Method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station and a process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate.The method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment comprises the following steps, not necessarily in this order:mounting a substrate to be treated to a rotor unit,moving the rotor unit with the substrate into a pre-wetting chamber of the process station,applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber,moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber,spinning the rotor unit with the substrate in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate,rotating the rotor unit with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces away from the pre-wetting chamber,moving the rotor unit with the substrate into an electroplating chamber of the process station,applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate in the electroplating chamber, andmoving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the electroplating chamber.

1 . A method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station, comprising:
 mounting a substrate to be treated to a rotor unit,   moving the rotor unit with the substrate into a pre-wetting chamber of the process station,   applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate inside the pre-wetting chamber,   moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber,   spinning the rotor unit with the substrate in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate,   rotating the rotor unit with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces away from the pre-wetting chamber,   moving the rotor unit with the substrate into an electroplating chamber of the process station,   applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate inside the electroplating chamber, and   moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the electroplating chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-wetting chamber and the electroplating chamber are arranged in the same process station. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of modifying a gas system in the pre-wetting chamber, wherein the modification of the gas system is a reduction of pressure relative to atmospheric pressure before the pre-wetting step, an increase of pressure to atmospheric pressure after the pre-wetting step and/or an exchange of gas relative to ambient air before and/or after the pre-wetting step. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electroplating is done in ambient air and/or atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the following steps after moving the rotor unit with the substrate out of the electroplating chamber:
 rotating the rotor unit with the substrate so that the substrate faces towards the pre-wetting chamber,   moving the rotor unit with the substrate into the pre-wetting chamber, and   applying a rinsing liquid to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber to remove the electrolyte liquid from the substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step:
 applying a drying flow to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber to dry the substrate.   
     
     
         7 . A process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, comprising
 a rotor unit,   a pre-wetting chamber, and   an electroplating chamber,   
       wherein the rotor unit is configured to hold a substrate to be treated and to move the substrate at least partially in and out of the pre-wetting chamber and in and out of the electroplating chamber, 
       wherein the pre-wetting chamber is configured to pre-wet the substrate by means of a pre-wetting fluid, 
       wherein the electroplating chamber is configured to apply an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate, and 
       wherein the rotor unit is further configured to spin the substrate in a spinning plane and to rotate with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces towards the pre-wetting chamber or towards the electroplating chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the pre-wetting chamber and/or the electroplating chamber are arranged opposite to each other with the rotor unit in between. 
     
     
         9 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises a fixing means to fix the substrate to the rotor unit, wherein the fixing means is configured to enable a surface treatment of one or more substrate surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises a sealing means to close the pre-wetting chamber and/or the electroplating chamber liquid tight and/or gas tight. 
     
     
         11 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises a gas supply system to supply gas to the pre-wetting chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises a pressure reduction system to reduce a pressure in the pre-wetting chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit is configured to spin the substrate with 1500 rounds per minute and more, preferably 2000 rounds per minute. 
     
     
         14 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises an electric energy supply system to provide an electric current to the substrate for the electroplating process in the electroplating chamber, preferably wherein the electric current amounts to 50 Ampere and larger, more preferably 100 Ampere and larger. 
     
     
         15 . The process station according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotor unit comprises a rinsing liquid supply system to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate.