JP2002212784A - Apparatus and method for electrolytic plating - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To implement every stage of a film formation process by the electrolytic plating method efficiently and safely within a single chamber. SOLUTION: An electrolytic plating tank 12 is disposed in the inside of the lower part of a treatment chamber 10 which can be sealed, and an atmosphere of an inert gas is formed in a processing space PS set on or above the electrolytic plating tank 12. An exhaust path 38 which leads to an external exhaust system, and one or more spray nozzles for cleaning liquids/drying gases 40 are provided in a partition part 36. A handling mechanism 52 for dipping the treating surface of a substrate W to be treated into the plating bath of the electrolytic plating tank 12 by the face-down system is provided in an inner space above the partition part 36. This handling mechanism 52 has a box-shaped substrate support member 54 with its lower surface opened, a rotary drive part 58 for carrying out the spin revolution of this substrate support 54 integrally with a perpendicular supporting shaft 56, and a vertical movement drive part 60 for carrying out the vertical movement of this rotary drive part 58 or the substrate support member 54. A heating means, for example, a lamp unit for annealing the substrate W is provided in the substrate support 54.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrolytic plating method and apparatus for plating a substrate to be processed by an electrolytic plating method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, while copper wiring has attracted attention as a low-resistance wiring in semiconductor device manufacturing, electrolytic plating technology has come to the fore as a film forming technique for forming copper wiring on a substrate to be processed (semiconductor wafer). Have been.

In this type of electrolytic plating technique, a plating solution containing copper sulfate as a basic component is circulated and supplied to a plating tank, and a surface to be processed (main surface) of a substrate to be processed is immersed in a plating bath. By causing a current to flow through a plating solution between the substrate (cathode) and the anode, copper is deposited on the surface to be processed of the substrate.

A conventional electrolytic plating apparatus includes, in one system, a plating section for performing the above-described copper plating on a substrate to be processed, a cleaning section for cleaning the substrate after the plating step, An annealing unit for annealing the substrate after the cleaning step is unitized or modularized into separate chambers. Then, a transfer device capable of accessing each chamber carries the substrate into the plating process chamber prior to the plating process, and transfers the substrate from the plating process chamber to the cleaning process chamber when the plating process is completed, and performs cleaning. When the process is completed, the substrate is transferred from the chamber of the cleaning section to the chamber of the annealing section.

[0005]

As described above, the conventional electrolytic plating apparatus has a multi-chamber system configuration in which separate chambers are filled for each of the steps of electrolytic plating, cleaning, and annealing. In addition to requiring a large installation area, exchanging substrates between chambers requires a considerable amount of transport time and exposes the substrates under the film formation process to the outside air, resulting in process delays and film quality deterioration. There was also a risk of coming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and enables various steps of a film forming process by an electrolytic plating method to be performed safely and efficiently in one chamber. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolytic plating apparatus and an electrolytic plating method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating method which realize a reduction in the size and installation area of the system and improve the efficiency and quality of the process.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an electrolytic plating apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an electrolytic plating bath for applying an electrolytic plating bath to a surface of a substrate to be processed; And a heating unit for heating the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber.

In the electroplating method of the present invention, an atmosphere of an inert gas is formed in a process chamber that can be sealed, and the surface of the substrate to be processed is immersed in an electrolytic plating bath under the atmosphere of the inert gas. A plating film is formed on the surface to be processed, and the substrate is heated to a predetermined temperature in an atmosphere of the inert gas to anneal the plating film on the surface to be processed.

According to the electrolytic plating apparatus or method of the present invention, from the electrolytic plating process to the annealing process while the substrate to be processed is maintained under or in an atmosphere of an inert gas formed in one processing chamber. Can be implemented.

In the electrolytic plating apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to provide a cleaning section for cleaning the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber. More preferably, the substrate is cleaned in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber. A configuration in which a drying unit for drying is provided may be employed.

In order to efficiently perform the above-described various steps of the film forming process in one processing chamber, a handling mechanism for moving or moving the substrate while holding the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber is provided. May be provided. A preferable mode of the handling mechanism includes a holding unit for holding the substrate, a rotating unit for spin-rotating the substrate held by the holding unit, and an elevating unit for elevating the substrate held by the holding unit. Means.

In a preferred embodiment in which the above-described cleaning unit is provided, a cleaning liquid is sprayed from the first nozzle onto the substrate at a predetermined cleaning processing position set above the electrolytic plating tank.

