Apparatus to monitor and add plating solution of plating baths and controlling quality of deposited metal

A plating bath system, comprising:

• a plating bath reservoir for holding a plating bath and plating at least one metal from the plating bath on to a substrate;
• at least one monitor to monitor conditions within the plating bath and producing signals corresponding to said monitored conditions;
• a controller for receiving said signals produced by said at least one monitor, processing said signals, determining whether an additional amount of at least one chemical should be added to the plating bath, and controlling valves for controlling flow of said additional amount of said at least one chemical;
• a premix tank for premixing chemicals to be added to the plating bath;
• a plurality of holding tanks for holding chemicals and supplying the chemicals to the premix tank;
• a valve between each of said holding tanks and said premix tank;
• a valve between said premix tank and the plating bath;
• a conduit connecting the plating bath to said premix tank for recycling at least a portion of the plating bath to said premix tank during plating and returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath;
• and
• at least one treatment element for treating the recycled portion by removing undesirable materials including spent, degraded, and broken-down chemicals prior to reintroduction into the plating bath, the at least one treatment element comprising at least one carbon filter arranged in said conduit between said premix tank and said plating bath for adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion.

A method for plating at least one metal on a substrate in a plating bath system, the plating bath system including a plating bath reservoir, at least one monitor, a controller, a premix tank, a plurality of holding tanks, a valve between each of said holding tanks and said premix tank, a valve between said premix tank and the plating bath reservoir, a conduit connecting the plating bath to said premix tank for recycling at least a portion of the plating bath to said premix tank during plating and returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath, and at least one treatment element for treating the recycled portion prior to reintroduction into the plating bath, the at least one treatment element comprising at least one carbon filter arranged in said conduit between said premix tank and said plating bath, the method comprising:

• introducing a chemical into each holding tank;
• introducing selected ones of said chemicals into the premix chamber;
• introducing said selected ones of said chemicals into said plating bath reservoir to act as the plating bath after passage of a period of time sufficient for said selected ones of said chemicals to mix;
• introducing at least one substrate on which at least one metal is to be plated into said plating bath reservoir;
• monitoring conditions within said plating bath with the at least one monitor;
• analyzing said monitored conditions to determine whether said plating bath requires addition of at least one chemical;
• controlling said valves with said processor to introduce a required additional amount of at least one chemical into said premix tank from at least one of said holding tanks;
• introducing said additional amount of said at least one chemical into said plating bath reservoir after passage of a period of time sufficient for said additional at least one chemical to mix;
• recycling at least a portion of the plating bath from the plating bath reservoir to the premix tank during plating;
• treating the recycled portion by removing undesirable materials including spent, degraded, and broken-down chemicals by adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion with the at least one treatment element;
• and
• returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath.

A method for controlling a plating bath solution in a plating bath system, the plating bath system including a plating bath reservoir, at least one monitor, a controller, a premix tank, a plurality of holding tanks, a valve between each of said holding tanks and said premix tank, a valve between said premix tank and the plating bath reservoir, a conduit connecting the plating bath to said premix tank for recycling at least a portion of the plating bath to said premix tank during plating and returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath, and at least one treatment element for treating the recycled portion prior to reintroduction into the plating bath, the at least one treatment element comprising at least one carbon filter arranged in said conduit between said premix tank and said plating bath for adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion, the method comprising:

• monitoring conditions within said plating bath with the at least one monitor;
• analyzing said monitored conditions to determine whether said plating bath requires addition of an amount of at least one chemical;
• controlling said valves with said processor to introduce said required additional amount of said at least one chemical into said premix tank from at least one of said holding tanks;
• introducing said additional amount of said at least one chemical into said plating bath reservoir after passage of a period of time sufficient for said additional treatment fluids to mix;
• recycling at least a portion of the plating bath from the plating bath reservoir to the premix tank during plating;
• treating the recycled portion by removing undesirable materials including spent, degraded, and broken-down chemicals by adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion with the at last one treatment element;
• and
• returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath.

A plating apparatus, comprising:

• a plating reservoir for holding a plating bath from which at least one metal is to be plated onto a substrate;
• a conduit draining at least a portion of the plating bath from the plating reservoir for recycling during plating and returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating reservoir;
• and
• at least one treatment element connected to the conduit for treating the recycled portion of the plating bath by removing undesirable materials including spent, degraded, and broken-down chemicals prior to reintroduction into the plating reservoir, the at least one treatment element comprising at least one carbon filter arranged in said conduit between said premix tank and said plating bath for adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion.

A method for plating at least one metal on a substrate in a plating bath system, the plating bath system including a plating bath reservoir for holding a plating bath from which at least one metal is to be plated onto a substrate, a conduit draining at least a portion of the plating bath from the plating bath reservoir for recycling during plating and returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath reservoir, and at least one treatment element connected to the conduit for treating the recycled portion of the plating bath prior to reintroduction into the plating bath reservoir, the at least one treatment element comprising at least one carbon filter arranged in said conduit between said premix tank and said plating bath, the method comprising:

• introducing the plating bath into the plating reservoir;
• introducing at least one substrate on which at least one metal is to be plated into the plating bath reservoir;
• recycling at least a portion of the plating bath from the plating bath reservoir during plating;
• treating the recycled portion by removing undesirable materials including spent, degraded, and broken-down chemicals by adsorbing organic and/or inorganic components from the recycled portion with the at least one treatment element;
• and
• returning at least a portion of the recycled portion to the plating bath reservoir.