Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Electrolytic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-20
2004-12-14
Olsen, Kaj K. (Department: 1753)
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Electrolytic
C204S297100, C204S434000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830667
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cathode cartridge and an anode cartridge of testing device for electroplating, particularly, with which silicon wafers, glass bases and ceramic bases etc. can be plated precisely.
2. Prior Art
Recently, plating technology has widely been used in various fields of technology, such as a wiring method applied to a semiconductor. In semiconductor fields it is required that a pitch of wiring distributed on a semiconductor is to be reduced in order to realize higher integration and higher performance thereof. Accordingly, in recent days, the wiring method, which is so called as Damascene Process, has been applied. That Damascene Process is a method, in which channels for wiring are maintained after setting up layer insulations by carrying out dry etching process, and then the distributing material for wiring is bedded in said channels.
Moreover, as one of the latest techniques, to which the plating technology is applied, there is another technique called as LIGA (Lithographie Galvanoformung Abformung), relating to manufacturing minute mechanical parts, in which acrylic resin is treated by X-ray to make a mold thereof and then metallic minute particles are made up by accumulating plating deposit thickly in the mold.
In order to materialize these plating techniques, it is required that the wiring material is accumulated with homogeneous broadening in a hollow dug place such as the channel of the mold. Therefore, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-152342 applied by the present patent applicant it has already been suggested that the homogeneous plating membrane on a plating side of a plated base could be formed in the patent application filed under the title of “a cathode cartridge of a testing device for electroplating and a testing device for electroplating”.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, the current cathode cartridge (
31
) equipped with a testing device for electroplating comprises a plated base (
32
) that is a negative plate, a cathode conductor (
33
), a rear wall insulator (
34
), a front wall insulator (
35
) and an elastic thin board (
36
), wherein the cathode conductor (
33
), that is tabular, has a hole having a same shape to the outline of a plating side (
32
a
) of the plated base (
32
) as negative plate, and has some protruding portions (
33
a
), each of which is pressed to the plating side (
32
a
) at periphery thereof, and in the part of the cathode conductor (
33
) which is not soaked in plating solution, there is an exposed portion to be able to be connected with a direct current electric source.
The rear wall insulator (
34
) covers both a back side of the plated base (
32
) and a back side of the cathode conductor (
33
) and has both a round dug place (
34
a
), into which the plated base (
32
) is retained, and a channel part (
34
b
), into which the cathode conductor (
33
) is retained.
The front insulator (
35
) has a cutting hole presenting the same shape to that of the plating side (
32
a
) and covers a front side of the cathode conductor (
33
).
The elastic thin board (
36
) is sandwiched between the plated base (
32
) and the rear wall insulator (
34
).
Further, the conductor (
33
) is related to an electrical conductor such as metal and carbon, and also may be made up from electrical conductivity material spattered on a glass plate or the like.
SUMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, as shown in
FIG. 11
, according to a cathode of a testing device for electroplating found in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-152342 there still remained a problem that the plating solution invaded both in the edge strip
32
b
of the plated base
32
, and by the peripheral surface
32
c
of the plating side
32
a.
Presently, for the purpose of manufacturing more advanced semiconductors mentioned above since there is a wiring for semiconductors constructed by using a line of 0.5 &mgr;m and below, it is required to provide a plating surface with a very minute plating precision.
Nevertheless, since in case that plating solution invades the cathode parts except the plated side of the plated base
32
, an error occurs by a plated area and a minute plating precision cannot be obtained.
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 12
, there was a difference in size between a side area of an anode
37
and an area of the plated side
32
a
, there was another problem that electric lines of force (arrows in
FIG. 12
) generated from an anode
37
could not enter uniformly into the plated side
32
a.
Because the lines of electric force concentrate on a peripheral part of the plated side
32
a
from a flank of the plated side
32
a
, there is a tendency to thicken the plating thickness of a peripheral part thereof.
The present invention has been made the forgoing background in mind. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a cathode cartridge of testing device for electroplating to intercept both a lateral side and a peripheral side of the plated base from plating solution.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anode cartridge of a testing device for electroplating, in which lines of electric force generated from the anode can enter uniformly into a plated side of a plated base.
According to the present invention, there is provided a cathode cartridge used in a testing device for electroplating, which comprises: a tabular cathode conductor, which has an aperture (open hole) having a same shape to that of the plated parts of the plated base that is a negative plate, which has plural protruding portions to contact to a peripheral part around the plated parts, and which is able to connect with a direct current by an exposed portion thereof, which is not soaked in plating solution; a first elastic thin board, which covers a rear side of the plated base and has a groove part, into which the plated base is retained; a tabular rear wall insulator, which covers both a back side of the cathode conductor and a back side of the first elastic thin board, and has an aperture, into which the cathode conductor and the first elastic thin board is retained; a tabular front insulator, which has the aperture having the same shape to that of the plated parts, which covers a front side of the cathode conductor, and has a channel, into which the cathode conductor is retained; a second elastic thin board, which has an aperture (open hole) having a same shape to that of the plated parts, which is sandwiched between the cathode conductor and the plated base, and has a hole through which the protruding portion of the cathode conductor is guided for passing through.
Owing to the mentioned above construction, both the lateral side of the plated base and peripheral parts around the plated parts can be prevented from plating solution's invading, and therefore minute plating accuracy is achieved.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is also provided an anode cartridge used in an electroplating testing device, which comprises: a tabular anode conductor, which is arranged to let a front side of the cathode cartridge be opposite thereto and has a exposure part, which can connect with direct current on the part which does not soak in plating solution; a tabular first insulator, which wraps the side of the anode conductor, that faces in the opposite direction of the cathode cartridge, and which has a hollow part into which the anode conductor is retained; a tabular second insulator, which has an opened hole that is the same figure corresponded to that of the plated parts, and covers a side of the anode conductor, that faces in direction of the cathode cartridge.
By such a constitution thereupon, an exposure of the anode conductor is limited to only a part that is opposing to a shape of the plated parts and then lines of electric force generated from a positive pole can enter into the plated parts of the plated base uniformly.
Consequently, a uniform plating membrane is formed on the plated parts.
Then, as to the second insulator, it is detachable to the first insulator or the anode conductor.
Liniak Berenato & White
Olsen Kaj K.
Yamamoto-MS Co., Ltd.
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