Plating apparatus and plating method

Abstract

The present invention discloses plating apparatuses and plating methods for metal deposition on a substrate with pattern structures. In an embodiment, a plating apparatus comprises a plating bath configured to accommodate electrolyte, a substrate holding module configured to hold a substrate, and at least one driving device configured to drive the substrate holding module together with the substrate to horizontally vibrate and/or vertically vibrate during the substrate being immersed into the electrolyte to be plated. The present invention can enhance mass transfer during the substrate being plated by vibrating the substrate holding module so as to raise plating rate and uniformly plating on the pattern structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plating apparatus for metal deposition on a substrate with pattern structures, comprising:
 a plating bath, configured to accommodate electrolyte;   a substrate holding module, configured to hold a substrate; and   at least one driving device, configured to drive the substrate holding module together with the substrate to horizontally vibrate and/or vertically vibrate during the substrate being immersed into the electrolyte to be plated.   
     
     
         2 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one driving device is a motor, a cylinder or a vibrator. 
     
     
         3 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holding module horizontally holds the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holding module vertically holds the substrate, and the substrate holding module and the substrate are vertically immersed into the electrolyte. 
     
     
         5 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte has a flow rate V 2 , the at least one driving device drives the substrate holding module as well as the substrate to vibrate with a vibration velocity V 1 , the V 1  is no less than 0.2V 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one vibrating plate, the at least one driving device is configured to drive the substrate holding module to vibrate or resonate with a natural frequency of the at least one vibrating plate. 
     
     
         7 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a mounting plate, a supporting pedestal, the substrate holding module further comprising a bracket, one end of the vibrating plate being connected to the bracket, and the other end of the vibrating plate being connected to the mounting plate, the mounting plate being disposed on the supporting pedestal. 
     
     
         8 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the mounting plate is capable of moving up and down along the supporting pedestal. 
     
     
         9 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the driving device is disposed on the bracket and the driving device is a vibrator. 
     
     
         10 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a pair of limit stop members being configured to limit the amplitude of the substrate holding module while the substrate holding module is driven to vibrate. 
     
     
         11 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the pair of limit stop members are disposed on the bracket and respectively located at both sides of the vibrating plate, or the pair of limit stop members are disposed on the mounting plate and respectively located at both sides of the vibrating plate. 
     
     
         12 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the driving device is a pair of motors or cylinders, the pair of motors or cylinders are disposed on the bracket and respectively located at both sides of the vibrating plate, or the pair of motors or cylinders are disposed on the mounting plate and respectively located at both sides of the vibrating plate. 
     
     
         13 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a mounting plate, a supporting pedestal, the substrate holding module further comprising a fixing device, a bracket, the at least one vibrating plate comprising a pair of vibrating plates, the bracket having a pair of arms and a base portion, the pair of arms of the bracket being disposed at both sides of the fixing device and respectively connected to the pair of vibrating plates, the pair of vibrating plates being connected to the both sides of the fixing device, the base portion of the bracket being connected to the mounting plate, the mounting plate being disposed on the supporting pedestal. 
     
     
         14 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the mounting plate is capable of moving up and down along the supporting pedestal. 
     
     
         15 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the substrate holding module further comprises a vertical connecting member, a horizontal connecting member, an elastic connecting member and a frame, the vertical connecting member is connected to the base portion of the bracket and the horizontal connecting member, the horizontal connecting member is connected to the elastic connecting member, the elastic connecting member is connected to the frame, and the frame is fixed on the fixing device. 
     
     
         16 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the driving device is disposed on the fixing device, the driving device is a vibrator. 
     
     
         17 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the driving device is disposed on the horizontal connecting member, the driving device is a motor or a cylinder. 
     
     
         18 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a mounting plate, a supporting pedestal, the substrate holding module further comprising a fixing device, the vibrating plate being connected to a side of the fixing device and the mounting plate, the mounting plate being disposed on the supporting pedestal, wherein the driving device is a vertical actuator which drives the mounting plate to move up and down along the supporting pedestal to make the substrate holding module vertically vibrate. 
     
