EP1476590A1 - Method for storage of a metal ion supply source in a plating equipment - Google Patents

Method for storage of a metal ion supply source in a plating equipment

Info

Publication number
EP1476590A1
EP1476590A1 EP03717186A EP03717186A EP1476590A1 EP 1476590 A1 EP1476590 A1 EP 1476590A1 EP 03717186 A EP03717186 A EP 03717186A EP 03717186 A EP03717186 A EP 03717186A EP 1476590 A1 EP1476590 A1 EP 1476590A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plating
solution
tank
reservoir
supply source
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP03717186A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1476590B1 (en
Inventor
Yoshihisa Muranushi
Tadashi Saitoh
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Atotech Deutschland GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Atotech Deutschland GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Atotech Deutschland GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Atotech Deutschland GmbH and Co KG
Publication of EP1476590A1 publication Critical patent/EP1476590A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1476590B1 publication Critical patent/EP1476590B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D21/00—Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D21/12—Process control or regulation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D21/00—Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D21/12—Process control or regulation
    • C25D21/14—Controlled addition of electrolyte components
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D21/00—Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating

Definitions

  • a copper supply source for example, in a copper plating
  • This copper dissolving unit is
  • the anode reaction is:
  • copper ions are usually supplied from a copper ball housed
  • a tank having a metal ion supply source is provided
  • the tank containing a metal ion supply source the tank containing a metal ion supply source
  • plating tank is provided with the reservoir and a plating
  • the plating solution is transferred from the
  • disodium salt, etc. may be used as said brightener.
  • plating with copper include a solution containing copper
  • FIG 1 shows an embodiment in which this invention
  • a copper dissolver 4 which is annexed to a plating tank
  • plating equipment is provided with copper balls 5.
  • each of them is filled with a copper plating solution.
  • composition of the copper plating solution comprises, for
  • solution also contains additives, such as brightener,
  • This copper plating solution is referred to as
  • the pump 6 is so structured to enable a
  • the replacement plating solution is a solution ("base
  • valves 15 In order to operate the plating equipment, valves 15,
  • the reservoir 7 is not supplied to the copper dissolver 4.
  • the replacement plating solution is
  • the copper ball surface such as dying out or oxidization
  • FIG 2 shows an embodiment in which this invention
  • the shown structure basically comprises a plating tank 10
  • the plating tank 10 and the storage tank can be connected
  • the pump 13 is also structured
  • composition of the copper plating solution contained in the plating tank 10 is the same plating solution as that shown
  • plating tank 10 is discharged into the storage tank via the

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Electroplating And Plating Baths Therefor (AREA)
  • Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
  • Chemically Coating (AREA)

Abstract

To avoid change in plating performance, even where operation of the plating equipment is interrupted, the properties of the plating solution need to be preserved. For plating equipment having an insoluble anode, add a reservoir ( 7 ) for storing a replacement solution to the tank ( 4 ) having a metal ion supply source (copper ball ( 5 )) and, upon termination of the plating operation, the entire plating solution is discharged from the tank ( 4 ) containing the metal ion supply source, while the solution for replacement is transferred from the reservoir ( 7 ) to the empty tank having a metal ion supply source, and immediately prior to the resumption of the plating operation transfer the solution for replacement back to the reservoir ( 7 ) and return the plating solution to the tank ( 4 ) containing the metal ion supply source.

