International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Glen Nelson Biggs

Phillip W Palmatier

Charles Leon Arvin

Tracy A Tong

Freddie Torres

Joseph C Sorbello

Christopher Lee Tessler

John Peter Karidis

Thomas Weiss

John Joseph Garant

Russell Alan Budd

Benjamin V Fasano

Hariklia Deligianni

Peter Alfred Gruber

Raschid Jose Bezama

Suryanarayana Kaja

James Edward Fluegel

Ashwani K Malhotra

Bouwe W Leenstra

Donald M Brewer

Timothy Joseph Chainer

Kevin M Prettyman

Dennis G Manzer

Paul F Findeis

Karen P McLaughlin

G Gerard Gormley

Victor M Vitek

John Di Santis

Electroplating techniques including a system for treating a solution for use in an electroplating application and a method for using the system are provided. The system can have: a gas dispersing portion configured to treat the solution by dispersing a gas into the solution to control a concentration of a predetermined cation of a metal to be electroplated in the electroplating application; a filter portion configured to treat the solution by filtering the solution to remove a quantity of metal residue; and a circulation mechanism configured to divert the solution to one of a plating tool and a combination of the gas dispersing portion and the filter portion based on a result of an analysis of the solution.

System for treating solution for use in electroplating application and method for treating solution for use in electroplating application

Plating bath and well structures and methods are described to stop the organic compounds present in plating reservoir wells or bath solution from rising, i.e., climbing up the reservoir wall. An electroplating apparatus includes a vessel holding a liquid solution including metal plating material and an organic species, and a method of operating an electroplating apparatus. The apparatus is designed with plating bath and structures and methods to stop the organic compounds present in plating reservoir wells or bath solution from rising, i.e., climbing or wicking up the inner surfaces of reservoir walls, and to wash them back down on a continuous or cyclical basis in order to maintain a concentration of organic compounds in the plating solution within upper and lower specification limits.

Prevent and remove organics from reservoir wells

Electroplating techniques including an electroplating system and a method for using the electroplating system are provided. The electroplating system has: an electroplating apparatus for electroplating a workpiece, the electroplating apparatus has an electroplating tank configured to contain a solution including target organics; a first reservoir configured to receive the solution including the target organics from the electroplating tank, and to hold the solution including the target organics; a foaming mechanism configured to, in the first reservoir, separate the target organics from the solution through foaming action such that the solution with a reduced concentration of the target organics is separated from a foam including the separated target organics; and a diverting mechanism configured to selectively feed the solution with the reduced concentration of the target organics to one of the first reservoir and the electroplating tank of the electroplating apparatus.

Electroplating system and method of using electroplating system for controlling concentration of organic additives in electroplating solution

A fill head apparatus includes at least one chamber for holding a fluid. The chamber has an outlet for expelling the fluid. A vacuum device has an inlet for a suction device adjacent to the fluid outlet. A plurality of flexible and resilient sealing devices contact a top surface of a workpiece. The sealing devices are positioned on opposing sides of the chamber outlet and on opposing sides of the vacuum device inlet, such that the sealing devices create at least a partial seal around a cavity defined by the workpiece and the cavity is beneath both the chamber outlet and the vacuum outlet.

Fill head interface with combination vacuum pressure chamber

An electroplating apparatus including a plating tank for containing a plating electrolyte. A counter electrode, e.g., anode, is present in a first portion of the plating tank. A cathode system is present in a second portion of the plating tank. The cathode system includes a working electrode and a thief electrode. The thief electrode is present between the working electrode and the counter electrode. The thief electrode includes an exterior face that is in contact with the plating electrolyte that is offset from the plating surface of the working electrode. In one embodiment, the thief electrode overlaps a portion of the working electrode about the perimeter of the working electrode. In one embodiment, a method is provided of using the aforementioned electroplating apparatus that provides increased uniformity in the plating thickness.

Working electrode design for electrochemical processing of electronic components

An electroplating apparatus is provided that includes a plating tank for containing a plating electrolyte. A counter electrode, e.g., anode, is present in a first portion of the plating tank. A cathode system is present in a second portion of the plating tank. The cathode system includes a working electrode and a thief electrode. The thief electrode is present between the working electrode and the counter electrode. The thief electrode includes an exterior face that is in contact with the plating electrolyte that is offset from the plating surface of the working electrode. In one embodiment, the thief electrode overlaps a portion of the working electrode about the perimeter of the working electrode. In one embodiment, a method is provided of using the aforementioned electroplating apparatus that provides increased uniformity in the plating thickness.

Techniques for dispensing fusible material onto a surface, wherein the fusible material is in molten form, are provided. In accordance with aspects of the invention, a dispensing assembly dispenses the fusible material and a gas environment surrounding a portion of a seal structure of the dispensing assembly is controlled to regulate an oxidation rate of the fusible material.

Dispensing assembly with a controlled gas environment

An apparatus for dispensing fusible material onto a surface, wherein the fusible material is in molten form, is provided. The apparatus comprises a dispensing assembly comprising a seal structure. The seal structure controls dispensing of the fusible material. One or more gas injectors are coupled to the dispensing assembly. Each of the one or more gas injectors is adapted to inject at least one gas to the dispensing assembly for controlling a gas environment surrounding at least a portion of the seal structure. An oxidation rate of the fusible material is controlled as a function of at least one characteristic of the at least one gas.

Dispensing assembly with an injector controlled gas environment

An air bearing gap control arrangement for injection molded solder filler heads. Also provided is a method of providing for a gap control for injection molded solder filler heads utilizing an air bearing arrangement. Provided is a C-ring seal, at the lower or dispensing region of the solder filler head structure, wherein the C-shape is open at the leading edge thereof. Hereby, a prevalent leading edge gap is tightly controlled by means of pressurized air in order to form an air bearing. Downstream of this leading edge is the molten solder, which is contained within a very narrow gap height between the solder filler head and the mold. As the solder fills the pits or recesses which are formed in the mold surface, air will rush out or be displaced from the pits towards the air bearing and is then expelled, while the deposited solder remains in place.

Air bearing gap control for injection molded solder heads

A new pressure-only molten metal valving apparatus and method is provided. This novel approach to controlling the flow of liquids eliminates the need for active, moving valve components. Using the natural surface tension properties of liquids, the gas pressure either activates liquid flow when a threshold is overcome or retains the liquid in a head, even when lifted.

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Wappingers Falls, NY, United States of America

Glen Nelson Biggs