US20140231245A1 - Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes - Google Patents
Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes Download PDFInfo
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- US20140231245A1 US20140231245A1 US13/769,585 US201313769585A US2014231245A1 US 20140231245 A1 US20140231245 A1 US 20140231245A1 US 201313769585 A US201313769585 A US 201313769585A US 2014231245 A1 US2014231245 A1 US 2014231245A1
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- Prior art keywords
- current shield
- anode
- adjustable current
- substrate holder
- shield
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D17/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
- C25D17/001—Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D17/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
- C25D17/008—Current shielding devices
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
- C25D7/12—Semiconductors
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
- C25D7/12—Semiconductors
- C25D7/123—Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to the manufacture of sophisticated semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating processes that are performed to form a conductive metal material.
- electrically conductive leads on the wafer are often formed by electroplating (depositing) an electrically conductive layer, such as copper, on the wafer and into patterned trenches.
- electroplating equipment There are two general types of electroplating equipment: fountain plating equipment and vertical plating equipment. Both have relative advantages in some applications. Although the orientation of the surface of the wafer to be plated is different in the two different processes—horizontal in fountain plating equipment and vertical in vertical plating equipment—the process operations are very similar.
- electroplating involves making electrical contact with a so-called conductive “seed” layer that is formed on the wafer surface upon which the electrically conductive layer, e.g., copper, is to be deposited.
- Current is then passed through a plating solution (i.e., a solution containing ions of the element being deposited, for example, a solution containing Cu ++ ) between an anode and the conductive seed layer on the wafer plating surface that acts as a cathode.
- the seed layer carries the electrical plating current from the edge of the wafer, where electrical contact is made, to the center of the wafer, including through embedded structures, trenches and vias.
- the final layer of material that is electrodeposited on the seed layer should completely fill the embedded structures, and it should have a specific thickness profile across the surface of the wafer. Generally, in electroplating processes, the thickness profile of the deposited metal should be controlled as much as possible.
- the electrically conductive seed layer In an attempt to minimize variations in the deposited material, it is important that the electrically conductive seed layer have a uniform thickness over the wafer plating surface.
- edge effect refers to the tendency of the deposited electrically conductive layer to be thicker near the wafer edge than at the wafer center, i.e., an “edge-thick” profile.
- This edge-thick profile in the final layer is caused by, among other things, a decrease in current flow through the seed layer in the middle region of the wafer as compared to the current flowing near the edge region of the wafer.
- the conductive seed layer is contacted at the periphery of the wafer and the magnitude of the current flowing through the seed layer drops as one moves from the edge of the wafer toward the center of the wafer, there is less conductive material, e.g., copper, plated at the center of the wafer as compared to the edge region of the wafer.
- conductive material e.g., copper
- edge-thick layers of material makes subsequent processing more difficult.
- edge-thick layers of material make subsequent chemical mechanical polishing operations more difficult to perform, i.e., it makes it more difficult to obtain a substantially planar surface after the polishing process has been performed.
- various processing parameters of the electroplating process may be adjusted in an attempt to combat this tendency to produce conductive material layers with an edge-thick profile.
- processing changes may result in producing a conductive layer that is too thin in the middle area of the wafer, thereby leading to the formation of defective wiring features that are not as thick as intended by the design process.
- Such defective wiring features may reduce the useful life of an integrated circuit product and, in a worst-case scenario, may lead to complete device failure.
- One technique that has been employed in an effort to avoid or reduce the magnitude of the production of such edge-thick conductive layers involves the use of so-called current shields.
- Current shields are typically positioned between the anode and the wafer and they act to reduce the electrical field at the edge region of the wafer, which reduces the amount of the conductive material formed on the edge region of the wafer.
- the current shields may be made of a variety of materials, such as non-conductive, inert materials, like plastic.
- the current shields may be fixed or adjustable in terms of their area that is positioned between the anode and the wafer. In one example, a fixed current shield has a radial width of about 20-30 mm and a thickness on the order of about 2-3 mm.
- Such fixed current shields are typically sized and configured for a particular process flow and/or device by a trial and error process. Once acceptable results are achieved, the specifically designed current shield is used in production operations. Unfortunately, when there is a change in the design of the wafer or the process conditions, the existing current shield may not produce acceptable results. In that case, a new design of a current shield may need to be determined (by trial and error) and then put into production service. Alternatively, processing engineers may try to “make-do” with the less than desirable original current shield, which may lead to the production of conductive layers that do not have the desired or target thickness profile and the problems associated with such layers as discussed above.
- the present disclosure is directed to a novel adjustable current shield that may solve or reduce one or more of the problems identified above.
- the present disclosure is directed to a plating tool that includes an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating process operations.
- One illustrative plating apparatus disclosed herein includes a substrate holder that is adapted to receive a substrate, an anode and an adjustable current shield positioned between the substrate holder and the anode.
- the adjustable current shield includes a stationary member, a moveable member that is adapted to be moved relative to the stationary member and a plurality of current shield members that are operatively coupled to either the stationary member or the moveable member, wherein each of the current shield members is rotatably pinned to either the stationary member or the moveable member and wherein each of the current shield members is adapted to rotate when there is relative movement between the moveable member and the stationary member.
- the adjustable current shield includes a stationary ring, a moveable ring that is adapted to be moved relative to the stationary ring and a plurality of current shield members operatively coupled to the stationary ring and the moveable ring, wherein each of the plurality of current shield members is rotatably pinned to either the stationary ring or the moveable ring and wherein each of the current shield members is adapted to rotate when there is relative movement between the moveable ring and the stationary ring, thereby moving a portion of each of the current shield members radially inward or outward depending upon the direction of the relative movement.
- Yet another illustrative plating apparatus disclosed herein includes a substrate holder that is adapted to receive a substrate, an anode and an adjustable current shield positioned between the substrate holder and the anode, wherein the adjustable current shield includes a plurality of segmented shielding members that may be moved so as to effectively change a size of an opening of the adjustable current shield.