Description

METHOD FOR STORAGE OF A METAL ION SUPPLY SOURCE IN A PLATING EQUIPMENT .
[Detailed Description of Invention] [0001] [Background to Invention]
The present invention relates to effective storage of
a copper supply source, for example, in a copper plating
equipment . [0002] [Prior Art Technology]
It has been widely known that a brightener, which is
an additive designed to promote a plating reaction and to
provide glossiness to plating, for example, 4,
5-dithiaoctane-l , 8-disulfonic acid [ ( SCH2CH2CH2SO3H) 2 ]
continues to be decomposed where a copper anode exists even
after the electrical plating operation has ceased (For
example, J. Electroanal. Che ., 338 (1992) , 166-177) . [0003]
Also, as discussed on pages 69-75 of Advanced
Metallization Conference (1999) by A. Thies, H. Meyer, J.
Helneder, M. Schwerd and T. Gebhart, a copper dissolver
(dissolving tank) is to be annexed to plating equipment in order to supply copper ions where an insoluble anode is
used in copper plating. This copper dissolving unit is
designed to allow copper ions to be dissolved from an
inserted copper ball in proportion to the amount of copper
deposition on the substrate, which is a cathode reaction.
Where the cathode reaction is:
Cu2+ + 2e~ → Cu° (1)
The anode reaction is:
Also, copper ions are supplied in the copper dissolver
according to the following reaction:
Cu° + 2Fe2+ → Cu2+ + 2Fe2+ ■ ■• (3)
[0004]
[Problem to be resolved by Invention]
In a system employing an insoluble anode like this,
copper ions are usually supplied from a copper ball housed
in a copper dissolver. In an actual copper dissolver, the
possibility exists that a brightener is decomposed because
of the existence of a copper ball even while the plating
equipment is deactivated, as discussed in the literature reference mentioned above (J. Electroanal. Che .) .
Therefore, when the plating equipment is activated again,
the solution contained in the copper dissolver enters the
plating reactor (reaction tank), making it impossible to
carry out plating under the same conditions that existed
prior to inactivating the plating equipment.
[0005]
A similar phenomenon also occurs in a system having
a soluble anode. It has been reported that it becomes
difficult to achieve the same plating performance that
existed prior to inactivating the plating equipment when
the operation of the plating equipment is restarted (J.
Electroanal. Chem., 338 (1992), 167-177) . Furthermore,
dissolved substances generated while the plating equipment
remains inactive act as impurities and exert an adverse
effect on the plating surface.
[0006]
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to
prevent deterioration (change in quality) of a plating
solution and changes in plating performance even in those situations where the operation of the plating equipment
is interrupted.
[0007]
[Means to resolve the Problem]
According to the present invention, the
above-described problem is resolved by providing a
reservoir designed to store a solution that does not
deteriorate a metal ion supply source as a "solution for
replacement" and by replacing at least part of the plating
solution for said "solution for replacement" during the
period when the plating operation is interrupted.
[0008]
In the case of plating equipment having an insoluble
anode, a tank having a metal ion supply source is provided
with said reservoir, upon completion of the plating
operation, the entire plating solution is discharged from
the tank containing a metal ion supply source, the
replacement solution is transferred from the reservoir into
the emptied tank having the metal ion supply source, and
when the plating operation is restarted, the replacement solution is returned into the reservoir and the plating
solution is thereafter returned into the tank containing
the metal ion supply source.
[0009]
For plating equipment having a soluble anode, the
plating tank is provided with the reservoir and a plating
solution storage tank, upon completion of the plating
operation, the plating solution is transferred from the
plating tank into the plating solution storage tank, and
then the replacement solution is transferred from the
reservoir into the emptied plating tank and, when the
plating operation is restarted, the replacement solution
is returned into to the reservoir and the plating solution
is thereafter returned into the plating tank.
[0010]
It is desirable that said replacement solution is a
plating solution containing no brightener that undergoes
a decomposition reaction while the plating operation is
being interrupted. In the case of copper plating,
3- (benzothiazoryl-2-thio) propylsul fonic acid and its sodium salt, 3-mercaptopropane-l-sulfonic acid and its
sodium salt, ethylenedithiodipropylsulfonic acid and its
sodium salt, bis- (p- sul fophenyl ) -disulfide and its
disodium salt, etc. may be used as said brightener.
Specific examples of the replacement solution suitable for
plating with copper include a solution containing copper
sulphate and sulfuric acid, a solution containing copper
sulphate, sulfuric acid and chlorine, and a sulfuric acid
solution .
[0011]
[Preferred Embodiments of Invention]
The present invention will be described below in
greater detail based on representative examples thereof.
[0012]
(Example 1)
Figure 1 shows an embodiment in which this invention
is applied to plating equipment having an insoluble anode.
A copper dissolver 4, which is annexed to a plating tank
(not shown in the figure) which is the main unit of the
plating equipment, is provided with copper balls 5. The copper dissolver 4 and the plating tank, which is not shown
in the figure, are mutually connected via pipes 2, 3 and
each of them is filled with a copper plating solution. The
composition of the copper plating solution comprises, for
example, copper ions at a concentration of 35 g/liter,
sulfuric acid at a concentration of 180 g/liter, iron ions
at a concentration of 12 g/liter and chlorine ions at a
concentration of 50 mg/liter. The copper plating
solution also contains additives, such as brightener,
leveler, etc. This copper plating solution is referred
to hereinbelow as a "real plating solution" in order to
distinguish the copper plating solution from the
replacement plating solution.
[0013]
In addition to the copper dissolver 4, there is also
