公开(公告)号：WO2022072390A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-07

申请号：PCT/US2021/052498

申请日：2021-09-29

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： THORKELSSON, Kari ,  BANIK, Stephen J. ,  BUCKALEW, Bryan

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25D7/12

Abstract: A chamber in a substrate processing system comprises a substrate holder configured to support a substrate, a nozzle arranged above the substrate, the nozzle configured to inject a pre-wetting liquid onto a surface of the substrate during a pre-wetting period, and at least one gas injector arranged radially outward of the nozzle. The at least one gas injector is configured to inject gas toward an edge of the substrate for a drying period subsequent to the pre-wetting period to remove the pre-wetting liquid from the edge of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：WO2021221872A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-04

申请号：PCT/US2021/026248

申请日：2021-04-07

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： OBERST, Justin ,  BUCKALEW, Bryan L. ,  THORKELSSON, Kari

IPC: C25D17/00 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D7/12 ,  H01L23/525 ,  H01L23/485 ,  H01L23/00

Abstract: Sequential electrodeposition of metals into through-mask features on a semiconductor substrate is conducted such as to reduce the deleterious consequences of lipseal's pressure onto the mask material. In a first electroplating step, a first metal (e.g., nickel) is electrodeposited using a lipseal that has an innermost point of contact with the semiconductor substrate at a first distance from the edge of the substrate. In a second electroplating step, a second metal (e.g., tin) is electrodeposited using a lipseal that has an innermost point of contact with the semiconductor substrate at a greater distance from the edge of the substrate than the first distance. This allows to at least partially shift the lipseal pressure from a point that could have been damaged during the first electrodeposition step and to shield from electrolyte any cracks that might have formed in the mask material during the first electroplating step.

公开(公告)号：WO2021231143A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-18

申请号：PCT/US2021/030809

申请日：2021-05-05

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： THORKELSSON, Kari ,  BANIK, Stephen J., II ,  BUCKALEW, Bryan L. ,  MAYER, Steven T.

IPC: C25F7/00 ,  C25F3/02 ,  C25F3/22 ,  C25F3/14 ,  H01L21/768

Abstract: During electro-oxidative metal removal on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a metal layer is anodically biased and the metal is electrochemically dissolved into an electrolyte. Metal particles (e.g., copper particles when the dissolved metal is copper) can inadvertently form on the surface of the substrate during electrochemical metal removal and cause defects during subsequent semiconductor processing. Contamination with such particles can be mitigated by preventing particle formation and/or by dissolution of particles. In one implementation, mitigation involves using an electrolyte that includes an oxidizer, such as hydrogen peroxide, during the electrochemical metal removal. An electrochemical metal removal apparatus in one embodiment has a conduit for introducing an oxidizer to the electrolyte and a sensor for monitoring the concentration of the oxidizer in the electrolyte.

公开(公告)号：WO2020123322A2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-18

申请号：PCT/US2019/065111

申请日：2019-12-07

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： BANIK, Stephen J. II ,  OBERST, Justin ,  THORKELSSON, Kari ,  BUCKALEW, Bryan, L. ,  PONNUSWAMY, Thomas Anand

IPC: H01L23/498 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L23/48 ,  H01L23/50 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/002 ,  C25D3/38 ,  C25D5/022 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D5/18 ,  C25D5/48 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25F3/02 ,  C25F3/22 ,  H01L21/4846 ,  H01L23/15 ,  H01L23/49866

Abstract: Direct copper-copper bonding at low temperatures is achieved by electroplating copper features on a substrate followed by electroplanarizing the copper features. The copper features are electroplated on the substrate under conditions so that nanotwinned copper structures are formed. Electroplanarizing the copper features is performed by anodically biasing the substrate and contacting the copper features with an electrolyte so that copper is electrochemically removed. Such electrochemical removal is performed in a manner so that roughness is reduced in the copper features and substantial coplanarity is achieved among the copper features. Copper features having nanotwinned copper structures, reduced roughness, and better coplanarity enable direct copper-copper bonding at low temperatures.

公开(公告)号：WO2022271568A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-29

申请号：PCT/US2022/034079

申请日：2022-06-17

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： MAYER, Steven T. ,  THORKELSSON, Kari ,  HASKELL, Benjamin Allen

IPC: C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/12 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D5/04 ,  C25D21/12 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D17/00 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Metal may be electroplated on a semiconductor substrate in an electroplating chamber with a micro inert anode array positioned proximate to the semiconductor substrate having one or more die. The micro inert anode array includes a plurality of micro inert anode elements that are independently controllable. Current applied to the micro inert anode elements provides a current distribution in the array that may be based at least in part on a die layout in the semiconductor substrate or based at least in part on global within-wafer corrections. The current distribution may achieve uniform plating thickness even with a non-uniform distribution of features in the die of the semiconductor substrate. In some implementations, current distribution may be adjusted in the array during substrate rotation according to a rotational path of the semiconductor substrate.

公开(公告)号：WO2021158402A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-12

申请号：PCT/US2021/015247

申请日：2021-01-27

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： MAYER, Steven T. ,  THORKELSSON, Kari

IPC: H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/768 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D3/38 ,  C25D5/34 ,  B41J2/06

Abstract: Methods, inks, apparatus, and systems for forming metal features on semiconductor substrates are provided herein. Advantageously, the techniques herein do not require the use of photoresist, and can be accomplished without many of the processes and apparatuses used in the conventional process flow. Instead, electrohydrodynamic ejection printing is used to deposit an ink that includes an electroplating additive such as accelerator or inhibitor. The printed substrate can then be electroplated in a preferential deposition process that achieves a first deposition rate on areas of the substrate where the ink is present and a second deposition rate on areas of the substrate where the ink is absent, the first and second deposition rates being different from one another. After electroplating, chemical etching may be used to spatially isolate the preferentially grown metal features from one another.

公开(公告)号：WO2022165129A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-04

申请号：PCT/US2022/014241

申请日：2022-01-28

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： MAYER, Steven T. ,  THORKELSSON, Kari

IPC: C25D5/02 ,  C25D5/04 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25D5/18 ,  C25D21/12 ,  C25D17/12 ,  H01L21/288

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for forming deposited features on workpieces are provided herein. Generally, the techniques herein employ a deposition head to define an electrical field that facilitates electrochemical deposition. Other systems and controllers can be employed, which can assist in aligning or positioning the deposition head in proximity to a workpiece and controlling the size and location of the deposited feature.

公开(公告)号：WO2019023141A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-31

申请号：PCT/US2018/043319

申请日：2018-07-23

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： THORKELSSON, Kari ,  ABRAHAM, Richard G. ,  MAYER, Steven T.

IPC: H01L21/768

Abstract: In one implementation a wafer processing method includes filling a plurality of through-resist recessed features with a metal, such that a ratio of fill rate of a first feature to a fill rate of a second feature is R1; followed by electrochemically removing metal such that a ratio of metal removal rate from the first feature to the metal removal rate from the second feature is greater than R1, improving the uniformity of the fill. In some embodiments the method includes contacting an anodically biased substrate with an electrolyte such that the electrolyte has a transverse flow component in a direction that is substantially parallel to the working surface of the substrate. The method can be implemented in an apparatus that is configured for generating the transverse flow at the surface of the substrate. In some implementations the method makes use of distinct electrochemical regimes to achieve improvement in uniformity.