Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same

Abstract

Provided are an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating method using the electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating bath, an anode, a cathode, and a conductor. An electroplating solution is supplied into the electroplating bath. An electroplating solution entrance and an electroplating solution exit are formed in the electroplating bath. The anode is installed inside the electroplating bath. The cathode is spaced a predetermined gap apart from and opposite to the anode. A layer that is to electroplated is installed on the cathode. The conductor is installed between the anode and the cathode.

1 . An electroplating apparatus comprising: 
 an electroplating bath into which an electroplating solution is supplied and in which an electroplating solution entrance and an electroplating solution exit are formed;    an anode installed inside the electroplating bath;    a cathode which is spaced a predetermined gap apart from and opposite to the anode and on which a layer that is to be electroplated is installed; and    a conductor installed between the anode and the cathode.    
   
   
       2 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one hole is formed in the conductor.  
   
   
       3 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the outer circumference of the conductor is tangent to the inner surface of the electroplating bath.  
   
   
       4 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an insulating layer is formed on a surface of the conductor opposite to and facing the layer that is to be electroplated.  
   
   
       5 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the insulating layer is selectively formed in the peripheral portion of the conductor.  
   
   
       6 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the insulating layer is formed of polymer or metal oxide.  
   
   
       7 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor is shaped such that it is closer to the layer that is to be electroplated at its central portion than at its peripheral portions.  
   
   
       8 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a distance from the conductor to the layer that is to be electroplated is smaller than or equal to a distance from the conductor to the cathode.  
   
   
       9 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anode is a soluble anode.  
   
   
       10 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a filter is installed between the anode and the conductor.  
   
   
       11 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the filter is a selective ion exchange filter.  
   
   
       12 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the anode is an insoluble anode.  
   
   
       13 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an external power source is connected to the conductor to apply a voltage to the conductor.  
   
   
       14 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the voltage applied to the conductor is smaller than a voltage applied to the anode and is larger than a voltage applied to the cathode.  
   
   
       15 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor includes at least two sections that are electrically separated from each other.  
   
   
       16 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein different voltages are applied to the at least two sections.  
   
   
       17 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor is substantially parallel to the layer that is to be electroplated.  
   
   
       18 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a reduction potential of the conductor is smaller than a reduction potential of electroplating ions in the electroplating solution.  
   
   
       19 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the surface of the conductor is plated with at least one selected form the group consisting of copper (Cu), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (Al), and an alloy thereof.  
   
   
       20 . An electroplating method of electroplating a layer using the electroplating apparatus of any of claims  1  through  19 .