An electroplated article includes a base member that includes one or more base member-metallic elements; and an electroplated layer that is formed directly on the base member. The electroplated layer includes at least a first electroplated layer-metallic element and a second electroplated layer-metallic element that is different from the first electroplated layer-metallic element. The second electroplated layer-metallic element is a metallic element that is identical to at least one of the one or more base member-metallic elements. A ratio of the second electroplated layer-metallic element in the electroplated layer is continuously decreased as being away from the base member in the thickness direction of the electroplated layer. Alloy grains including at least the first and second electroplated layer-metallic elements are distributed in the electroplated layer such that a clear interface is not formed between the base member and the electroplated layer.

Among other things, one or more systems and techniques for promoting metal plating profile uniformity are provided. A magnetic structure is positioned relative to a semiconductor wafer that is to be electroplated with metal during a metal plating process. In an embodiment, the magnetic structure applies a force that decreases an edge plating current by moving metal ions away from a wafer edge of the semiconductor wafer. In an embodiment, the magnetic structure applies a force that increases a center plating current by moving metal ions towards a center portion of the semiconductor wafer. In this way, the edge plating current has a current value that is similar to a current value of the center plating current. The similarity between the center plating current and the edge plating current promotes metal plating uniformity.

A method for manufacturing a package includes generating an electric field between an anode and a cathode in an electroplating solution to electroplate a substrate electrically connected to the cathode; depositing metal on a central region of the substrate with a first deposition rate; depositing metal on an outer region of the substrate with a second deposition rate lower than the first deposition rate; and reducing the first deposition rate.

Provided is a technique that allows measuring a film thickness of a substrate in a plating process. A plating apparatus 1000 includes a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 20, a rotation mechanism 30, a plurality of contact members 50, a coil 60, a current sensor 65, and a film thickness measuring device 70. The plurality of contact members 50 are disposed in a substrate holder and arranged in a circumferential direction of the substrate holder. The plurality of contact members 50 contact an outer peripheral edge of a lower surface of a substrate to supply electricity to the substrate in the plating process. The coil 60 generates a current by an electromagnetic induction due to a magnetic field generated by a current flowing into the contact member, the contact member being rotate together with the substrate holder in the plating process. The current sensor 65 detects the current generated in the coil. The film thickness measuring device 70 measures a film thickness of the substrate based on the current detected by the current sensor in the plating process.

A method of plating a metallic substrate to achieve a desired surface coarseness includes: plating a metallic substrate with a source metal using a plating solution containing the source metal to produce a plated layer; and during said plating, varying at least one of multiple plating parameters to achieve a value of a coarseness metric of a surface of the plated layer above a minimum predetermined target value of the coarseness metric. Determining a value of a coarseness metric of a plated layer on a metallic substrate includes obtaining a magnified image of a surface of a plated layer recorded by a magnification device; identifying a path across the magnified image that crosses a plurality of pixels; and determining a contrast among the plurality of pixels.

Fabrication of a double-sided photovoltaic cell, with two opposite active surfaces, comprising a step of depositing, on each active surface, at least one electric contact. The deposition step comprises in particular a shared operation of depositing on each of the active surfaces, implemented by electrolysis in a shared electrolysis tank comprising: a first compartment for depositing a metal layer on a first active surface of the cell, for fabrication of a contact comprising said metal layer on the first active surface; and a second compartment for depositing, by oxidation, a metal oxide conductor layer on the second active surface of the cell, for the fabrication of a contact comprising said metal oxide layer on the second active surface.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.

An electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating bath including an anode installed therein and a plating solution received therein, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate to be submerged into the plating solution and including a support surrounding the substrate and a cathode on the support to be electrically connected to a periphery of the substrate, a magnetic field generating assembly provided in the support and including at least one electromagnetic coil extending along a circumference of the substrate, and a power supply configured to current to the electromagnetic coil.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.