- FIGS. 1 and 1A are simplistic and schematic views of various illustrative embodiments of an electroplating apparatus having an adjustable current shield as disclosed herein;
- FIGS. 2A-2E depict various illustrative aspects of one illustrative embodiment of an adjustable current shield as disclosed herein;
- FIGS. 3A-3B depict one illustrative embodiment of a plurality of current shielding members that may be employed in the illustrative adjustable current shield disclosed herein.
- the present disclosure is directed to an electroplating tool that includes an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating process operations.
- an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating process operations.
- the methods and devices disclosed herein may be employed in a variety of different manufacturing applications and techniques, e.g., standard plating operations to form a uniform conductive layer, patterned plating applications, etc.
- the methods and devices disclosed herein may also be employed in manufacturing a variety of different devices, including, but not limited to, logic devices, memory devices, etc.
- FIG. 1 depicts, in schematic and simplistic form, a fountain-type electroplating apparatus 10 in accordance with one illustrative embodiment disclosed herein, wherein the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein is oriented substantially horizontal within the apparatus 10 and located vertically above the anode.
- the adjustable current shield disclosed herein may also be employed in vertical-type plating tools, wherein the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein is oriented substantially vertical in such a vertical plating tool, as schematically depicted in FIG. 1A .
- the disclosed electroplating apparatus 10 contains a main plating bath container 12 that contains a conventional electroplating bath 14 comprised of an electrolytic plating fluid.
- a cylindrical container wall 16 determines the height 18 of the plating bath 14 .
- the electroplating apparatus 10 further includes a substrate/wafer holder 20 and a schematically depicted anode 30 .
- the substrate holder 20 is adapted to hold an integrated circuit substrate 22 .
- a motor (not shown) drives a spindle 26 that rotates the substrate holder 20 and substrate 22 around a central axis during plating operations.
- the substrate 22 has a substrate backside 22 B and a substrate front plating surface 22 F.
- the front plating surface 22 F typically has a conductive seed layer (not shown) formed thereon to facilitate plating operations, e.g., a conductive copper seed layer or a tantalum or titanium nitride barrier layer.
- the shape and configuration of the substrate holder 20 may vary depending upon the type of plating apparatus employed.
- the substrate holder 20 may include a compliant O-ring seal (not shown) and a set of electrical contacts (not shown) for electrically connecting the negative terminal of a power source 24 to the conductive seed layer (not shown) at the edge of the substrate 20 .
- the positive terminal of the power source 24 is conductively coupled to the anode 30 .
- the substrate 22 may be comprised of any semiconducting material, such as silicon, silicon/germanium, ruby, quartz, sapphire and gallium arsenide.
- the anode 30 is illustrative in nature in that it may be comprised of multiple parts arranged in a variety of configurations and it may have multiple openings.
- the electroplating apparatus also includes a schematically depicted adjustable current shield 100 as disclosed herein.
- the adjustable current shield 100 is disposed between the anode 30 and the substrate 22 or substrate holder 20 .
- the adjustable current shield 100 may be secured to the container wall 16 by any desired technique, e.g., clips, lugs, bolted connections, etc.
- the periphery of the adjustable current shield 100 need not be sealed against the inner surface of the container wall 16 .
- the adjustable current shield 100 may be positioned at any desired distance from the substrate 22 , and this distance may vary depending upon the particular application.
- the position of the adjustable current shield 100 may be determined, at least in part, based upon the desired thickness profile of the electrically conductive layer to be deposited on the substrate 22 .
- the closer the adjustable current shield 100 is positioned to the substrate 22 the greater the influence the adjustable current shield 100 has on the resulting thickness profile of the electrically conductive layer to be deposited on the wafer 22 .
- the adjustable current shield 100 as well as the container wall 16 may be comprised of materials that resist attack by the electrolytic plating fluid in the bath 14 .
- These structures may be comprised of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating to prevent electroplating of metal onto these structures during the electroplating process.
- FIG. 1 is a simplistic and schematic depiction of an illustrative fountain-type plating tool, the basic construction of which is well known to those skilled in the art.
- the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein may be employed in so-called vertical plating tools as well, the basic construction of which is also well known to those skilled in the art.
- FIG. 1A is a simplistic and schematic depiction of some of the major components of such a vertical plating apparatus. More specifically, as shown in FIG.
- the substrate holder 20 , substrate 22 , adjustable current shield 100 and the anode 30 may all be oriented substantially vertically, wherein the adjustable current shield 100 is located laterally between the substrate holder 20 and the anode 30 .
- the illustrative electroplating bath 14 is a conventional bath that typically contains the metal to be plated, together with associated anions, in an acidic solution. Copper electroplating is usually performed using a solution of CuSO 4 dissolved in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. In addition to these major constituents of the electroplating bath 14 , it is common for the bath 14 to contain several additives, which are any type of compound added to the plating bath 14 to change the plating behavior. Three types of electroplating bath additives are in common use, subject to design choice by those skilled in the art: suppressors, accelerators and levelers. Suppressor additives retard the plating reaction and increase the polarization of the cell.
- Accelerator additives are normally catalysts that accelerate the plating reaction under suppression influence or control.
- Levelers behave like suppressors, but are highly electrochemically active (i.e., are more easily electrochemically transformed), losing their suppressive character upon electrochemical reaction.
- Levelers also tend to accelerate plating on depressed regions of the surface undergoing plating, thus, tending to level the plated surface.
- the inventions disclosed herein are not limited to use with any type of plating bath, as the inventions disclosed herein may be employed with a variety of different bath chemistries.
- the container wall 16 of the plating apparatus 10 functions as an overflow weir.