In a preferred embodiment in which the above-described drying section is provided, an inert gas for drying is blown from a second nozzle onto the substrate at a predetermined drying processing position set above the electrolytic plating tank. Configuration. The first and second nozzles can be shared by one nozzle.

In a preferred embodiment of the heating unit, a heating means for heating the substrate held by the holding unit from the side opposite to the surface to be processed is mounted on the handling mechanism.

Further, in the electrolytic plating apparatus of the present invention,
In order to stably maintain the atmosphere of the inert gas formed in the processing chamber, preferably, an inert gas circulating supply unit for circulating and supplying the inert gas to the processing chamber, and the processing chamber or the inert gas An inert gas replenishing unit for replenishing a new inert gas to the circulating supply unit, and an exhaust unit for exhausting gas in the processing chamber from the inert gas circulating supply unit to an independent exhaust system. Good. In the inert gas circulation supply unit, the atmosphere of the inert gas flow may be formed by flowing the inert gas downflow into the processing chamber.

[0017]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of an electrolytic copper plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 to 6 show the configuration of the main part of the electrolytic copper plating apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electrolytic copper plating apparatus has a chamber or a processing chamber 10 formed of a sealable vertical cylindrical housing whose both ends (upper and lower ends) are closed. On one side of the processing chamber 10, there is provided a loading / unloading port 11 through which a transfer arm 80 (FIG. 3) of an external transfer device is used to load a substrate to be processed, for example, a semiconductor wafer W into or out of the room. A door that can be opened and closed, for example, a gate valve 13 is attached to the loading / unloading port 11.

In this electrolytic copper plating apparatus, an electrolytic plating tank 12 is provided in a lower part of the processing chamber 10 and, as described later, there is no space in a processing space PS set on the upper surface or above the electrolytic plating tank 12. An atmosphere of active gas is formed. Then, as described later, each processing step of electrolytic plating, cleaning, drying, and annealing is performed in or in the atmosphere of the inert gas.

The electrolytic plating tank 12 has a double tank structure in which an inner tank 16 having an upper surface which is slightly smaller than an outer tank 14 having an open upper surface is accommodated coaxially. Inner tank 1
6 is a net electrolytic plating bath, and the outer bath 14 is the inner bath 1
The plating solution recovery section for recovering the plating solution M overflowing from 6 is constituted.

In the inner tank 16, there is provided an ejection pipe 18 which penetrates through the bottom of the central part of the tank and extends vertically upward to a predetermined height. It is coming out. An anode 20 made of an annular copper plate is provided around the ejection pipe 18. A diaphragm 22 is stretched between the outer peripheral edge of the upper end of the ejection pipe 18 and the inner wall surface of the inner tank 16. Anode 20 during electrolytic plating
Undesired products generated from the plating bath are prevented from moving or diffusing to the upper surface of the plating bath by the diaphragm 22. Inner tank 1
6 is connected to an external plating solution tank 26 via a circulation pipe 24. By the function of a pump 28 provided in the middle of the circulation pipe 24, the plating solution M is circulated between a lower chamber (a chamber below the diaphragm 22) in the inner tank 16 and the plating solution tank 26. I have. Circulation piping 24
A filter for removing foreign matter, an on-off valve, and the like (not shown) may be provided outside the pump 28 in the middle of the process.

The outer tank 14 has a gap or groove 15 in the radial direction between the outer tank 14 and the inner tank 16. The plating solution M overflowing from the upper end of the inner tank 16 enters the groove 15 and falls on the bottom of the outer tank 14. A plating solution discharge port provided at the bottom of the outer tank 14 is connected to an inlet of an external plating solution tank 32 via a circulation pipe 30.
The outlet of the plating solution tank 32 is connected to the lower end (inlet) of the jet pipe 18 via a circulation pipe 30 and a pump 34 provided in the middle thereof. The plating solution M overflowing from the inner tank 16 to the outer tank 14 is once collected in the plating solution tank 32, and the pump 34 collects the plating solution M in the tank 32 via the circulation pipe 30 and the ejection pipe 18.
The upper chamber (the chamber above the diaphragm 22) is supplied. A filter for removing foreign substances, an on-off valve, and the like (not shown) may be provided in the middle of the circulation pipe 30 outside the pump 34. Further, a plating solution replenishing section (not shown) for adding or replenishing a new plating solution to each of the plating solution tanks 26 and 32 may be provided.

