Master electrode and method of forming it

Abstract

A system and method comprising a master electrode arranged on substrate, said master electrode comprising a pattern layer, least partly of an insulating material and having a first surface provided with a plurality of cavities in which a conducting material is arranged, said electrode conducting material being electrically connected to at least one electrode current supply contact; said substrate comprising a top surface in contact with or arranged adjacent said first surface and having conducting material and / or structures of a conducting material arranged thereon, said substrate conducting material being electrically connected to at least one current supply contact; whereby a plurality of electrochemical cells are formed delimited by said cavities, said substrate conducting material and said electrode conducting material, said cells comprising an electrolyte; herein an electrode resistance between said electrode conducting material and said electrode current supply contact and a substrate resistance between said substrate conducting material and said substrate current supply contact are adapted for providing a predetermined current density in each electrochemical cell.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates to a master electrode and a method of forming the master electrode. The master electrode is useable in an etching or plating method as described in a copending Swedish patent application No. 0502538-2 filed Nov. 28, 2005 and entitled “METHOD OF FORMING A MULTILAYER STRUCTURE”. The contents of this specification is incorporated herein by reference. The master electrode is similar to the master electrode described in a copending Swedish Patent Application No. 0502539-2 entitled “ELECTRODE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE ELECTRODE”. The contents of this specification is incorporated herein by reference. The master electrode is suitable for enabling production of applications involving micro and nano structures in single or multiple layers. The master electrode is useful for fabrication of PWB (printed wiring boards), PCB (printed circuit boards), MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems), IC (integrated circuit) interconnects, above IC interconnects, sensors...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]In an embodiment, the pattern layer may comprise at least one area of conducting material arranged in said first surface in portions between said cavities for being in contact with said substrate conducting material during a plating or etching process for increasing the specific conductivity of said substrate conducting material over said areas.

Problems solved by technology

A problem is that the etching rate or plating rate may be higher in the electrochemical cells located closer to the contact area of the seed layer, such as in the perimeter, than in other areas.

This problem is encountered when etching and / or plating is performed on a substrate provided with a seed layer which conducts the current at the substrate.

This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the current density is exponentially dependent on the cell voltage.

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