- the substrate holder 20 is partially submerged in the plating bath 14 such that the electrolytic plating fluid wets plating surface 22 F of the substrate 22 but does not wet the upper portions of substrate holder 20 .
- the plating fluid overflows the container/weir 16 , as indicated by the arrows 32 , into the space between the main plating bath container 12 and container wall 16 . Thereafter, as indicated by the arrows 34 , the plating fluid flows to the inlet 36 of a circulating pump 38 .
- the circulating pump 38 typically continuously circulates plating fluid to the plating bath 14 , as indicated by the arrow 26 .
- the bath height 18 may be maintained during plating operations.
- the plating solution flows upwards through openings (not shown) in the anode 30 and around the anode 30 toward the substrate 22 .
- the power supply 24 biases the wafer 22 to have a negative potential relative to the anode 30 , causing an electrical current to flow from the anode 30 to the substrate 22 .
- This also causes an electric current flux from the anode 30 to the substrate 22 , wherein the electric current flux is defined as the number of lines of forces (field lines) through an area.
- the ion concentration of the desired metal in the plating solution may be replenished during the plating cycle by dissolving a metal of the anode 30 , e.g., copper, in the plating solution.
- FIGS. 2A-2E depict various aspects of the illustrative example of an adjustable current shield 100 as disclosed herein.
- the adjustable current shield 100 is comprised of a stationary ring 102 (see FIGS. 2A-2B ), an adjustable or moveable ring 112 (see FIGS. 2C-2D ) and a plurality of current shielding members 130 (see FIGS. 3A-3B ).
- the moveable ring 112 is adapted to be moved relative to the stationary ring 102 . This relative movement of the moveable ring 112 causes a portion ( 136 ) of each of the current shielding members 130 to move radially inward, thereby effectively changing the “size” of the shielding members 130 and their shielding capability.
- FIGS. 2A-2B depict various aspects of one illustrative example of the stationary ring 102 .
- the stationary ring 102 has an inner surface 104 , an outer surface 106 and a ledge 110 that defines a recess 111 that is adapted to receive the moveable ring 112 .
- a plurality of pins 108 are attached to the stationary ring 102 .
- the stationary ring 102 may be secured to the container wall 16 of the plating apparatus 10 by any desired technique, e.g., clips, lugs, bolted connections, etc. (not shown).
- the outer surface 106 of the stationary ring 102 need not be sealed against the inner surface of the container wall 16 .
- the physical size of the stationary ring 102 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of the plating apparatus 10 in which it will be employed and the mechanical loading it is anticipated to experience in operation.
- the stationary ring 102 may have a radial thickness (outside diameter minus inside diameter) of about 5-50 mm, and an overall thickness of about 5-25 mm.
- the stationary ring 102 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia.
- the number, size and location of the pivot pins 108 may also vary depending upon the particular application and the number of current shielding members 130 employed in the adjustable current shield 100 .
- FIGS. 2C-2D depict various aspects of one illustrative example of a moveable ring 112 that may be employed in the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein.
- the moveable ring 112 has an inner surface 114 and an outer surface 116 .
- a plurality of pins 118 are attached to the stationary ring 102 .
- the moveable ring 112 is adapted to be positioned in the recess 111 formed in the stationary ring 102 . Any of a variety of means may be provided for causing movement of the moveable ring 112 relative to the stationary ring 102 .
- such means may include a plurality of schematically depicted gear teeth 113 that are coupled to the moveable ring 112 .
- the gear teeth 113 are adapted to be engaged by a driving member or device (not shown in FIG. 2C ) to cause relative movement of the moveable ring 112 .
- such means may include a schematically depicted lever 115 that is coupled to the moveable ring 112 .
- the lever 115 is adapted to be engaged by a driving member or device (not shown in FIG. 2C ) or manually to cause relative movement of the moveable ring 112 .
- the physical size of the moveable ring 112 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of the plating apparatus 10 in which it will be employed and the mechanical loading it is anticipated to experience in operation.
- the moveable ring 112 may have a radial thickness (outside diameter minus inside diameter) of about 5-30 mm, and an overall thickness of about 5-20 mm.
- the moveable ring 112 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia.
- the number, size and location of the pins 118 may also vary depending upon the particular application and the number of current shielding members 130 employed in the adjustable current shield 100 .
- FIGS. 3A-3B depict one illustrative example of a plurality of current shielding members 130 that may be employed with the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein.
- FIG. 3B is somewhat of an assembly drawing of the adjustable current shield 100 with the stationary ring 102 and the moveable ring 112 depicted in dashed lines.
- the size, number, shape and configuration of the current shielding members 130 employed with the adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein may vary depending on the particular application.
- each of the current shielding members 130 has a generally elongated, curved configuration.
- each of the current shielding members 130 comprises a pivot hole 132 and a slot 134 .
- the pivot hole 132 is adapted to receive and operatively cooperate with one of the pins 108 on the stationary ring 102
- the slot 134 is adapted to receive and operatively cooperate with one of the pins 118 on the moveable ring 112 .
- the positions of the hole 132 and the slot 134 on the current shielding member 130 may be interchanged, but the orientation of the slot 134 would need to be rotated ninety degrees as compared to the orientation of the slot 134 that is depicted in the drawings.
- the slots 134 may have some degree of curvature, although that is not depicted in the attached drawings.
- the number and physical size of the current shielding members 130 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of the plating apparatus 10 in which they will be employed and the mechanical loading the current shielding members 130 are anticipated to experience in operation.
- the current shielding members 130 may have a width 130 W of about 10-30 mm, and an overall thickness of about 1-3 mm.
- the current shielding members 130 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia.
- the gear teeth 113 on the moveable ring 112 are adapted to be engaged by teeth 142 on an illustrative drive motor 140 , such as a stepper motor.
- the drive motor 140 is adapted to cause rotation of the moveable ring 112 in either of the directions indicated by the arrows 150 (clockwise) or 152 (counterclockwise). Accordingly, in this embodiment, the drive motor 140 constitutes part of the means for causing relative movement of the moveable ring 112 .
