Apparatus and method for forming 3d nanostructure electrode for electrochemical battery and capacitor

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an electrode structure for an electrochemical battery or capacitor, particularly, apparatus and methods of creating a reliable and cost efficient 3D electrode nano structure for an electrochemical battery or capacitor that has an improved lifetime, lower production costs, and improved process performance.

1 . An apparatus for plating a metal on a large area substrate, comprising:
 a chamber body defining a processing volume, wherein the processing volume is configured to retain a plating bath therein, and the chamber body has an upper opening;   a plurality of jet sprays configured to dispend a plating solution to form the plating bath in the processing volume, wherein the plurality of jet sprays open to a side wall of the chamber body;   a draining system configured to drain the plating bath from the processing volume;   an anode assembly disposed in the processing volume, wherein the anode assembly comprises an anode emerged in the plating bath in a substantially vertical position; and   a cathode assembly disposed in the processing volume, and the cathode assembly comprises:
 a substrate handler configured to position one or more large area substrates substantially parallel to the anode in the processing volume; and 
 a contacting mechanism configured to couple an electric bias to the one or more large area substrates. 
   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode assembly is configured to be lowered into the processing volume to emerge the one or more large area substrates in the plating bath and lifted out the processing volume to retrieve the one or more large area substrates from the plating bath. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the contacting mechanism comprises a masking plate positioned against a plating surface of the one or more large area substrates, wherein the masking plate is configured to expose portions of the one or more large areas substrates to be plated. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the masking plate comprises:
 a dielectric plate body having a plurality of through holes configured to define areas to be plated; and   a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the dielectric plate body, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are in electrical connection with a power source, and the plurality of electrical contacts are configured to be in contact with the surface of the one or more large area substrates and not exposed to the plating bath.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the substrate holder further comprises:
 a thrust plate configured to press the one or more large area substrates against the masking plate, wherein the masking plate and the thrust plate are positioned on opposite sides of the one or more large area substrates.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode assembly further comprises:
 a feed roll disposed out side the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of a flexible base, wherein the one or more large area substrates are formed on the flexible base;   a bottom roll disposed near a bottom portion of the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of the flexible base; and   a take up roll disposed out side the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of the flexible base,   wherein the feed roll, bottom roll and take up roll are configured to transfer the one or more large area substrates in and out the processing volume, and hold the one or more large area substrates in the processing volume by handling the flexible base.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a thrust plate movably disposed in the processing volume, wherein the thrust plate is configured to push against a portion of the flexible base.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a masking plate positioned against a plating surface of the one or more large area substrates, wherein the masking plate is configured to expose portions of the one or more large areas substrates to be plated.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the masking plate comprises:
 a dielectric plate body having a plurality of through holes configured to define areas to be plated; and   a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the dielectric plate body, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are in electrical connection with a power source, and the plurality of electrical contacts are configured to be in contact with the surface of the one or more large area substrates and not exposed to the plating bath.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a power source connected between the anode and a conductive layer formed on the surface of one or more large area substrates, wherein the power source is connected to the conductive layer directly or via the feed roll.   
   
   
       11 . A substrate processing system, comprising:
 a pre-wetting chamber configured to clean a seed layer of a large area substrate;   a first plating chamber configured to form a columnar layer of a first metal on the seed layer of the large area substrate;   a second plating chamber configured to form a porous layer over the columnar layer;   a rinse dry chamber configured to clean and dry the large area substrate; and   a substrate transfer mechanism configured to transfer the large area substrate among the chambers,   wherein each of the first and second plating chamber comprises:
 a chamber body defining a processing volume, wherein the processing volume is configured to retain a plating bath therein, and the chamber body has an upper opening; 
 a draining system configured to drain the plating bath from the processing volume; 
 an anode assembly disposed in the processing volume, wherein the anode assembly comprises an anode emerged in the plating bath; and 
 a cathode assembly disposed in the processing volume, and the cathode assembly comprises:
 a substrate handler configured position one or more large area substrates substantially parallel to the anode in the processing volume; and 
 a contacting mechanism configured to couple an electric bias to the one or more large area substrates. 
 
   
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the large area substrates are formed on a continuous flexible base, and each chamber comprises:
 a feed roll disposed out side the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of the flexible base;   a bottom roll disposed near a bottom portion of the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of the flexible base; and   a take up roll disposed out side the processing volume and configured to retain a portion of the flexible base,   wherein the substrate transfer mechanism is configured to activate the feed rolls and the take up rolls to move the flexible base to transfer the one or more large area substrates in and out each chambers, and hold the one or more large area substrates in the processing volume of each chamber.   
   
   
       13 . The substrate processing system of  claim 12 , wherein the large area substrates are positioned substantially vertical in each chamber during processing, and each plating chamber further comprises a thrust plate movably disposed in the processing volume, wherein the thrust plate is configured to push against a portion of the flexible base so that the one or more large area substrates are proximate to and substantially parallel to the anode. 
   
   
       14 . The substrate processing system of  claim 13 , wherein each plating chamber further comprises:
 a masking plate positioned against a plating surface of the one or more large area substrates, wherein the masking plate is configured to expose portions of the one or more large areas substrates to be plated.   
   
   
       15 . The substrate processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate handler comprises a substrate frame configured to hold the one or more large area substrates in the plating bath, and the substrate handler is configured to be transferred among the chambers. 
   
   
       16 . The substrate processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate transfer mechanism is configured to simultaneously lift the substrate frame from each chamber, transfer the substrate frames over the chambers, and lower each substrate frame to a different chamber so that the one or more substrates are positioned for a subsequent processing step. 
   
   
       17 . The substrate processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the contacting mechanism of each plating chamber comprises a masking plate positioned against a plating surface of the one or more large area substrates, wherein the masking plate is configured to expose portions of the one or more large areas substrates to be plated. 
   
   
       18 . The substrate processing system of  claim 12 , wherein the second plating chamber is configured to form the porous layer of the first metal, and the porous layer comprises at least one of macro porosity, micro-porousity, and meso-porousity. 
   
   
       19 . The substrate processing system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a rinsing chamber configured to rinse the large area substrate after formation of the porous layer in the second plating chamber; and   a third plating chamber configured to plate a layer of a second metal over the porous layer, wherein the first metal is different from the second metal.   
   
   
       20 . The substrate processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the first metal is copper and the second metal is tin.