公开(公告)号：US20100055924A1

公开(公告)日：2010-03-04

申请号：US12199412

申请日：2008-08-27

申请人： Kousik Ganesan ,  Shanthinath Ghongadi ,  Tariq Majid ,  Aaron Labrie ,  Steven T. Mayer

发明人： Kousik Ganesan ,  Shanthinath Ghongadi ,  Tariq Majid ,  Aaron Labrie ,  Steven T. Mayer

IPC分类号： H01L21/306

CPC分类号： H01L21/6708 ,  H01L21/02068 ,  H01L21/02087 ,  H01L21/0209 ,  H01L21/32134 ,  H01L21/67745 ,  H01L21/68735 ,  H01L21/68785

摘要： Chemical etching methods and associated modules for performing the removal of metal from the edge bevel region of a semiconductor wafer are described. The methods and systems provide the thin layer of pre-rinsing liquid before applying etchant at the edge bevel region of the wafer. The etchant is less diluted and diffuses faster through a thinned layer of rinsing liquid. An edge bevel removal embodiment involving that is particularly effective at reducing process time, narrowing the metal taper and allowing for subsequent chemical mechanical polishing, is disclosed.

摘要翻译： 描述了用于从半导体晶片的边缘斜面区域去除金属的化学蚀刻方法和相关模块。 在晶片的边缘斜面区域上施加蚀刻剂之前，该方法和系统提供了薄层的预漂洗液体。 蚀刻剂较少稀释，并通过稀薄的冲洗液层更快地扩散。 公开了一种边缘斜面去除实施例，其涉及在减少加工时间，使金属锥度变窄并允许随后的化学机械抛光方面特别有效。

公开(公告)号：US07622024B1

公开(公告)日：2009-11-24

申请号：US11040359

申请日：2005-01-20

申请人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Jonathan D. Reid

发明人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Jonathan D. Reid

IPC分类号： C25D17/00 ,  C25D5/00

CPC分类号： C25D17/12 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/008 ,  H01L21/2885 ,  Y10S204/07

摘要： A substantially uniform layer of a metal is electroplated onto a work piece having a seed layer thereon. This is accomplished by employing a “high resistance ionic current source,” which solves the terminal problem by placing a highly resistive membrane (e.g., a microporous ceramic or fretted glass element) in close proximity to the wafer, thereby swamping the system's resistance. The membrane thereby approximates a constant current source. By keeping the wafer close to the membrane surface, the ionic resistance from the top of the membrane to the surface is much less than the ionic path resistance to the wafer edge, substantially compensating for the sheet resistance in the thin metal film and directing additional current over the center and middle of the wafer.

摘要翻译： 将基本上均匀的金属层电镀在其上具有种子层的工件上。 这是通过使用“高电阻离子电流源”来实现的，其通过将高电阻膜（例如，微孔陶瓷或微波玻璃元件）放置在靠近晶片来解决端子问题，从而使系统的电阻变化。 因此，膜近似于恒定电流源。 通过保持晶片靠近膜表面，从膜顶部到表面的离子电阻远小于对晶片边缘的离子路径电阻，基本上补偿薄金属膜中的薄层电阻并引导附加电流 在晶片的中心和中间。

公开(公告)号：US20090277867A1

公开(公告)日：2009-11-12

申请号：US11602128

申请日：2006-11-20

申请人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Mark L. Rea ,  Richard S. Hill ,  Avishai Kepten ,  R. Marshall Stowell ,  Eric G. Webb

发明人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Mark L. Rea ,  Richard S. Hill ,  Avishai Kepten ,  R. Marshall Stowell ,  Eric G. Webb

IPC分类号： B44C1/22 ,  B05D5/12

CPC分类号： C25D17/14 ,  B23H5/08 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D5/06 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D5/34 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/06 ,  C25F3/16 ,  C25F3/30 ,  H01L21/02068 ,  H01L21/2885 ,  H01L21/32115 ,  H01L21/3212 ,  H01L21/32134 ,  H01L21/7684 ,  H01L21/76849 ,  H01L21/76877