provided a reservoir for the replacement solution 7.
These two tanks are mutually connected via a pipe equipped
with a pump 6. The pump 6 is so structured to enable a
reversed rotation. The replacement plating solution is
stored in the reservoir 7 for the replacement solution. The replacement plating solution is a solution ("base
plating solution") that does not contain additives, such
as a brightener. The replacement plating solution,
however, may contain additives, provided that they are
substances that undergo no dissolution under the effect of
copper balls and cause no deterioration of the copper
surface. In the event that a base plating solution
containing no additives is used, it is expected to be able
to reduce absorption of the additives onto the copper
surface and to suppress emission from the copper surface
into the plating solution during plating restarting.
Furthermore, it is also possible to use a plating solution
containing neither brightener nor iron ions, or to use a
sulfuric acid solution with a concentration similar to that
of the sulfuric acid in the real plating solution, so no
copper sulphate be contained.
[0014]
In order to operate the plating equipment, valves 15,
16 in the pipes 2, 3 are opened and the real plating solution
circulates between the plating tank and the copper dissolver 4. In this process, the pump 6 must be
inactivated so that the replacement plating solution within
the reservoir 7 is not supplied to the copper dissolver 4.
[0015]
Once the plating operation is completed and the
equipment is stopped, the valves 15, 16 in the pipes 2, 3
are closed, and the real plating solution within the copper
dissolver 4 is discharged to the plating tank or another
tank via the pipe 1 so that only the copper balls are left
in the copper dissolver 4. The pump 6 is thereafter
operated to introduce the replacement plating solution into
the copper dissolver 4 from which the real plating solution
has been discharged. The replacement plating solution is
thus introduced in order to prevent any deterioration to
the copper ball surface, such as dying out or oxidization,
and to preserve the pre-existing properties until
restarting the plating operation.
[0016]
To restart operation of the plating equipment, the
replacement plating solution in the copper dissolver 4 is discharged into the reservoir 7 and only the copper balls
are left in the copper dissolver; then the valves 15, 15
are opened to introduce the real plating solution from the
plating tank via the pipe 3, and plating operation is
started.
[0017]
(Example 2)
Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which this invention
is applied to plating equipment having a soluble anode.
The shown structure basically comprises a plating tank 10
equipped with a cathode (substrate) 11 and a soluble anode
(phosphorous copper anode) 12, a reservoir 14 for
replacement plating solution and a plating solution storage
tank (not shown in the figure) . The plating tank 10 and
the reservoir 14 for replacement plating solution are
mutually connected via a pipe equipped with a pump 13, and
the plating tank 10 and the storage tank can be connected
to each other via a pipe 15. The pump 13 is also structured
in such a way to enable reversed rotation. The
composition of the copper plating solution contained in the plating tank 10 is the same plating solution as that shown
in Example 1 above, except that it does not contain iron
ions, and the content of additives is also the same. A
printed circuit board or semiconductor wafer can be used
as a substrate of the cathode 11; however, it is not limited
to them.
[0018]
When the plating equipment is to be operated, the pump
13 is stopped so that the base replacement plating solution
in the reservoir 14 is not transferred to the plating tank
10. When the equipment is stopped for completion of the
plating operation, the real copper plating solution in the
plating tank 10 is discharged into the storage tank via the
pipe 15 so that the plating tank 10 is emptied. The pump
13 is then operated and the base replacement plating
solution is introduced into the emptied plating tank 10,
from which the real plating solution has been discharged.
Through the introduction of the base replacement plating
solution, it become possible to prevent the deterioration
of surface conditions, including drying out of the black film formed on the anode surface, thereby preserving the
properties until restarting the plating operation.
[0019]
To restart operation of the plating equipment, the
base replacement plating solution within the plating tank
10 is discharged into the reservoir 14 to empty the plating
tank 10, then the real plating solution is then introduced
from the storage tank via the pipe 1.
[0020]
In either of said examples, objects to be plated are
not limited to printed circuit boards or semiconductor
wafers .
[0021]
[Effect of Invention]
In accordance with the present invention, it is
possible to prevent a change in plating performance after
interruption to the plating operation, as a reservoir for
storing a replacement plating solution that does not
deteriorate a metal ion supply source is installed and at
least part of the plating solution is replaced for said replacement plating solution during the interruption of
the plating operation. •
[0022]
By installing a reservoir to the tank having a metal
ion supply source, in the case of plating equipment having
an insoluble anode, or by installing a reservoir and a
plating solution storage tank to the plating tank, in the
case of plating equipment having a soluble anode, it becomes
possible to prevent the surface of the anode or other metal
ion supply source from deteriorating during the plating
operation and also to prevent a possible change in plating
properties caused by decomposition of a brightener
contained in the plating solution.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[Figure 1]
This figure outlines the major components when this
invention is applied to plating equipment having an
insoluble anode.
[Figure 2]
This figure outlines the major components when this invention is applied to plating equipment having a soluble
anode .
[Key to Drawings]
4: copper dissolver
5: copper ball
6, 13: pump with ability for reserved rotation.
7, 14: reservoir for replacement solution
10: plating tank
11 : cathode
12: anode

