US2025003105A1PendingUtilityA1

Electroplating systems and methods

61
Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS IND LLCPriority: Jun 27, 2023Filed: Jun 27, 2023Published: Jan 2, 2025
Est. expiryJun 27, 2043(~16.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Joel Medina
C25D 5/18C25D 17/001C25D 21/12C25D 5/02C25D 7/12C25D 17/10C25D 17/007C25D 17/02
61
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Claims

Abstract

In a general aspect, an electroplating system includes a vessel, an electrolytic plating solution in the vessel, a cathode terminal, first and second anode terminals, and first and second variable power supplies. The cathode terminal is configured to electrically connect with a workpiece that is submerged in the electrolytic plating solution. The first anode terminal is in the electrolytic plating solution on a first side of the workpiece. The second anode terminal is in the electrolytic plating solution on a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side. The first variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the first anode terminal. The second variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the second anode terminal.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electroplating system, comprising:
 a vessel;   an electrolytic plating solution in the vessel;   a cathode terminal configured to electrically connect with a workpiece that is submerged in the electrolytic plating solution;   a first anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on a first side of the workpiece;   a second anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side;   a first variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the first anode terminal; and   a second variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the second anode terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first variable power supply includes a first variable voltage power supply; and   the second variable power supply includes a second variable voltage power supply.   
     
     
         3 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first variable power supply includes a first variable current power supply; and   the second variable power supply includes a second variable current power supply.   
     
     
         4 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first anode terminal and the second anode terminal each includes a solid plating material that is soluble in the electrolytic plating solution. 
     
     
         5 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolytic plating solution includes:
 methane sulfonic acid (MSA); and   a liquid plating material.   
     
     
         6 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on the first side of the workpiece;   a fourth anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on the second side of the workpiece;   a third variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the third anode terminal; and   a fourth variable power supply coupled between the cathode terminal and the fourth anode terminal.   
     
     
         7 . The electroplating system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the third variable power supply includes a first variable voltage power supply; and   the fourth variable power supply includes a second variable voltage power supply.   
     
     
         8 . The electroplating system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the third variable power supply includes a first variable current power supply; and   the fourth variable power supply includes a second variable current power supply.   
     
     
         9 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a strip of block molded semiconductor device assemblies. 
     
     
         10 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first variable power supply is configured to provide a first plating current that is based on an area of at least one plateable surface on the first side of the workpiece; and   the second variable power supply is configured to provide a second plating current that is based on an area of at least one plateable surface on the second side of the workpiece.   
     
     
         11 . The electroplating system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first variable power supply is configured to provide a first plating current for plating at least one plateable surface on the first side of the workpiece at a current density; and   the second variable power supply is configured to provide a second plating current for plating at least one plateable surface on the second side of the workpiece at the current density.   
     
     
         12 . A method, comprising:
 electrically coupling a workpiece with a common cathode terminal of an electroplating system;   submerging the workpiece in an electrolytic plating solution;   supplying, from a first anode terminal submerged in the electrolytic plating solution, a first plating current for electroplating at least one plateable surface on a first side of the workpiece; and   supplying, from a second anode terminal submerged in the electrolytic plating solution, a second plating current for electroplating at least one plateable surface on a second side of the workpiece, the second plating current being different than the first plating current, the second side of the workpiece being opposite the first side of the workpiece.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the workpiece is a strip of block molded semiconductor device assemblies. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first plating current is based on an area of the at least one plateable surface on the first side of the workpiece; and   the second plating current is based on an area of the at least one plateable surface on the second side of the workpiece.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first plating current is used for plating a first portion of the at least one plateable surface on the first side of the workpiece, and the second plating current is used for plating a first portion of the at least one plateable surface on the second side of the workpiece,
 the method further comprising:
 supplying, from a third anode terminal submerged in the electrolytic plating solution, a third plating current for electroplating a second portion of the at least one plateable surface on the first side of the workpiece; and 
 supplying, from a fourth anode terminal submerged in the electrolytic plating solution, a fourth plating current for electroplating a second portion of the at least one plateable surface on the second side of the workpiece. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the third plating current is different than the first plating current; and   the fourth plating current is different than the second plating current.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the third plating current is equal to the first plating current; and   the fourth plating current is equal to the second plating current.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the third plating current is equal to the first plating current; and   the fourth plating current is different than the second plating current.   
     
     
         19 . An electroplating system, comprising:
 a vessel;   an electrolytic plating solution in the vessel including a liquid plating material;   a common cathode terminal configured to electrically connect with a workpiece that is submerged in the electrolytic plating solution;   a first anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on a first side of the workpiece;   a second anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on the first side of the workpiece;   a third anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side;   a fourth anode terminal in the electrolytic plating solution on the second side of the workpiece;   a first variable power supply coupled between the common cathode terminal and the first anode terminal;   a second variable power supply coupled between the common cathode terminal and the second anode terminal;   a third variable power supply coupled between the common cathode terminal and the third anode terminal; and   a fourth variable power supply coupled between the common cathode terminal and the fourth anode terminal.   
     
     
         20 . The electroplating system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first variable power supply includes a first variable voltage power supply;   the second variable power supply includes a second variable voltage power supply;   the third variable power supply includes a third variable voltage power supply; and   the fourth variable power supply includes a fourth variable voltage power supply.   
     
     
         21 . The electroplating system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first variable power supply includes a first variable current power supply;   the second variable power supply includes a second variable current power supply;   the third variable power supply includes a third variable current power supply; and   the fourth variable power supply includes a fourth variable current power supply.   
     
     
         22 . The electroplating system of  claim 19 , wherein the workpiece is a strip of block molded semiconductor device assemblies.

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