摘要： Plating accelerator is applied selectively to a substantially-unfilled wide (e.g., low-aspect-ratio feature cavity. Then, plating of metal is conducted to fill the wide feature cavity and to form an embossed structure in which the height of a wide-feature metal protrusion over the metal-filled wide-feature cavity is higher than the height of metal over field regions. Most of the overburden metal is removed using non-contact techniques, such as chemical wet etching. Metal above the wide feature cavity protects the metal-filled wide-feature interconnect against dishing, and improved planarization techniques avoid erosion of the metal interconnect and dielectric insulating layer. In some embodiments, plating of metal onto a substrate is conducted to fill narrow (e.g., high-aspect-ratio feature cavities) in the dielectric layer before selective application of plating accelerator and filling of the wide feature cavity.

摘要翻译： 电镀加速器选择性地施加到基本上未填充的宽（例如，低纵横比特征空腔）上，然后进行金属电镀以填充宽特征空腔并形成压花结构，其中宽特征 在金属填充的宽特征空腔上的金属突起高于金属在场区域的高度，大多数覆盖层金属被使用非接触技术（例如化学湿法蚀刻）去除，在宽特征腔上方的金属保护金属 在一些实施例中，将金属电镀到衬底上以填充狭窄（例如，高纵横比特征腔），并且可以避免金属互连和介电绝缘层的侵蚀。 在介电层中选择性地施加电镀加速器和填充宽特征腔。

公开(公告)号：US07097410B1

公开(公告)日：2006-08-29

申请号：US10379858

申请日：2003-03-04

申请人： Jonathan D. Reid ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  Seshasayee Varadarajan ,  David C. Smith ,  Evan E. Patton ,  Dinesh S. Kalakkad ,  Gary Lind ,  Richard S. Hill

发明人： Jonathan D. Reid ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  Seshasayee Varadarajan ,  David C. Smith ,  Evan E. Patton ,  Dinesh S. Kalakkad ,  Gary Lind ,  Richard S. Hill

IPC分类号： B65G47/90 ,  C25D5/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/2885 ,  C25D17/001 ,  Y10S414/135 ,  Y10S414/136

摘要： The orientation of a wafer with respect to the surface of an electrolyte is controlled during an electroplating process. The wafer is delivered to an electrolyte bath along a trajectory normal to the surface of the electrolyte. Along this trajectory, the wafer is angled before entry into the electrolyte for angled immersion. A wafer can be plated in an angled orientation or not, depending on what is optimal for a given situation. Also, in some designs, the wafer's orientation can be adjusted actively during immersion or during electroplating, providing flexibility in various electroplating scenarios.

摘要翻译： 在电镀过程中控制晶片相对于电解质表面的取向。 将晶片沿着垂直于电解质表面的轨迹输送到电解质浴中。 沿着该轨迹，晶片在进入电解质之前是成角度的，用于倾斜的浸入。 根据给定情况下的最佳选择，晶圆可以以倾斜的方向进行电镀。 此外，在一些设计中，晶片的取向可以在浸入期间或在电镀期间被主动调节，从而在各种电镀场景中提供灵活性。

公开(公告)号：US07070686B2

公开(公告)日：2006-07-04

申请号：US10274755

申请日：2002-10-21

申请人： Robert J. Contolini ,  Andrew J. McCutcheon ,  Steven T. Mayer

发明人： Robert J. Contolini ,  Andrew J. McCutcheon ,  Steven T. Mayer

IPC分类号： C25D5/00 ,  C25D17/00

CPC分类号： C25D5/006 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/008 ,  C25D17/06

摘要： In an electrochemical reactor used for electrochemical treatment of a substrate, for example, for electroplating or electropolishing the substrate, one or more of the surface area of a field-shaping shield, the shield's distance between the anode and cathode, and the shield's angular orientation is varied during electrochemical treatment to screen the applied field and to compensate for potential drop along the radius of a wafer. The shield establishes an inverse potential drop in the electrolytic fluid to overcome the resistance of a thin film of conductive metal on the wafer.