Claims

Cl a ims
1. A method for effective storage of a metal ion supply
source in a plating equipment, comprising the steps of
providing a reservoir containing a solution causing no
deterioration of the metal ion supply source as a
replacement solution, and replacing at least part of the
plating solution with said replacement solution when the
plating operation is stopped.
2. The storage method according to claim 1, wherein in
the plating equipment having an insoluble anode, a tank
containing the metal ion supply source is provided with said
reservoir, upon completion of the plating operation the
entire plating solution is discharged from the tank
containing the metal ion supply source, the replacement
solution is transferred from the reservoir into the emptied
tank containing the metal ion supply source, and when the
plating operation is restarted, the replacement solution
is returned into the reservoir and the plating solution is thereafter returned into the tank containing the metal ion
supply source .
3. The storage method according to claim 1, wherein in
the plating equipment having a soluble anode, a plating tank
is provided with said reservoir and a plating solution
storage tank, upon completion of the plating operation the
plating solution is transferred from the plating tank into
the plating solution storage tank and the replacement
solution is transferred from the reservoir into the emptied
plating tank, and when the plating operation is restarted,
the replacement solution is returned into the reservoir and
the plating solution is thereafter returned into the
plating tank.
4. The storage method according to any of claims 1-3,
wherein said replacement solution is a plating solution
containing no brightener that undergoes a decomposing
reaction when the plating operation is stopped.
5. The storage method according to any of claims 1-4,
wherein said plating is copper plating.
The storage method according to claim 4, wherein said
replacement solution is a sulfuric acid solution
EP03717186A 2002-02-21 2003-02-17 Method for preventing deterioration of a plating solution when the operation of the plating equipment is interrupted Expired - Lifetime EP1476590B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2002044679 2002-02-21
JP2002044679A JP3725083B2 (en) 2002-02-21 2002-02-21 Method for enabling effective preservation of metal ion source in plating equipment
PCT/EP2003/001588 WO2003071010A1 (en) 2002-02-21 2003-02-17 Method for storage of a metal ion supply source in a plating equipment

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1476590A1 true EP1476590A1 (en) 2004-11-17
EP1476590B1 EP1476590B1 (en) 2007-08-08

Family

ID=27750561

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03717186A Expired - Lifetime EP1476590B1 (en) 2002-02-21 2003-02-17 Method for preventing deterioration of a plating solution when the operation of the plating equipment is interrupted

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US20050139477A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1476590B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3725083B2 (en)
KR (1) KR100858503B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1636086B (en)
AT (1) ATE369446T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2473054A1 (en)
DE (1) DE60315422T2 (en)
MY (1) MY132672A (en)
TW (1) TWI263703B (en)
WO (1) WO2003071010A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11352710B2 (en) * 2019-09-30 2022-06-07 Abdurrahman Ildeniz Leak free brush electroplating system

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US4469546A (en) * 1981-12-16 1984-09-04 Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Transfer ring for a tire building machine
US4469564A (en) * 1982-08-11 1984-09-04 At&T Bell Laboratories Copper electroplating process
JPH0559598A (en) * 1991-08-30 1993-03-09 Kawasaki Steel Corp Method and device for supplying metal ion of zn-ni electroplating
DE4344387C2 (en) * 1993-12-24 1996-09-05 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Process for the electrolytic deposition of copper and arrangement for carrying out the process
DE69929967T2 (en) * 1998-04-21 2007-05-24 Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara ELECTROPLATING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTROPLATING ON SUBSTRATES
ATE221930T1 (en) * 1998-05-16 2002-08-15 Blasberg Oberflaechentech METHOD FOR THE GALVANIC COPPER PLATING OF SUBSTRATES
US6200436B1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2001-03-13 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Recycling consistent plating system for electroplating
JP3523555B2 (en) * 2000-02-28 2004-04-26 古河電気工業株式会社 Plating equipment
TW501277B (en) * 2000-03-29 2002-09-01 Sanyo Electric Co Plating device
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TW200303937A (en) 2003-09-16
MY132672A (en) 2007-10-31
CN1636086A (en) 2005-07-06
US20050139477A1 (en) 2005-06-30
KR20040083096A (en) 2004-09-30
ATE369446T1 (en) 2007-08-15
EP1476590B1 (en) 2007-08-08
DE60315422T2 (en) 2008-04-30
CA2473054A1 (en) 2003-08-28
DE60315422D1 (en) 2007-09-20
WO2003071010A1 (en) 2003-08-28
JP3725083B2 (en) 2005-12-07
TWI263703B (en) 2006-10-11
CN1636086B (en) 2010-04-28
JP2003253497A (en) 2003-09-10
KR100858503B1 (en) 2008-09-12

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