DEVICE FOR ELECTROLESS METALLIZATION OF A TARGET SURFACE OF A LEAST ONE WORKPIECE

Abstract

Arrangement for electroless metallization of a target surface (3) of at least one workpiece (2), comprisinga container (5) for holding a metallization solution (7), an inlet (8) for the metallization solution (7) arranged in the bottom (6) of the container, an outlet for the metallization solution (7) arranged on the top of the container (5), a holder (11) for holding (11) the at least one workpiece (2), wherein the holder is arranged to be movable in at least two dimensions relative to the container (5) by means of a movement device (13).

Claims

1. An arrangement for electroless metallization of a target surface (3) of at least one workpiece (2), comprising a container (5) for holding a metallization solution (7) an inlet (8) for the metallization solution (7) arranged in the bottom (6) of the container, an outlet for the metallization solution (7) arranged on the top of the container (5), a holder (11) for holding (11) the at least one workpiece (2), characterized in that the holder (11) is arranged to be movable in at least two dimensions relative to the container (5) by means of a movement device (13).

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder (11) is arranged to be movable in three dimensions relative to the container (5).

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder (11) is arranged on the movement device via an arm (?) or a frame (15).

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the movement device (13) has a base (17) which is fixed rela-tive to the container and on which a first section (21) is mounted via a cross slide and can be driven in two different directions (X, Y) via a first drive (21).

5. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the movement device (13) has a second section (22) which is mounted on the first section (21) by means of a linear guide and can be driven by means of a second drive (32).

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the second drive (32) is mounted on the first section (21).

7. The arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the second drive (32) has an eccentric (37) and a connecting rod (35) and causes a linear movement of the second section along the linear guide.

8. The arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the base (17) is connected to an overflow container surround-ing the container (5).

9. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the drives (31, 32) can be controlled independently of one another.

10. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the drives (31, 32) are designed as stepper motors.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder (11) is designed as at least one, preferably at least two wafer carriers.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet (9) is designed as an overflow.

13. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that a stroke of the second drive is between 20 mm and 40 mm, preferably 30 mm.

14. The arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that a stroke of the first drive in each of the two directions is between 10 mm and 30 mm, preferably between 12 mm and 18 mm, more preferably 15 mm.

Description

[0026] The present invention is explained in detail below using an exemplary embodiment example with reference to the accompanying figures. In the drawings:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement according to the present application in perspective view,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of FIG. 1 with the receptacle removed and without a container, and

[0029] FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b show two schematic sketches to illustrate the coupling of movement.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an arrangement for electroless metallization of a target surface of a workpiece according to the present application.

[0031] The arrangement substantially consists of a container 5 for holding a metallization solution 7, into which workpieces 2, for example wafers, can be immersed for metallization. In the present embodiment example, a plurality of wafers 2 are arranged vertically in holders 11, which are designed as so-called wafer carriers, and held on a movement device 13 via a frame 15. The holders 11 are arranged on the frame 15 such that the wafers 2 are completely immersed in the metallization solution 7 when the container 5 is full.

[0032] The container 5 has an inlet 8 arranged on the bottom and an outlet 9 arranged on the top, which in the present case is designed as an overflow. In order to collect the metallization solution emerging through the overflow 9, the container 5 is arranged in an overflow container which surrounds the container 5. A base 17 of the movement device 13 is fixedly connected to the overflow container, which in the present case is only shown schematically like the container 5 itself.

[0033] In the present embodiment example, the movement device 13 is formed from a first section 21 and a second section 22, which are arranged such that they can move relative to the base 17. The first section 21 is arranged such that it can be moved in two directions relative to the base 17 via a cross slide arrangement consisting of first and second guide rails 25, 26 arranged perpendicular to one another. According to the coordinate system shown in FIG. 1 for clarification, the first section 21 can be moved on the X-Y plane.

[0034] A movement of the first section 21 is brought about by a first drive 31, which acts on an eccentric 37 via a gear 33. The first section 21 can be moved freely on the X-Y plane via the cross slide arrangement and can thus execute the circular movement coupled in by the eccentric 37 in an identical manner. On the first section 21, a second section 22 is arranged so as to be movable in the Z direction via a linear guide. A linear movement of the second section 22 is transmitted to the second section 22 by a second drive 32, which cooperates with a connecting rod 35 via a belt arrangement with an eccentric 34. A stroke in the X direction and in the Y direction can be 15 mm, for example, and a stroke in the Z direction can be 30 mm, for example.

[0035] A transmission of the movements caused by the drives 31, 32 towards the receptacles located in the container 5 takes place via the frame 15 attached to the second section 22.

[0036] In FIG. 2, the cross slide arrangement from the first guide rail 25 and the second guide rails 26 can be clearly seen. The first guide rail 25 is oriented in the X direction and the second guide rails 26 are arranged running in the Y direction. FIG. 2 also clearly shows the eccentric 34 of the second drive 32 and the connecting rod 35 connected to it, which cause the second section 22 to move linearly in the Z direction.

[0037] The combination of the cross slide arrangement on the one hand and the linear guide on the other hand enables the coupling of a movement in a total of three dimensions, so that a 3D agitation of the workpieces within the metallization bath is achieved.

[0038] The movement is mechanically and fixedly determined by the assembled eccentric and the connecting rod. These components specify the range of movement; changing the driving profile is usually not possible without mechanical intervention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0039] 2 workpiece [0040] 3 target surface [0041] 5 container [0042] 6 bottom [0043] 7 metallization solution [0044] 8 inlet [0045] 9 outlet [0046] 11 holder [0047] 13 movement device [0048] 15 frame [0049] 17 base [0050] 21 first section [0051] 22 second section [0052] 25 first guide rail [0053] 26 second guide rails [0054] 31 first drive [0055] 32 second drive [0056] 33 gear [0057] 34 eccentric [0058] 35 connecting rod [0059] 37 eccentric