Patent · US Expired

Method and plating apparatus

US5332487A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
13References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 22, 1993
Grant dateJul 26, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 22, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S204/07
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of and an apparatus for the electroplating of material onto substrates, such as computer memory disks, by use of a plating cell comprising cathodes, anodes, passive shields, filters, an oscillation system and an electrical power supply. Anodes and magnets are attached to the inside side walls of the plating cell. The magnets have a coating of an electrically nonconducting material covering it. Shields, each having a filter attached to it, are also fixed to the inside side walls. A pallet, having openings for holding disk substrates during electroplating, is placed between the shields in the plating cell. The disk substrates function as cathodes during electrolytic plating. The anodes and cathodes when electrically energized results in deposition of desired material, having uniform thickness, across the entire surface area of the substrate. The shields and the coated magnets function as current shields that control the flow of ions within the plating cell and thereby ensure uniformity of plating thickness at the substrate surface. The magnet also provides a radial flux pattern at the surface of the substrate to orient the deposit on the substrate surface. The oscillation sy…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.