Master electrode and method of forming it

Abstract

A system and method comprising a master electrode arranged on substrate, said master electrode comprising a pattern layer, least partly of an insulating material and having a first surface provided with a plurality of cavities in which a conducting material is arranged, said electrode conducting material being electrically connected to at least one electrode current supply contact; said substrate comprising a top surface in contact with or arranged adjacent said first surface and having conducting material and/or structures of a conducting material arranged thereon, said substrate conducting material being electrically connected to at least one current supply contact; whereby a plurality of electrochemical cells are formed delimited by said cavities, said substrate conducting material and said electrode conducting material, said cells comprising an electrolyte; herein an electrode resistance between said electrode conducting material and said electrode current supply contact and a substrate resistance between said substrate conducting material and said substrate current supply contact are adapted for providing a predetermined current density in each electrochemical cell.

1 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A system comprising a master electrode arranged on a substrate,
 said master electrode comprising a pattern layer, at least partly of an insulating material and having a first surface provided with a plurality of cavities in which a conducting material is arranged, said electrode conducting material being electrically connected to at least one electrode current supply contact;   said substrate comprising a top surface in contact with or arranged adjacent said first surface and having conducting material and/or structures of a conducting material arranged thereon, said substrate conducting material being electrically connected to at least one current supply contact;   whereby a plurality of electrochemical cells are formed delimited by said cavities, said substrate conducting material and said electrode conducting material, said cells comprising an electrolyte;   characterized in that   an electrode resistance between said electrode conducting material and said electrode current supply contact and a substrate resistance between said substrate conducting material and said substrate current supply contact are adapted, such that a specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is from 0.1 to 100 times a specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material.   
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is from 0.5 to 20 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is from 1 to 10 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is 1 to 7 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said specific conductivity is arranged varying over the surface of the master electrode. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the specific conductivity is arranged varying by changing the thickness of the material. 
     
     
         64 . The system of any one of  claims 62  and  63 , wherein said specific conductivity is arranged varying by changing the resistivity of the material. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein said material is a doped semiconductor material having a doping which is arranged varying for providing said resistivity. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said electrode conducting material comprises a disc having substantially the same extent as said first surface. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said disc is made of a conducting and/or semi-conducting material. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said electrode conducting material comprises cavity conducting material arranged in the bottom of each cavity. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 68 , wherein said cavity conducting material is a material arranged in the bottom of said cavity and being of an inert material. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein said cavity conducting material is a further material which is predeposited in said cavity and at least partly consumed during a plating process. 
     
     
         71 . The system of any one of  claims 68 ,  69 , and  70 , wherein said cavity conducting material is in electric contact with said disc. 
     
     
         72 . The system of any one of  claims 68 ,  69 , and  70 , wherein said disc has substantially constant thickness. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said disc comprises a plurality of disc members having different specific conductivities, said disc members being arranged on top of each other. 
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said electrode supply contact is arranged in the middle of said disc. 
     
     
         75 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said electrode supply contact comprises several discrete contacts. 
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein said discrete contacts comprise at least one ring contact or ring segment contact arranged at a radius from a centrum of the disc. 
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein each discrete contact is provided with a specific potential during a plating or etching process. 
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said disc is substantially circular. 
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the thicknesses of at least one of said disc members change with the distance to the center of the disc. 
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said substrate resistance is at least partly provided by a seed layer arranged on at least a part of the substrate top surface. 
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said substrate electrode contact is arranged at least a part of a perimeter of said substrate seed layer. 
     
     
         82 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said substrate electrode contact is arranged along a perimeter of said substrate seed layer. 
     
     
         83 . The system of any one of  claims 80 ,  81 , and  82 , wherein said substrate electrode contact comprises several discrete contacts. 
     
     
         84 . The system of  claim 83 , wherein each discrete contact is supplied with a specific potential during a plating or etching process. 
     
     
         85 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said master electrode comprises at least one contact area for contact with said seed layer for providing current to said seed layer. 
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said pattern layer comprises at least one area of conducting material arranged in said first surface in portions between said cavities for being in contact with said substrate conducting material during a plating or etching process for increasing the specific conductivity of said substrate conducting material over said areas. 
     
     
         87 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said adaptation is performed if the potential difference over the surface of said electrode conducting material and/or over the surface of said substrate conducting material is significant, so that the current density difference in said electrochemical cells between said surfaces is more than 1%, such as more than 2%. 
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 87 , wherein said adaptation results in that the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is between 0.1 to 100 times, such as between 0.5 to 20 times, for example 1 to 10 times, such as about 1 to 7 times the specific conductivity of said substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein each cavity is provided with a material having a thickness which is specific for each cavity. 
     
     
         90 . A master electrode intended to be arranged on a substrate,
 said master electrode comprising a pattern layer, at least partly of an insulating material and having a first surface provided with a plurality of cavities in which a conducting material is arranged, said electrode conducting material being electrically connected to at least one electrode current supply contact;   whereby a plurality of electrochemical cells are intended to be formed delimited by said cavities, said electrode conducting material and a substrate;   characterized in that   an electrode resistance between said electrode conducting material and said electrode current supply contact is adapted in relation to an intended substrate conducting material, such that a specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is from 0.1 to 100 times a specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material.   
     