- the illustrative lever 115 may also be moved in the directions 160 , 162 to cause relative movement of the moveable ring 112 . Movement of the lever 115 may be accomplished manually or by electromechanical means, such as by an electric motor (not shown) coupled to the lever 115 by appropriate mechanical linkage.
- FIG. 3B eight of the illustrative current shielding members 130 are employed as part of the illustrative adjustable current shield 100 disclosed herein.
- the adjustable current shield 100 is depicted in its fully closed position in FIG. 3B , wherein the current shielding members 130 have their smallest effective width as it relates to acting as a current shield during plating operations.
- a distal portion 136 see FIG.
- each of the current shielding members 130 is positioned above a portion of an adjacent current shielding member 130 , and in some cases may contact the adjacent current shielding member 130 .
- the amount or degree to which the distal portion 136 overlaps an adjacent current shielding member 130 may vary depending upon the particular application. In some embodiments, there may be no such overlap at all.
- the effective width of the current shielding members 130 may be adjusted as follows. Rotation of the moveable ring 112 relative to the stationary ring 102 (by means of the lever 115 or the motor 140 /gear teeth 113 / 142 ) in the direction indicated by the arrow 150 causes a portion of the current shielding members 130 to be extended radially inward, in the direction indicated by the arrow 150 A, to thereby increase the effective width of the adjustable current shield 100 . During this process, the current shielding members 130 pivot around the pin 108 on the stationary ring 102 . The slot 134 cooperates with the pin 118 on the moveable ring 112 to allow the movement of the current shielding member 130 .
- the amount or extent to which the current shielding members 130 may move radially inward depends upon the desired effective width of the adjustable current shield 100 and the specific design of the plating apparatus. Normally, the adjustable current shield 100 will have a limit on how far the moveable ring 112 may be rotated relative to the stationary ring 102 , which will correspond to a maximum displacement of the current shielding members 130 (not shown) in the radially inward direction 150 A. In some cases, to the extent that each of the current shielding members 130 overlapped with an adjacent current shielding member 130 when the adjustable current shield 100 was in its fully closed position (as shown in FIG. 3B ), such an overlapping relationship may not exist when the current shielding members 130 are shifted inward.
- Rotation of the moveable ring 112 relative to the stationary ring 102 causes the current shielding members 130 to be moved in a radially outward direction, as indicated by the arrow 152 A, to thereby decrease the effective width of the adjustable current shield 100 .
- the adjustable current shield 100 may be locked or secured in this desired position by any suitable means.
- the adjustable current shield 100 provides several advantages as it relates to performing plating operations. For example, to the extent that there is a change in the design of the substrates to be processed through the plating apparatus 10 , or a change in the processing parameters, the adjustable current shield 100 provides a readily adjustable means by which a process engineer may attempt to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with producing plated metal layers with an edge-thick profile. Moreover, by adjusting the shape, size and/or number of current shielding members 130 , as well as the extent to which portions of the current shielding members 130 may be positioned radially inward, a process engineer has greater processing flexibility to “tune” plating operations as necessary. In one embodiment, the subject matter disclosed herein is directed to a plating apparatus that includes a plurality of segmented shielding members that may be actuated simultaneously or individually to effectively change the size (effective diameter) of the opening or aperture of a substantially circular current shield.
Abstract
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacture of sophisticated semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating processes that are performed to form a conductive metal material.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- The manufacture of semiconductor devices often requires the formation of electrical conductors on semiconductor wafers. For example, electrically conductive leads on the wafer are often formed by electroplating (depositing) an electrically conductive layer, such as copper, on the wafer and into patterned trenches. There are two general types of electroplating equipment: fountain plating equipment and vertical plating equipment. Both have relative advantages in some applications. Although the orientation of the surface of the wafer to be plated is different in the two different processes—horizontal in fountain plating equipment and vertical in vertical plating equipment—the process operations are very similar.
- In general, electroplating involves making electrical contact with a so-called conductive “seed” layer that is formed on the wafer surface upon which the electrically conductive layer, e.g., copper, is to be deposited. Current is then passed through a plating solution (i.e., a solution containing ions of the element being deposited, for example, a solution containing Cu++) between an anode and the conductive seed layer on the wafer plating surface that acts as a cathode. The seed layer carries the electrical plating current from the edge of the wafer, where electrical contact is made, to the center of the wafer, including through embedded structures, trenches and vias. This causes an electrochemical reaction on the wafer plating surface which results in the deposition of the electrically conductive layer. Ideally, the final layer of material that is electrodeposited on the seed layer should completely fill the embedded structures, and it should have a specific thickness profile across the surface of the wafer. Generally, in electroplating processes, the thickness profile of the deposited metal should be controlled as much as possible.
- In an attempt to minimize variations in the deposited material, it is important that the electrically conductive seed layer have a uniform thickness over the wafer plating surface. However, even with highly uniform seed layers, conventional electroplating processes produce a non-uniform deposition due to the so-called “edge effect” associated with such plating processes. In general, the edge effect refers to the tendency of the deposited electrically conductive layer to be thicker near the wafer edge than at the wafer center, i.e., an “edge-thick” profile. This edge-thick profile in the final layer is caused by, among other things, a decrease in current flow through the seed layer in the middle region of the wafer as compared to the current flowing near the edge region of the wafer. That is, since the conductive seed layer is contacted at the periphery of the wafer and the magnitude of the current flowing through the seed layer drops as one moves from the edge of the wafer toward the center of the wafer, there is less conductive material, e.g., copper, plated at the center of the wafer as compared to the edge region of the wafer.
