Techniques herein provide a workpiece handling and loading apparatus for loading, unloading, and handling relatively flexible and thin substrates for transport and electrochemical deposition. Such a system assists with workpiece holder exchange between a delivery cartridge or magazine, and a workpiece holder. Embodiments include a workpiece handler configured to provide an air cushion to a given workpiece, and maneuvering to a given workpiece holder that can edge clamp the workpiece.

The present disclosure provides a carrier liquid leakage preventing device and an electrochemical deposition apparatus. The carrier liquid leakage preventing device is used for containing liquid medicine dripping from a carrier; the carrier liquid leakage preventing device comprises: a guide rail disposed along a first direction, the first direction is a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane or a direction at an angle to the horizontal plane; a leakage preventing groove provided on the guide rail and capable of performing a lifting movement along the guide rail so as to move above or below the carrier; and a driver for driving the lifting movement of the leakage preventing groove.

The present disclosure provides a carrier liquid leakage preventing device and an electrochemical deposition apparatus. The carrier liquid leakage preventing device is used for containing liquid medicine dripping from a carrier; the carrier liquid leakage preventing device comprises: a guide rail disposed along a first direction, the first direction is a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane or a direction at an angle to the horizontal plane; a leakage preventing groove provided on the guide rail and capable of performing a lifting movement along the guide rail so as to move above or below the carrier; and a driver for driving the lifting movement of the leakage preventing groove.

A wafer plating fixture for use in simultaneously electroplating a two substrates. The wafer plating fixture including: an electrically conductive carrier bus; a plurality of contact clips electrically coupled to the carrier bus and configured to hold the two substrates in place and electrically couple the two substrates to the carrier bus; and a non-conductive substrate backer to separate the two substrates coupled to the carrier bus. A method of electroplating a plurality of substrates. The method including: mounting two substrates to be plated onto a wafer plating fixture; mounting the wafer plating fixture on a continuous belt of plating system; dipping the wafer plating fixture with the two substrates held thereon into an electroplating bath; and applying a voltage to the two substrates via the wafer plating fixture.

A wafer plating fixture for use in simultaneously electroplating a two substrates. The wafer plating fixture including: an electrically conductive carrier bus; a plurality of contact clips electrically coupled to the carrier bus and configured to hold the two substrates in place and electrically couple the two substrates to the carrier bus; and a non-conductive substrate backer to separate the two substrates coupled to the carrier bus. A method of electroplating a plurality of substrates. The method including: mounting two substrates to be plated onto a wafer plating fixture; mounting the wafer plating fixture on a continuous belt of plating system; dipping the wafer plating fixture with the two substrates held thereon into an electroplating bath; and applying a voltage to the two substrates via the wafer plating fixture.

A method of using a masking device to mask a portion of a gas turbine engine component for an electroplating process is provided. The masking device includes a main body having sidewalls, a removeable coverplate having an end plate and one or more locking tabs, a fastener located at least partially within the main body, and a shank engaged with the fastener. The method includes placing the gas turbine engine component through an opening in the main body such that the component is held within the main body by a retention slot. The method includes sliding the one or more locking tabs of the removeable coverplate through the opening in the main body such that the removeable coverplate covers the opening of the main body. The method includes securing the one or more locking tabs in one or more relief slots in the sidewalls of the main body.

A plating apparatus may include a body, a lip seal structure connected to the body, and a conductive liquid. The body may include a cathode. The lip seal structure may be configured to hold a wafer. The lip seal structure may include a bottom portion, a contact portion connected to the bottom portion and contacting the wafer, and at least one partition structure protruding from an upper surface of the bottom portion. The conductive liquid may cover the upper surface of the bottom portion and may be configured to electrically connect the cathode and the wafer.

A clamper includes: a first clamping member having a first base portion and a first contact portion that is to be in contact with one surface of the workpiece; a second clamping member having a second contact portion that is to be in contact with the other surface of the workpiece; and a clamping member biasing member configured to bias at least one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member in a direction of bringing the first contact portion and the second contact portion closer to each other. The first contact portion has a plurality of plate spring portions extending from the first base portion, the plurality of plate spring portions configured to elastically deform independently from each other to come into contact with the workpiece.

A clamper includes: a first clamping member having a first base portion and a first contact portion that is to be in contact with one surface of the workpiece; a second clamping member having a second contact portion that is to be in contact with the other surface of the workpiece; and a clamping member biasing member configured to bias at least one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member in a direction of bringing the first contact portion and the second contact portion closer to each other. The first contact portion has a plurality of plate spring portions extending from the first base portion, the plurality of plate spring portions configured to elastically deform independently from each other to come into contact with the workpiece.

Provided is a wetting method for substrate that allows reducing an amount of air bubbles attached to a surface to be plated with a simple structure.

The wetting method for substrate includes a holding step 102 of holding a back surface of a substrate with a back plate such that a surface to be plated of the substrate is opposed to a liquid surface of a plating solution housed in a plating tank, a supplying step 104 of supplying the plating solution to the plating tank such that the plating solution upwardly flows through a plurality of through-holes in a center part of an ionically resistive element arranged inside the plating tank to raise a center part of the liquid surface of the plating solution, a first lowering step 106 of lowering a supporting member for supporting an outer edge portion of the surface to be plated of the substrate held by the holding member toward the liquid surface of the plating solution, and a second lowering step 108 of lowering the holding member such that the substrate is sandwiched by the supporting member lowered in the first lowering step 106 and the holding member while the center part of the liquid surface of the plating solution is raised in the supplying step 104.