Electroplating apparatus and method

Abstract

Provided is an electroplating apparatus including: a copper electrode plate that is disposed with a gap from an upper surface of an insulating substrate on which seed electrodes are formed; a driving unit that makes the copper electrode plate move along a rectilinear line; a power supply that applies electric current between the copper electrode plate and each of the seed electrodes; and spacers that are provided on the lower surface of the copper electrode plate to thereby make an electrolyte stay by surface tension between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate, and that maintains the gap between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate so that the electrolyte may move together with the copper electrode plate. Accordingly, a uniform copper film can be formed on the surface of a large substrate.

1 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 a copper electrode plate that is disposed with a gap from an upper surface of an insulating substrate on which seed electrodes are formed;   a driving unit that makes the copper electrode plate move along a rectilinear line;   a power supply that applies electric current between the copper electrode plate and each of the seed electrodes; and   spacers that are provided on the lower surface of the copper electrode plate to thereby make an electrolyte stay by surface tension between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate, and that maintains the gap between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate so that the electrolyte may move together with the copper electrode plate.   
     
     
         2 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulating substrate is formed of a hydrophobic material, to thus make the electrolyte stay by surface tension between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving unit comprises:
 a driving motor that is actuated according to a signal applied from a control unit;   a pinion gear that is fixed on a driving shaft of the driving motor; and   a rack gear that is gear-engaged with the pinion gear and is fixed to the copper electrode plate.   
     
     
         4 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 a copper electrode plate that is disposed with a gap from an upper surface of an insulating substrate on which seed electrodes are formed;   a pushing plate that is disposed at the rear side of the copper electrode plate to thus push an electrolyte toward the copper electrode plate;   a driving unit that makes the copper electrode plate and the pushing plate move along a rectilinear line;   a power supply that applies electric current between the copper electrode plate and each of the seed electrodes; and   spacers that are provided on the lower surface of the copper electrode plate to maintain the gap between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate.   
     
     
         5 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the insulating substrate is formed of a hydrophilic material to thus make the electrolyte widely spread on the upper surface of the insulating substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the pushing plate is formed of a rubber or silicon material so as to be closely adhered on the upper surface of the insulating substrate to thus push the electrolyte toward the copper electrode plate. 
     
     
         7 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the driving unit comprises:
 a driving motor that is actuated according to a signal applied from a control unit;   a pinion gear that is fixed on a driving shaft of the driving motor; and   a rack gear that is gear-engaged with the pinion gear and is fixed to both the copper electrode plate and the pushing plate.   
     
     
         8 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 a copper electrode plate that is disposed with a gap from an upper surface of an insulating substrate on which seed electrodes are formed;   an electrolyte supplier that is disposed at the front side of the copper electrode plate to thus supply an electrolyte on the surface of the insulating substrate;   an electrolyte remover that is disposed at the rear side of the copper electrode plate to thus remove the electrolyte from the copper electrode plate;   a power supply that applies electric current between the copper electrode plate and each of the seed electrodes; and   spacers that are provided on the lower surface of the copper electrode plate to maintain the gap between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate; and   a driving unit that makes the copper electrode plate, the electrolyte supplier and the electrolyte remover move along a rectilinear line.   
     
     
         9 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the insulating substrate is formed of a hydrophilic material to thus make the electrolyte widely spread on the upper surface of the insulating substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrolyte supplier comprises:
 a nozzle body that is connected with the driving unit to thus move along a rectilinear line and through which the electrolyte enters; and   a plurality of supply nozzles that are arranged on the lower portion of the nozzle body to thus supply the electrolyte for the insulating substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The electroplating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrolyte remover is formed of an adsorption member that adsorbs the electrolyte. 
     
     
         12 . An electroplating method comprising the steps of:
 forming seed electrodes on an insulating substrate;   making a copper electrode plate disposed with a gap from an upper surface of the insulating substrate, to then make an electrolyte placed between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate;   applying electric current between the copper electrode plate and each of the seed electrodes, to thus form a copper film on the surface of each of the seed electrodes; and   making the copper electrode plate move in a rectilinear line to thus sequentially form a copper film on the surface of each of the seed electrodes.   
     
     
         13 . The electroplating method of  claim 12 , wherein in the case that the insulating substrate is hydrophobic, the electrolyte stays by surface tension between the copper electrode plate and the insulating substrate, and the copper electrode plate moves together with the electrolyte. 
     
     
         14 . The electroplating method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of making a pushing plate disposed at the rear side of the copper electrode plate, to thus push the electrolyte toward the copper electrode plate, in the case that the insulating substrate is hydrophilic. 
     
     
         15 . The electroplating method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of supplying the electrolyte from the front side of the copper electrode plate, and removing the electrolyte at the rear side of the copper electrode plate. 
     
     
         16 . The electroplating method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of dipping the insulating substrate into an electrolyte tub to then performing an electroplating once more if a copper film is formed on the surface of the insulating substrate.