Non-permeable substrate carrier for electroplating
One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier comprises a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are to be held. Electrically-conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body, and a plurality of contact clips are coupled to the electrically-conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and electrically couple the substrates to the electrically-conductive lines. The non-conductive carrier body is continuous so as to be impermeable to flow of electroplating solution through the non-conductive carrier body. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
1. A method of electroplating substrates, the method comprising:
aligning each of the substrates within non-conductive aligning features of a substrate carrier, the non-conductive aligning features surrounding each of the substrates;
clipping the substrates to a non-conductive carrier body of the substrate carrier, an area of the non-conductive carrier body that is directly behind the substrates being continuous so as to be impermeable to flow of electroplating solution through the area of the non-conductive carrier body;
mounting a top side of the substrate carrier onto a mechanical arm of an electroplating machine;
applying a voltage on the substrates by way of contact clips of the substrate carrier;
dipping the substrate carrier into an electroplating bath of the electroplating machine, the electroplating bath comprising the electroplating solution; and
removing the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm of the electroplating machine after electroplating the substrates.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
periodically replacing the non-conductive aligning features of the substrate carrier.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein dipping the substrate carrier into the electroplating bath comprises:
lowering, starting from a bottom side of the substrate carrier, the substrate carrier into the electroplating bath.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm comprises:
raising the substrate carrier from the electroplating bath; and
unmounting the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein unmounting the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm comprises:
unclipping the substrates from corresponding contact clips.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrates are robotically clipped to the non-conductive carrier body of the substrate carrier.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the contact clips makes contact with a base layer of copper in a gridline on a surface of a corresponding substrate.
8. A method of electroplating substrates, the method comprising:
attaching the substrates to a non-conductive carrier body of a substrate carrier, an area of the non-conductive carrier body that is directly behind the substrates being continuous so as to be impermeable to flow of electroplating solution through the area of the non-conductive carrier body;
mounting the substrate carrier onto a mechanical arm of an electroplating machine;
applying a voltage on the substrates by way of contact clips that clip the substrates to the non-conductive carrier body;
lowering the substrate carrier into an electroplating bath of the electroplating machine, the electroplating bath comprising the electroplating solution; and
removing the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm of the electroplating machine after electroplating the substrates.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the substrates are robotically clipped to the non-conductive carrier body of the substrate carrier.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the contact clips makes contact with a base layer of copper in a gridline on a surface of a corresponding substrate.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: periodically replacing the contact clips.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: aligning each of the substrates within non-conductive aligning features of the substrate carrier.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: periodically replacing the non-conductive aligning features.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein mounting the substrate carrier onto the mechanical arm of the electroplating machine includes mounting a top side of the substrate carrier onto the mechanical arm.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein removing the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm of the electroplating machine comprises:
raising the substrate carrier from the electroplating bath; and
unmounting the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm.
16. A method of electroplating substrates, the method comprising:
attaching the substrates to a non-conductive carrier body of a substrate carrier, an area of the non-conductive carrier body that is directly behind the substrates being continuous so as to be impermeable to flow of electroplating solution through the area of the non-conductive carrier body;
mounting the substrate carrier onto a mechanical arm of an electroplating machine;
applying a voltage on the substrates;
lowering the substrate carrier into an electroplating bath of the electroplating machine, the electroplating bath comprising the electroplating solution;
after electroplating the substrates, raising the substrate carrier from the electroplating bath; and
removing the substrate carrier from the mechanical arm.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the substrates are attached to the non-conductive carrier body by contact clips.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the voltage is applied on the substrates by way of the contact clips.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the contact clips makes contact with a base layer of copper on a surface of a corresponding substrate.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: periodically replacing the contact clips.