- The formation of such edge-thick layers of material makes subsequent processing more difficult. For example, such edge-thick layers of material make subsequent chemical mechanical polishing operations more difficult to perform, i.e., it makes it more difficult to obtain a substantially planar surface after the polishing process has been performed. As another example, various processing parameters of the electroplating process may be adjusted in an attempt to combat this tendency to produce conductive material layers with an edge-thick profile. However, such processing changes may result in producing a conductive layer that is too thin in the middle area of the wafer, thereby leading to the formation of defective wiring features that are not as thick as intended by the design process. Such defective wiring features may reduce the useful life of an integrated circuit product and, in a worst-case scenario, may lead to complete device failure.
- One technique that has been employed in an effort to avoid or reduce the magnitude of the production of such edge-thick conductive layers involves the use of so-called current shields. Current shields are typically positioned between the anode and the wafer and they act to reduce the electrical field at the edge region of the wafer, which reduces the amount of the conductive material formed on the edge region of the wafer. The current shields may be made of a variety of materials, such as non-conductive, inert materials, like plastic. The current shields may be fixed or adjustable in terms of their area that is positioned between the anode and the wafer. In one example, a fixed current shield has a radial width of about 20-30 mm and a thickness on the order of about 2-3 mm. Such fixed current shields are typically sized and configured for a particular process flow and/or device by a trial and error process. Once acceptable results are achieved, the specifically designed current shield is used in production operations. Unfortunately, when there is a change in the design of the wafer or the process conditions, the existing current shield may not produce acceptable results. In that case, a new design of a current shield may need to be determined (by trial and error) and then put into production service. Alternatively, processing engineers may try to “make-do” with the less than desirable original current shield, which may lead to the production of conductive layers that do not have the desired or target thickness profile and the problems associated with such layers as discussed above.
- The present disclosure is directed to a novel adjustable current shield that may solve or reduce one or more of the problems identified above.
- The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is discussed later.
- Generally, the present disclosure is directed to a plating tool that includes an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating process operations. One illustrative plating apparatus disclosed herein includes a substrate holder that is adapted to receive a substrate, an anode and an adjustable current shield positioned between the substrate holder and the anode. In this illustrative embodiment, the adjustable current shield includes a stationary member, a moveable member that is adapted to be moved relative to the stationary member and a plurality of current shield members that are operatively coupled to either the stationary member or the moveable member, wherein each of the current shield members is rotatably pinned to either the stationary member or the moveable member and wherein each of the current shield members is adapted to rotate when there is relative movement between the moveable member and the stationary member.
- Another illustrative plating apparatus disclosed herein includes a substrate holder that is adapted to receive a substrate, an anode and an adjustable current shield positioned between the substrate holder and the anode. In this illustrative embodiment, the adjustable current shield includes a stationary ring, a moveable ring that is adapted to be moved relative to the stationary ring and a plurality of current shield members operatively coupled to the stationary ring and the moveable ring, wherein each of the plurality of current shield members is rotatably pinned to either the stationary ring or the moveable ring and wherein each of the current shield members is adapted to rotate when there is relative movement between the moveable ring and the stationary ring, thereby moving a portion of each of the current shield members radially inward or outward depending upon the direction of the relative movement.
- Yet another illustrative plating apparatus disclosed herein includes a substrate holder that is adapted to receive a substrate, an anode and an adjustable current shield positioned between the substrate holder and the anode, wherein the adjustable current shield includes a plurality of segmented shielding members that may be moved so as to effectively change a size of an opening of the adjustable current shield.
- The disclosure may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
-
FIGS. 1 and 1A are simplistic and schematic views of various illustrative embodiments of an electroplating apparatus having an adjustable current shield as disclosed herein; -
FIGS. 2A-2E depict various illustrative aspects of one illustrative embodiment of an adjustable current shield as disclosed herein; and -
FIGS. 3A-3B depict one illustrative embodiment of a plurality of current shielding members that may be employed in the illustrative adjustable current shield disclosed herein. - While the subject matter disclosed herein is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
- Various illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
- The present subject matter will now be described with reference to the attached figures. Various structures, systems and devices are schematically depicted in the drawings for purposes of explanation only and so as to not obscure the present disclosure with details that are well known to those skilled in the art. Nevertheless, the attached drawings are included to describe and explain illustrative examples of the present disclosure. The words and phrases used herein should be understood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the understanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in the relevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., a definition that is different from the ordinary and customary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, is intended to be implied by consistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a term or phrase is intended to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning other than that understood by skilled artisans, such a special definition will be expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional manner that directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for the term or phrase.
- The present disclosure is directed to an electroplating tool that includes an adjustable current shield that may be employed in electroplating process operations. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a complete reading of the present application, the methods and devices disclosed herein may be employed in a variety of different manufacturing applications and techniques, e.g., standard plating operations to form a uniform conductive layer, patterned plating applications, etc. Moreover, the methods and devices disclosed herein may also be employed in manufacturing a variety of different devices, including, but not limited to, logic devices, memory devices, etc. With reference to the attached figures, various illustrative embodiments of the methods and devices disclosed herein will now be described in more detail.