     
         91 . The master electrode of  claim 90 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material in average is from 0.5 to 20 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         92 . The master electrode of  claim 90 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material is from 1 to 10 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         93 . The master electrode of  claim 90 , wherein the specific conductivity of the electrode conducting material is from 1 to 7 times the specific conductivity of the substrate conducting material. 
     
     
         94 . The master electrode of any one of  claims 90  and  91 , wherein said specific conductivity is arranged varying over the surface of the master electrode. 
     
     
         95 . The master electrode of  claim 94 , wherein the specific conductivity is arranged varying by changing the thickness of the material. 
     
     
         96 . The master electrode of  claim 94 , wherein said specific conductivity is arranged varying by changing the resistivity of the material. 
     
     
         97 . The master electrode of  claim 94 , wherein said material is a doped semiconductor material having a doping which is arranged varying for providing said varying resistivity. 
     
     
         98 . The master electrode of  claim 90 , wherein said electrode conducting material comprises a disc having substantially the same extent as said first surface. 
     
     
         99 . The master electrode of  claim 98 , wherein said disc is made of a conducting and/or semi-conducting material. 
     
     
         100 . The master electrode of  claim 80 , wherein said electrode conducting material comprises cavity conducting material arranged in the bottom of each cavity. 
     
     
         101 . The master electrode of  claim 100 , wherein said cavity conducting material is a material arranged in the bottom of said cavity and being of an inert material. 
     
     
         102 . The master electrode of any one of  claims 100  and  101 , wherein said cavity conducting material is a further material which is predeposited in said cavity and at least party consumed during a plating process. 
     
     
         103 . The master electrode of  claim 100 , wherein said cavity conducting material is in electric contact with said disc. 
     
     
         104 . The master electrode of  claim 98 , wherein said disc has substantially constant thickness. 
     
     
         105 . The master electrode of  claim 98 , wherein said disc comprises a plurality of disc members having different specific conductivities, said disc members being arranged on top of each other. 
     
     
         106 . The master electrode of  claim 98 , wherein said electrode supply contact is arranged in the center of said disc. 
     
     
         107 . The master electrode of  claim 98 , wherein said electrode supply contact comprises several discrete contacts. 
     
     
         108 . The master electrode of  claim 107 , wherein said discrete contacts comprise at least one ring contact or ring segment contact arranged at a radius from a center of the disc. 
     
     
         109 . The master electrode of any one of  claims 107  and  108 , wherein each discrete contact is provided with a specific potential during a plating or etching process. 
     
     
         110 . The master electrode  claim 98 , wherein said disc is substantially circular. 
     
     
         111 . The master electrode of  claim 105 , wherein the thicknesses of at least one of said disc members changes with the distance to the center of the disc. 
     
     
         112 . The master electrode of  claim 93 , wherein each cavity is provided with a material having a thickness which is specific for each cavity. 
     
     
         113 . A method of predeposition of material in cavities of a master electrode having a pattern layer comprising an insulating material, in which said cavities are formed, and a conducting electrode layer forming a bottom of said cavities, said conducting electrode layer having contact portions for external connection to an electric power source, the method comprising:
 arranging a contact member at a support;   arranging said master electrode on said contact member for obtaining electrical contact between the contact member and said conducting electrode layer in at least two contact portions;   arranging an electroplating anode of a material to be deposited in said cavities on said master electrode, whereby electrochemical cells are formed delimited by said cavities, said substrate conducting electrode layer and said electroplating anode, whereby said cells comprise an electrolyte;   connecting an electric power source to said contact member and said electroplating anode for passing a current through said electrochemical cells for transferring material from said anode to said conducting electrode layer, which is cathode, in order to deposit said material in the cavities on top of said conducting electrode layer.   
     
     
         114 . A method of performing etching or plating of a substrate by means of a master electrode, said master electrode comprising a pattern layer, at least partly of an insulating material and having a first surface provided with a plurality of cavities in which a conducting material is arranged, said electrode conducting material being electrically connected to at least one electrode current supply contact; the method comprising:
 arranging said master electrode on a support;   supplying an electrolyte to the cavities;   arranging a substrate on said master electrode, said substrate comprising a top surface having conducting material and/or structures of a conducting material arranged thereon, said substrate conducting material being electrically connected to at least one current supply contact, whereby electrochemical cells are formed delimited by said cavities, said substrate conducting electrode layer and said electrode conducting material, whereby said cells comprise an electrolyte;   connecting an electric power source to said electrode current supply contact and said substrate current supply contact for passing a current through said electrochemical cells for transferring material between said master electrode and said substrate;   characterized by   adapting an electrode resistance between said electrode conducting material and said electrode current supply contact and a substrate resistance between said substrate conducting material and said substrate current supply contact.