HIGH VOLUME CRYSTAL PLATING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A high crystal plating apparatus (50) includes a carousel (90) with fingers (92) and a mask (110) for holding and masking twenty or more crystals (204) in circuits (200) within a vacuum chamber (52). Each circuit (200) is sequentially positioned to allow plating of a crystal (204) and measurement of its frequency. The mask (110) has an alignment peg (112) adapted to fit into alignment hole (102) on the back (94) of the carousel to allow the mask to fit within the fingers (92), so that the tapered apertures (116) of the mask are positioned correctly for the plating. In the method of using the apparatus (50), plating is terminated when a desired value of crystal frequency is measured. A contactor (230) accepting variable thickness pins or lead wires can be used to establish electrical contact for measuring crystal frequency.