-
FIG. 1 depicts, in schematic and simplistic form, a fountain-type electroplating apparatus 10 in accordance with one illustrative embodiment disclosed herein, wherein the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein is oriented substantially horizontal within theapparatus 10 and located vertically above the anode. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the adjustable current shield disclosed herein may also be employed in vertical-type plating tools, wherein the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein is oriented substantially vertical in such a vertical plating tool, as schematically depicted inFIG. 1A . The disclosedelectroplating apparatus 10 contains a mainplating bath container 12 that contains aconventional electroplating bath 14 comprised of an electrolytic plating fluid. Acylindrical container wall 16 determines theheight 18 of the platingbath 14. Theelectroplating apparatus 10 further includes a substrate/wafer holder 20 and a schematically depictedanode 30. Thesubstrate holder 20 is adapted to hold anintegrated circuit substrate 22. A motor (not shown) drives aspindle 26 that rotates thesubstrate holder 20 andsubstrate 22 around a central axis during plating operations. Thesubstrate 22 has asubstrate backside 22B and a substratefront plating surface 22F. Thefront plating surface 22F typically has a conductive seed layer (not shown) formed thereon to facilitate plating operations, e.g., a conductive copper seed layer or a tantalum or titanium nitride barrier layer. The shape and configuration of thesubstrate holder 20 may vary depending upon the type of plating apparatus employed. In some cases, thesubstrate holder 20 may include a compliant O-ring seal (not shown) and a set of electrical contacts (not shown) for electrically connecting the negative terminal of apower source 24 to the conductive seed layer (not shown) at the edge of thesubstrate 20. The positive terminal of thepower source 24 is conductively coupled to theanode 30. Thesubstrate 22 may be comprised of any semiconducting material, such as silicon, silicon/germanium, ruby, quartz, sapphire and gallium arsenide. Theanode 30 is illustrative in nature in that it may be comprised of multiple parts arranged in a variety of configurations and it may have multiple openings. - Also shown in
FIG. 1 , the electroplating apparatus also includes a schematically depicted adjustablecurrent shield 100 as disclosed herein. In general, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 is disposed between theanode 30 and thesubstrate 22 orsubstrate holder 20. The adjustablecurrent shield 100 may be secured to thecontainer wall 16 by any desired technique, e.g., clips, lugs, bolted connections, etc. The periphery of the adjustablecurrent shield 100 need not be sealed against the inner surface of thecontainer wall 16. The adjustablecurrent shield 100 may be positioned at any desired distance from thesubstrate 22, and this distance may vary depending upon the particular application. For example, the position of the adjustablecurrent shield 100 may be determined, at least in part, based upon the desired thickness profile of the electrically conductive layer to be deposited on thesubstrate 22. In general, the closer the adjustablecurrent shield 100 is positioned to thesubstrate 22, the greater the influence the adjustablecurrent shield 100 has on the resulting thickness profile of the electrically conductive layer to be deposited on thewafer 22. The adjustablecurrent shield 100 as well as thecontainer wall 16 may be comprised of materials that resist attack by the electrolytic plating fluid in thebath 14. These structures may be comprised of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating to prevent electroplating of metal onto these structures during the electroplating process. These structures may also be made of various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. Theapparatus 10 depicted inFIG. 1 is a simplistic and schematic depiction of an illustrative fountain-type plating tool, the basic construction of which is well known to those skilled in the art. As noted earlier, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein may be employed in so-called vertical plating tools as well, the basic construction of which is also well known to those skilled in the art.FIG. 1A is a simplistic and schematic depiction of some of the major components of such a vertical plating apparatus. More specifically, as shown inFIG. 1A , in some embodiments, thesubstrate holder 20,substrate 22, adjustablecurrent shield 100 and theanode 30 may all be oriented substantially vertically, wherein the adjustablecurrent shield 100 is located laterally between thesubstrate holder 20 and theanode 30. - The
illustrative electroplating bath 14 is a conventional bath that typically contains the metal to be plated, together with associated anions, in an acidic solution. Copper electroplating is usually performed using a solution of CuSO4 dissolved in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. In addition to these major constituents of theelectroplating bath 14, it is common for thebath 14 to contain several additives, which are any type of compound added to theplating bath 14 to change the plating behavior. Three types of electroplating bath additives are in common use, subject to design choice by those skilled in the art: suppressors, accelerators and levelers. Suppressor additives retard the plating reaction and increase the polarization of the cell. Accelerator additives are normally catalysts that accelerate the plating reaction under suppression influence or control. Levelers behave like suppressors, but are highly electrochemically active (i.e., are more easily electrochemically transformed), losing their suppressive character upon electrochemical reaction. Levelers also tend to accelerate plating on depressed regions of the surface undergoing plating, thus, tending to level the plated surface. Of course, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the inventions disclosed herein are not limited to use with any type of plating bath, as the inventions disclosed herein may be employed with a variety of different bath chemistries. - General aspects of a typical plating process will now be described. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the
container wall 16 of theplating apparatus 10 functions as an overflow weir. During typical operations, thesubstrate holder 20 is partially submerged in theplating bath 14 such that the electrolytic plating fluidwets plating surface 22F of thesubstrate 22 but does not wet the upper portions ofsubstrate holder 20. In general, the plating fluid overflows the container/weir 16, as indicated by thearrows 32, into the space between the mainplating bath container 12 andcontainer wall 16. Thereafter, as indicated by thearrows 34, the plating fluid flows to theinlet 36 of a circulatingpump 38. During operations, the circulatingpump 38 typically continuously circulates plating fluid to theplating bath 14, as indicated by thearrow 26. In this manner, thebath height 18 may be maintained during plating operations. Generally, the plating solution flows upwards through openings (not shown) in theanode 30 and around theanode 30 toward thesubstrate 22. During use, thepower supply 24 biases thewafer 22 to have a negative potential relative to theanode 30, causing an electrical current to flow from theanode 30 to thesubstrate 22. This also causes an electric current flux from theanode 30 to thesubstrate 22, wherein the electric current flux is defined as the number of lines of forces (field lines) through an area. This causes an electrochemical reaction (e.g., Cu+++2e−=Cu) which results in the deposition of the electrically conductive layer (e.g., copper) on the on thefront face 22F of thesubstrate 22. The ion concentration of the desired metal in the plating solution may be replenished during the plating cycle by dissolving a metal of theanode 30, e.g., copper, in the plating solution. -