公开(公告)号：US06967174B1

公开(公告)日：2005-11-22

申请号：US10357999

申请日：2003-02-03

申请人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Steve Taatjes ,  Andy McCutcheon ,  Jim Schall ,  Jingbin Feng

发明人： Steven T. Mayer ,  Steve Taatjes ,  Andy McCutcheon ,  Jim Schall ,  Jingbin Feng

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/302

CPC分类号： H01L21/6708 ,  H01L21/67051

摘要： A wafer chuck includes alignment members that allows a semiconductor wafer to be properly aligned on the chuck without using a separate alignment stage. The alignment members may be cams, for example, attached to arms of the wafer chuck. These members may assume an alignment position when a robot arm places the wafer on the chuck. In this position, they guide the wafer into a proper alignment position with respect to the chuck. During rotation at a particular rotational speed, the alignment members move away from the wafer to allow liquid etchant to flow over the entire edge region of the wafer. At still higher rotational speeds, the wafer is clamped into position to prevent it from flying off the chuck. A clamping cam or other device (such as the alignment member itself) may provide the clamping.

摘要翻译： 晶片卡盘包括对准部件，其允许半导体晶片在不使用单独的对准阶段的情况下适当地对准卡盘。 对准构件可以是凸轮，例如，附接到晶片卡盘的臂。 当机器人臂将晶片放置在卡盘上时，这些构件可以采取对准位置。 在这个位置上，它们将晶片引导到相对于卡盘的适当对准位置。 在以特定转速旋转期间，对准构件远离晶片移动以允许液体蚀刻剂流过晶片的整个边缘区域。 在更高的旋转速度下，晶片被夹紧就位以防止其从卡盘上飞走。 夹紧凸轮或其他装置（例如对准构件本身）可以提供夹紧。

公开(公告)号：US06919010B1

公开(公告)日：2005-07-19

申请号：US10916374

申请日：2004-08-10

申请人： Steven T. Mayer

发明人： Steven T. Mayer

IPC分类号： C25D17/00 ,  C25D17/12 ,  C25D5/04

CPC分类号： C25D17/12 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001

摘要： A substantially uniform layer of a metal is electroplated onto a work piece having a seed layer thereon. The current of a plating cell is provided from an azimuthally asymmetric anode, which is rotated with respect to the work piece (i.e., either or both of the work piece and the anode may be rotating). The azimuthal asymmetry provides a time-of-exposure correction to the current distribution reaching the work piece, whereby peripheral regions of the work piece see less current than central regions over the period of rotation. In some embodiments, the total current is distributed among a plurality of anodes in the plating cell in order to tailor the current distribution in the plating electrolyte over time. Focusing elements may be used to create “virtual anodes” in proximity to the plating surface of the work piece to further control the current distribution in the electrolyte during plating.

摘要翻译： 将基本上均匀的金属层电镀在其上具有种子层的工件上。 电镀槽的电流由相对于工件旋转的方位不对称阳极（即，工件和阳极中的任一个或两者可以旋转）提供。 方位不对称性提供了到达工件的电流分布的曝光时间校正，从而在旋转周期内，工件的周边区域比中心区域看到更少的电流。 在一些实施例中，总电流分布在电镀单元中的多个阳极之间，以便随着时间的推移来调整电镀电解液中的电流分布。 可以使用聚焦元件在工件的电镀表面附近产生“虚拟阳极”，以进一步控制电镀期间电解液中的电流分布。

公开(公告)号：US06821407B1

公开(公告)日：2004-11-23

申请号：US10231147

申请日：2002-08-27

申请人： Jonathan D. Reid ,  Timothy Mark Archer ,  Thomas Tan Vu ,  Seshasayee Varadarajan ,  Jon Henri ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  David Sauer ,  Anita Kang ,  Gerald Feldewerth

发明人： Jonathan D. Reid ,  Timothy Mark Archer ,  Thomas Tan Vu ,  Seshasayee Varadarajan ,  Jon Henri ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  David Sauer ,  Anita Kang ,  Gerald Feldewerth

IPC分类号： C25D338

CPC分类号： C25D21/12 ,  C25D17/002 ,  C25D17/12 ,  C25F7/00 ,  H05K3/241

摘要： An electroplating system includes (a) a phosphorized anode having an average grain size of at least about 50 micrometers and (b) plating apparatus that separates the anode from the cathode and prevents most particles generated at the anode from passing to the cathode. The separation may be accomplished by interposing a microporous chemical transport barrier between the anode and cathode. The relatively few particles that are generated at the large grain phosphorized copper anode are prevented from passing into the cathode (wafer) chamber area and thereby causing a defect in the part.

