iLab Name: IKo Jr. Electroplater
iLab Kiosk: BRK Growth
FIC: Shared
Owner: Bill Rowe
Location: BRK 2031
Maximum Wafer Size: 4"/150 mm

Overview

General Description

IKo™ Jr. is a practical benchtop tool with the smallest footprint on the market capable of efficiently electroplating 4” wafers with just 1 Gal of solution. Designed for fast electroplating of high-resolution interconnects and fine metallic features on wafers and substrates.

• micro/macro uniformity <5% across the wafer
• superior process control for sub-mil features
• low purchase and operating costs
• requires only 1 Gal of solution
• generates minimal environmental impact
• smallest plater footprint on the market (20"X20")
• handles various-sized wafers (2cm² to 4")
• extremely fast -- typically, 1µ per minute
• uses off-the-shelf chemistries with minimal additives
• efficiently reuses chemical solution
• easy to use/maintain

IKo™ Jr. is fabricated with PVC and polypropylene and a minimum of metal parts to avoid potential contamination of electroplating solutions. Metal features are stainless and titanium. All parts can be easily disassembled for maintenance.

The unit is made up of two sections: 

Electroplating Section -- conveniently accessible while preparing wafers for plating. 
Power Section -- rolls over the Electroplating Section for processing. 

IKo's arrangement of wafer holder, reciprocating anode, reverse pulse rectifier and pump ensure surpassing performance:

•  Wafer holder, ergonomically designed for easy processing and handling. IKo™ can accommodate various wafer sizes. A full-circle, elastic electric contact provides uniform current distribution. Result: uniform thickness features across the wafer.
• Reciprocating anode, a proprietary feature. Provides for an efficient exchange of matter and uniform electric field distribution.
• Programmable Reverse-pulse rectifier, contributes to equipment versatility. Reverse-pulse current during processing efficiently controls plating thickness distribution along the Z-axis.
• Fan-out pump with constant filtration (regardless of fine filter medium). Provides a constant flow of high-quality bulk solution.

Specifications

Sample Requirements and Preparation

Standard Operating Procedure

Questions & Troubleshooting

Process Library

References

From Manufacturer, ECSI:

• IKo Jr. Webpage
• FAQ
• Technological Overview
• IKO Jr Manual (Internal Resource)
• ECSI Fibrotools Presentation (Internal Resource)