     
         19 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one vibrating plate comprises a first vibrating plate and a pair of second vibrating plates, the at least one driving device comprises a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device is configured to drive the substrate holding module to horizontally vibrate or resonate with a natural frequency of the first vibrating plate, the second driving device is configured to drive the substrate holding module to vertically vibrate or resonate with a natural frequency of the pair of second vibrating plates. 
     
     
         20 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the second driving device is a vertical actuator. 
     
     
         21 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a rotating actuator being configured to drive the substrate to rotate. 
     
     
         22 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate holding module further comprises a substrate holder fixed to a connecting plate, a rotating actuator, a shaft, a bearing and a pair of elastic members, wherein the substrate holder is configured to hold a substrate, one end of the shaft is connected to the rotating actuator and the other end of the shaft is connected to the connecting plate by the bearing, the pair of elastic members are connected to the shaft and the connecting plate, the rotating actuator drives the shaft to rotate to bring the substrate holder to rotate at a rotation speed w1, while the substrate holder rotates for plating, the driving device drives the substrate holder to clockwise rotate and counterclockwise rotate at a rotation speed w2. 
     
     
         23 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the w2>w1. 
     
     
         24 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vibration frequency of the substrate holding module is set from 0.1 Hz to 500 Hz. 
     
     
         25 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the amplitude of the substrate holding module is larger than the size of the pattern structures on the substrate. 
     
     
         26 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the amplitude of the substrate holding module is set from 25 um to 2000 um. 
     
     
         27 . A plating method for metal deposition on a substrate with pattern structures, comprising:
 loading a substrate in a substrate holding module to be held by the substrate holding module;   making the substrate immerse into electrolyte accommodated in a plating bath;   driving the substrate holding module together with the substrate to horizontally vibrate and/or vertically vibrate during the substrate being immersed into the electrolyte to be plated.   
     
     
         28 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the substrate is horizontally held by the substrate holding module. 
     
     
         29 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the substrate is vertically held by the substrate holding module, and the substrate holding module and the substrate are vertically immersed into the electrolyte. 
     
     
         30 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the electrolyte has a flow rate V2, the substrate holding module as well as the substrate is driven to vibrate with a vibration velocity V1, the V1 is no less than 0.2V2. 
     
     
         31 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the vibration frequency of the substrate holding module is set from 0.1 Hz to 500 Hz. 
     
     
         32 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the amplitude of the substrate holding module is larger than the size of the pattern structures on the substrate. 
     
     
         33 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the amplitude of the substrate holding module is set from 25 um to 2000 um. 
     
     
         34 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising driving the substrate to rotate during the substrate being immersed into the electrolyte to be plated. 
     
     
         35 . A plating apparatus for metal deposition on a substrate with pattern structures, comprising:
 a plating bath, configured to accommodate electrolyte;   a substrate holding module, configured to hold a substrate;   a rotating actuator, configured to drive the substrate holding module together with the substrate to rotate; and   a controller, configured to control the rotating actuator to rotate N turns and then reversely rotate N turns, which are alternately applied for a number of cycles, the N is equal to or less than 3.0.   
     
     
         36 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the N is 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0. 
     
     
         37 . The plating apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the rotation speed of the rotating actuator is below 120 rpm. 
     
     
         38 . A plating method for metal deposition on a substrate with pattern structures, comprising:
 loading a substrate in a substrate holding module to be held by the substrate holding module;   making the substrate immerse into electrolyte accommodated in a plating bath;   driving the substrate holding module together with the substrate to rotate by a rotating actuator during the substrate being immersed into the electrolyte to be plated;   controlling the rotating actuator to rotate N turns and then reversely rotate N turns, which are alternately applied for a number of cycles, wherein the N is equal to or less than 3.0.   
     
     
         39 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the N is 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0. 
     
     
         40 . The plating method as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the rotation speed of the rotating actuator is below 120 rpm.