FIGS. 2A-2E depict various aspects of the illustrative example of an adjustablecurrent shield 100 as disclosed herein.FIGS. 3A-3B depict one illustrative example of a plurality of current shielding members that may be employed in the illustrative adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein. In general, in the disclosed example, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 is comprised of a stationary ring 102 (seeFIGS. 2A-2B ), an adjustable or moveable ring 112 (seeFIGS. 2C-2D ) and a plurality of current shielding members 130 (seeFIGS. 3A-3B ). In operation, as described more fully below, themoveable ring 112 is adapted to be moved relative to thestationary ring 102. This relative movement of themoveable ring 112 causes a portion (136) of each of thecurrent shielding members 130 to move radially inward, thereby effectively changing the “size” of the shieldingmembers 130 and their shielding capability. -
FIGS. 2A-2B , depict various aspects of one illustrative example of thestationary ring 102. In the depicted example, thestationary ring 102 has aninner surface 104, anouter surface 106 and aledge 110 that defines arecess 111 that is adapted to receive themoveable ring 112. A plurality ofpins 108 are attached to thestationary ring 102. Thestationary ring 102 may be secured to thecontainer wall 16 of theplating apparatus 10 by any desired technique, e.g., clips, lugs, bolted connections, etc. (not shown). Theouter surface 106 of thestationary ring 102 need not be sealed against the inner surface of thecontainer wall 16. The physical size of thestationary ring 102 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of theplating apparatus 10 in which it will be employed and the mechanical loading it is anticipated to experience in operation. In one illustrative example, thestationary ring 102 may have a radial thickness (outside diameter minus inside diameter) of about 5-50 mm, and an overall thickness of about 5-25 mm. Thestationary ring 102 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. The number, size and location of the pivot pins 108 may also vary depending upon the particular application and the number ofcurrent shielding members 130 employed in the adjustablecurrent shield 100. -
FIGS. 2C-2D depict various aspects of one illustrative example of amoveable ring 112 that may be employed in the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein. In the depicted example, themoveable ring 112 has aninner surface 114 and anouter surface 116. A plurality ofpins 118 are attached to thestationary ring 102. As shown inFIG. 2E , themoveable ring 112 is adapted to be positioned in therecess 111 formed in thestationary ring 102. Any of a variety of means may be provided for causing movement of themoveable ring 112 relative to thestationary ring 102. In the depicted example, such means may include a plurality of schematically depictedgear teeth 113 that are coupled to themoveable ring 112. Thegear teeth 113 are adapted to be engaged by a driving member or device (not shown inFIG. 2C ) to cause relative movement of themoveable ring 112. Alternatively, such means may include a schematically depictedlever 115 that is coupled to themoveable ring 112. Thelever 115 is adapted to be engaged by a driving member or device (not shown inFIG. 2C ) or manually to cause relative movement of themoveable ring 112. The physical size of themoveable ring 112 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of theplating apparatus 10 in which it will be employed and the mechanical loading it is anticipated to experience in operation. In one illustrative example, themoveable ring 112 may have a radial thickness (outside diameter minus inside diameter) of about 5-30 mm, and an overall thickness of about 5-20 mm. Themoveable ring 112 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. The number, size and location of thepins 118 may also vary depending upon the particular application and the number ofcurrent shielding members 130 employed in the adjustablecurrent shield 100. -
FIGS. 3A-3B depict one illustrative example of a plurality ofcurrent shielding members 130 that may be employed with the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein.FIG. 3B is somewhat of an assembly drawing of the adjustablecurrent shield 100 with thestationary ring 102 and themoveable ring 112 depicted in dashed lines. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the size, number, shape and configuration of thecurrent shielding members 130 employed with the adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein may vary depending on the particular application. In the example depicted inFIG. 3A , each of thecurrent shielding members 130 has a generally elongated, curved configuration. In the embodiment disclosed herein, each of thecurrent shielding members 130 comprises apivot hole 132 and aslot 134. In this example, thepivot hole 132 is adapted to receive and operatively cooperate with one of thepins 108 on thestationary ring 102, while theslot 134 is adapted to receive and operatively cooperate with one of thepins 118 on themoveable ring 112. If desired, the positions of thehole 132 and theslot 134 on thecurrent shielding member 130 may be interchanged, but the orientation of theslot 134 would need to be rotated ninety degrees as compared to the orientation of theslot 134 that is depicted in the drawings. In some embodiments, theslots 134 may have some degree of curvature, although that is not depicted in the attached drawings. The number and physical size of thecurrent shielding members 130 may vary depending upon a variety of factors, including the size of theplating apparatus 10 in which they will be employed and the mechanical loading thecurrent shielding members 130 are anticipated to experience in operation. In one illustrative example, thecurrent shielding members 130 may have awidth 130W of about 10-30 mm, and an overall thickness of about 1-3 mm. Thecurrent shielding members 130 may be made of a dielectric material or a composite material that includes a dielectric coating various plastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluoro-polymers, especially polyvinylidine fluoride, or ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. - With reference to
FIG. 3B , in one embodiment, thegear teeth 113 on themoveable ring 112 are adapted to be engaged byteeth 142 on anillustrative drive motor 140, such as a stepper motor. In one embodiment, thedrive motor 140 is adapted to cause rotation of themoveable ring 112 in either of the directions indicated by the arrows 150 (clockwise) or 152 (counterclockwise). Accordingly, in this embodiment, thedrive motor 140 constitutes part of the means for causing relative movement of themoveable ring 112. Theillustrative lever 115 may also be moved in thedirections moveable ring 112. Movement of thelever 115 may be accomplished manually or by electromechanical means, such as by an electric motor (not shown) coupled to thelever 115 by appropriate mechanical linkage. - In the example depicted in
