# US 10,865,496 B2 · Plating apparatus and plating method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,496 B2 - Document ID: US10865496B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/361,169 - Filed: 2019-03-21 - Published: 2020-04-30 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-30 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tuan-Yu Hung; Hung-Jui Kuo; Ming-Che Ho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865496B2 ## CPC - C25D 17/001: {Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells} - C25D 5/08: Electroplating with moving electrolyte e.g. jet electroplating {(using locally applied jets of electrolyte C25D5/026)} - C25D 5/10: Electroplating with more than one layer of the same or of different metals (for bearings C25D7/10) - C25D 17/02: Tanks; Installations therefor - C25D 17/06: Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated - C25D 21/10: Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks - H10P 14/47: Electrolytic deposition, i.e. electroplating; Electroless plating - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A plating apparatus includes a plating bath, a substrate holder, an anode electrode, and a fluid stirring member. The plating bath is configured to contain a plating solution. The substrate holder is configured to hold a substrate to be plated in the plating bath. The anode electrode is disposed in the plating bath. The fluid stirring member is disposed between the anode electrode and the substrate to be plated, and includes a plurality of first stirring stripes a plurality of second stirring stripes. The first stirring stripes extend along a first direction parallel to a plating surface of the substrate to be plated. The second stirring stripes extend along a second direction intersected with the plurality of first stirring stripes and parallel to the plating surface, wherein the fluid stirring member is configured to reciprocate along the first direction and the second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plating apparatus, comprising: a plating bath configured to contain a plating solution; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate to be plated in the plating bath; an anode holder configured to hold an anode electrode in the plating bath; and a fluid stirring member disposed between the anode electrode and the substrate to be plated, and comprising: a plurality of first stirring stripes extending along a first direction parallel to a plating surface of the substrate to be plated; and a plurality of second stirring stripes extending along a second direction intersected with the plurality of first stirring stripes and parallel to the plating surface, wherein the fluid stirring member is configured to reciprocate along the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid stirring member further comprises a frame portion, the first stirring stripes and the second stirring stripes are disposed on the frame portion in a grid-like manner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a driving shaft disposed above the plating bath for holding the fluid stirring member to be immersed in the plating solution; and a bi-directional driver coupled to the driving shaft to drive the driving shaft reciprocating along the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bi-directional driver comprises a crank mechanism, a ball screw, or a linear motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bi-directional driver drives the fluid stirring member to move along the second direction when a first plating process is performed, so the plating solution is stirred by the first stirring stripes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bi-directional driver drives the fluid stirring member to move along the first direction when a second plating process different from the first plating process is performed, so the plating solution is stirred by the second stirring stripes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first plating process comprises forming a redistribution circuit layer on the substrate to be plated, and the second plating process comprises forming a plurality of conductive pillars on the substrate to be plated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid stirring member reciprocates along the first direction in a first velocity and reciprocates along the second direction in a second velocity substantially smaller than the first velocity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cross sectional shape of each of the first stirring stripes is different from a cross sectional shape of each of the second stirring stripes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cross section of each of the first stirring stripes is in a rectangular shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cross section of each of the second stirring stripes is in a triangular shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cross section of each of the first stirring stripes is in a circular share. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first contact surface of each of the plurality of first stirring stripes is smoother than a second contact surface of each of the plurality of second stirring stripes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to actuate the plating solution to flow into the plating bath through a supply pipe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a constant-temperature module disposed at a downstream of the pump for controlling the temperature of the plating solution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The plating apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a filter interposed in the supply pipe for filtering out foreign matter contained in the plating solution. ### Claim 17 A plating method, comprising: providing an anode electrode and a substrate to be plated in a plating bath containing a plating solution; providing a fluid stirring member in the plating bath and between the anode electrode and the substrate to be plated, wherein the fluid stirring member comprises a plurality of first stirring stripes extending along a first direction parallel to a plating surface of the substrate to be plated and a plurality of second stirring stripes extending along a second direction and intersected with the plurality of first stirring stripes and parallel to the plating surface; when a first plating process is performed, moving the fluid stirring member to reciprocate along the second direction so the plating solution flows through and is stirred by the first stirring stripes with smooth contact surfaces; and when a second plating process is performed, moving the fluid stirring member to reciprocate along the first direction so the plating solution flows through and is stirred by the second stirring stripes with rough contact surfaces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The plating method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first plating process comprises forming a redistribution circuit layer on the substrate to be plated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The plating method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second plating process comprises forming a plurality of conductive pillars on the substrate to be plated. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The plating method as claimed in claim 17, wherein when the first plating process is performed, moving the fluid stirring member in a first velocity, when the second plating process is performed, moving the fluid stirring member in a second velocity substantially smaller than the first velocity.