the groove along an axis between the second fluid outlet and the third fluid outlet; (d) applying a first force on the workpiece offset from the axis by a first distance toward the second fluid conveyor a repulsive force to move the workpiece toward the third fluid conveyor; and (e) exert a second repulsive force on the workpiece offset from the axis by a second distance toward the second fluid conveyor to make the workpiece move toward the third fluid conveyor. The three-fluid conveyor moves, wherein the first repulsive force is greater than the second repulsive force and the first distance is greater than the second distance.