FIG. 3B , eight of the illustrativecurrent shielding members 130 are employed as part of the illustrative adjustablecurrent shield 100 disclosed herein. Of course, as noted above, the number of suchcurrent shielding members 130 employed in anyparticular plating apparatus 10 may vary depending upon the particular application. The adjustablecurrent shield 100 is depicted in its fully closed position inFIG. 3B , wherein thecurrent shielding members 130 have their smallest effective width as it relates to acting as a current shield during plating operations. In the particular example depicted herein, a distal portion 136 (seeFIG. 3A ) of each of thecurrent shielding members 130 is positioned above a portion of an adjacentcurrent shielding member 130, and in some cases may contact the adjacentcurrent shielding member 130. The amount or degree to which thedistal portion 136 overlaps an adjacentcurrent shielding member 130 may vary depending upon the particular application. In some embodiments, there may be no such overlap at all. - The effective width of the
current shielding members 130 may be adjusted as follows. Rotation of themoveable ring 112 relative to the stationary ring 102 (by means of thelever 115 or themotor 140/gear teeth 113/142) in the direction indicated by thearrow 150 causes a portion of thecurrent shielding members 130 to be extended radially inward, in the direction indicated by thearrow 150A, to thereby increase the effective width of the adjustablecurrent shield 100. During this process, thecurrent shielding members 130 pivot around thepin 108 on thestationary ring 102. Theslot 134 cooperates with thepin 118 on themoveable ring 112 to allow the movement of thecurrent shielding member 130. The amount or extent to which thecurrent shielding members 130 may move radially inward depends upon the desired effective width of the adjustablecurrent shield 100 and the specific design of the plating apparatus. Normally, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 will have a limit on how far themoveable ring 112 may be rotated relative to thestationary ring 102, which will correspond to a maximum displacement of the current shielding members 130 (not shown) in the radiallyinward direction 150A. In some cases, to the extent that each of thecurrent shielding members 130 overlapped with an adjacentcurrent shielding member 130 when the adjustablecurrent shield 100 was in its fully closed position (as shown inFIG. 3B ), such an overlapping relationship may not exist when thecurrent shielding members 130 are shifted inward. Rotation of themoveable ring 112 relative to the stationary ring 102 (by means of thelever 115 or themotor 140/gear teeth 113/142) in the direction indicated by the arrow 152 (counterclockwise) causes thecurrent shielding members 130 to be moved in a radially outward direction, as indicated by thearrow 152A, to thereby decrease the effective width of the adjustablecurrent shield 100. Once the adjustablecurrent shield 100 is adjusted such that thecurrent shielding members 130 are positioned so as to provide the desired amount of current shielding during plating operations, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 may be locked or secured in this desired position by any suitable means. - As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the adjustable
current shield 100 provides several advantages as it relates to performing plating operations. For example, to the extent that there is a change in the design of the substrates to be processed through theplating apparatus 10, or a change in the processing parameters, the adjustablecurrent shield 100 provides a readily adjustable means by which a process engineer may attempt to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with producing plated metal layers with an edge-thick profile. Moreover, by adjusting the shape, size and/or number ofcurrent shielding members 130, as well as the extent to which portions of thecurrent shielding members 130 may be positioned radially inward, a process engineer has greater processing flexibility to “tune” plating operations as necessary. In one embodiment, the subject matter disclosed herein is directed to a plating apparatus that includes a plurality of segmented shielding members that may be actuated simultaneously or individually to effectively change the size (effective diameter) of the opening or aperture of a substantially circular current shield. - The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. For example, the process steps set forth above may be performed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.
Claims (30)
Priority Applications (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/769,585 US20140231245A1 (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-02-18 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
TW102142938A TW201433660A (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-11-26 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
SG2014003156A SG2014003156A (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2014-01-15 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
DE102014202114.6A DE102014202114A1 (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2014-02-06 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating |
KR1020140018104A KR20140103864A (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2014-02-17 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
CN201410054049.5A CN103993345A (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2014-02-18 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US13/769,585 US20140231245A1 (en) | 2013-02-18 | 2013-02-18 | Adjustable current shield for electroplating processes |
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CN (1) | CN103993345A (en) |
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SG (1) | SG2014003156A (en) |
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US9260793B2 (en) | 2008-11-07 | 2016-02-16 | Novellus Systems, Inc. | Electroplating apparatus for tailored uniformity profile |
US9309604B2 (en) | 2008-11-07 | 2016-04-12 | Novellus Systems, Inc. | Method and apparatus for electroplating |
US9567685B2 (en) | 2015-01-22 | 2017-02-14 | Lam Research Corporation | Apparatus and method for dynamic control of plated uniformity with the use of remote electric current |
JP2017137519A (en) * | 2016-02-01 | 2017-08-10 | 株式会社荏原製作所 | Plating device |
US9752248B2 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2017-09-05 | Lam Research Corporation | Methods and apparatuses for dynamically tunable wafer-edge electroplating |
US9822461B2 (en) | 2006-08-16 | 2017-11-21 | Novellus Systems, Inc. | Dynamic current distribution control apparatus and method for wafer electroplating |
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JP2018119219A (en) * | 2014-12-26 | 2018-08-02 | 株式会社荏原製作所 | Substrate holder, method for holding substrate with substrate holder, and plating device |
EP3719180A1 (en) * | 2019-04-04 | 2020-10-07 | ATOTECH Deutschland GmbH | Apparatus and method for electrochemically isolating a section of a substrate |
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-
2013
- 2013-02-18 US US13/769,585 patent/US20140231245A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2013-11-26 TW TW102142938A patent/TW201433660A/en unknown
-
2014
- 2014-01-15 SG SG2014003156A patent/SG2014003156A/en unknown
- 2014-02-06 DE DE102014202114.6A patent/DE102014202114A1/en not_active Ceased
- 2014-02-17 KR KR1020140018104A patent/KR20140103864A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2014-02-18 CN CN201410054049.5A patent/CN103993345A/en active Pending
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE102014202114A1 (en) | 2014-08-21 |
CN103993345A (en) | 2014-08-20 |
KR20140103864A (en) | 2014-08-27 |
TW201433660A (en) | 2014-09-01 |
SG2014003156A (en) | 2014-09-26 |
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