摘要翻译： 电镀系统包括（a）平均晶粒尺寸为至少约50微米的磷化阳极和（b）将阳极与阴极分离的电镀装置，并防止在阳极处产生的大多数颗粒通过阴极。 分离可以通过在阳极和阴极之间插入微孔化学传输阻挡层来实现。 在大晶粒磷化铜阳极处产生的相对较少的颗粒被阻止进入阴极（晶片）室区域，从而导致该部分的缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US06713122B1

公开(公告)日：2004-03-30

申请号：US10272693

申请日：2002-10-15

申请人： Steven T. Mayer ,  John B. Alexy ,  Jingbin Feng

发明人： Steven T. Mayer ,  John B. Alexy ,  Jingbin Feng

IPC分类号： B05D512

CPC分类号： H01L21/76843 ,  C23C18/1617 ,  C23C18/1669 ,  C23C18/1675 ,  C23C18/1676 ,  C23C18/168 ,  C23C18/1692 ,  C23C18/40 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/76864 ,  H01L21/76868 ,  H01L21/76873 ,  H01L2221/1089 ,  Y10S977/89

摘要： Methods and apparatus for reducing heat load and air exposure when using an electroless plating fluid during a plating process, are presented. An electroless plating apparatus, including an electroless plating vessel and recirculation systems, is presented. The electroless plating vessel minimizes air exposure (and thus evaporative cooling and degradation) of the electroless plating fluid while the recirculation systems minimize heat load of the electroless plating fluid.

摘要翻译： 提出了在电镀过程中使用化学镀液时减少热负荷和空气暴露的方法和装置。 提出了一种包括无电电镀容器和再循环系统的化学镀设备。 化学镀电容器使无电解电镀液体的空气暴露（以及因此蒸发冷却和降解）最小化，同时再循环系统最小化化学镀液的热负荷。

公开(公告)号：US06664122B1

公开(公告)日：2003-12-16

申请号：US09996425

申请日：2001-11-27

申请人： Tatyana N. Andryuschenko ,  Jonathan D. Reid ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  Eric G. Webb

发明人： Tatyana N. Andryuschenko ,  Jonathan D. Reid ,  Steven T. Mayer ,  Eric G. Webb

IPC分类号： H01L2166

CPC分类号： H01L21/76843 ,  C23C18/1617 ,  C23C18/1669 ,  C23C18/1675 ,  C23C18/1676 ,  C23C18/168 ,  C23C18/1692 ,  C23C18/40 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/76864 ,  H01L21/76868 ,  H01L21/76873 ,  H01L2221/1089 ,  Y10S977/89

摘要： Disclosed is a procedure for deposition of a thin and relatively continuous electroless copper film on the substrate of sub-micron integrated circuit features. The electroless copper film is deposited onto a previously deposited PVD copper film, which may be discontinuous. The continuous film formed by electroless deposition allows for sufficient filling of the sub-micron integrated circuit features by electrodeposition. The electroless bath employed to form the continuous electroless copper film may be composed of a reducing agent, a complexing agent, a source of copper ions, a pH adjuster, and optionally one or more surfactants and/or stabilizers. In one example, the reducing agent contains an aldehyde moiety.

摘要翻译： 公开了在亚微米集成电路特征的衬底上沉积薄而相对连续的无电铜膜的步骤。 将化学镀铜膜沉积在预先沉积的PVD铜膜上，其可以是不连续的。 通过无电沉积形成的连续膜允许通过电沉积充分填充亚微米集成电路特征。 用于形成连续化学镀铜膜的无电镀浴可以由还原剂，络合剂，铜离子源，pH调节剂和任选的一种或多种表面活性剂和/或稳定剂组成。 在一个实例中，还原剂含有醛部分。