The upper end of the outer tank 14 is connected (preferably airtight) to the inner peripheral edge of a partition 36 extending horizontally around the electrolytic plating tank 12 through the inner wall surface of the processing chamber 10 in an airtight manner. ing. The partition portion 36 is provided with an exhaust passage 38 which faces the vicinity of the upper surface of the electrolytic plating tank 12 and extends radially and communicates with an external exhaust system such as an exhaust dust or an exhaust pump (not shown). I have. As shown in FIG. 5, a trap 39 for capturing harmful mist in the exhaust line is provided in the middle of the exhaust path 38. An on-off valve (not shown) may be provided in the exhaust path 38 to enable the on / off operation of the exhaust operation.

The partitioning section 36 is provided with one or more cleaning liquid / drying gas injection nozzles 40 at a position above the exhaust port of the exhaust path 38. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The cleaning liquid supply unit 42 and the drying gas supply unit 44 are connected to the cleaning liquid supply unit 42 via switching valves 46 and 48, respectively. A cleaning liquid such as pure water or a drying gas such as a nitrogen gas from the drying gas supply unit 44 can be selectively switched to be discharged from the common nozzle 40.

In FIG. 1, a handling mechanism 52 for immersing the surface to be processed (main surface) of the substrate W in a plating bath of the electrolytic plating tank 12 in a face-down manner is provided in a room space above the partition portion 36. Have been. The handling mechanism 52 includes a cylindrical substrate holder 54 having an open lower surface and a closed upper surface, and a rotation driving unit for spinning the substrate holder 54 integrally with a vertical rotation shaft or a vertical support shaft 56. 58, and a vertical drive unit 60 for vertically moving the rotary drive unit 58 or the substrate holder 54. The substrate holder 54 is located directly above the electrolytic plating tank 12,
More precisely, it is arranged right above the inner tank 16.

The lifting drive unit 60 supports the rotation drive unit 58 at the distal end, and is vertically movable along the vertical guide 62 fixed to the inner wall of the processing chamber 10 at the base end. A horizontal support member 64 and a cylinder 66 which is provided upside down so as to be suspended above the vertical guide portion 62 and has a distal end portion of a piston rod 66a coupled to the horizontal support member 64. By moving the piston rod 66a forward or backward by the cylinder 66, the horizontal support member 64, the rotation drive unit 58, and the substrate holder 54 are integrally lowered or raised.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, at the lower end of the substrate holder 54, an annular flange-type substrate support portion 54a projecting inward in the radial direction is formed. On the upper surface) is a ring-shaped cathode electrode 6
Reference numeral 8 denotes a radially outer position, and a ring-shaped seal member, for example, an O-ring 70, is mounted at a radially inner position. During the plating process, the outer peripheral end of the surface to be processed of the substrate W is air-tightly overlapped on the O-ring 70 so as to make physical and electrical contact with the cathode electrode 68.

On one side surface of the substrate holder 54, an opening 72 large enough to carry in and out the substrate W is formed. The internal space of the substrate holder 54 communicates with the surrounding processing space PS via the opening 72 and has an inert gas atmosphere.

A lamp unit 74 for annealing is mounted on the ceiling surface in the substrate holder 54. In the lamp unit 74, one or a plurality of lamps, for example, a halogen lamp (not shown) for irradiating light for heating the substrate at a predetermined spread angle downward with a reflecting plate (not shown) as a backside. Is provided. Each lamp has a processing chamber 10
Power is supplied from a power supply device (not shown) provided outside of the device through a switch (not shown).

One or a plurality of chuck driving units 76 are attached to the back side of the ceiling of the substrate holder 54, and the chucks 7 can move vertically from the lower ends of the chuck driving units 76.
8 is provided in the substrate holder 54. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the transfer arm 80 of the external transfer device carries the substrate W to be subjected to the copper plating process through the opening 72 into the substrate holder 54, each chuck 78 is moved.
Comes down, and the upper surface (back surface) of the substrate W is sucked by, for example, a vacuum suction force.
Is held down, and the substrate W is placed on the cathode electrode 68 and the O-ring 70 on the substrate support 54a side.

The substrate holder 54 is also provided with a clamp for fixing the substrate W on the substrate support 54a. This clamping means is provided for the substrate W on the substrate support 54a.
A ring member 82 having a diameter that overlaps the outer peripheral portion of
Actuator 84 for raising and lowering this ring member 82
(For example, a cylinder). As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, after the chuck 78 places the substrate W on the cathode electrode 68 and the O-ring 70 on the substrate support portion 54a side, the ring member 82 descends. Then, the substrate W comes into contact with the upper surface (back surface) of the substrate W, and the substrate W is fixedly held by pressure from the actuator 84.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface 86 of the processing chamber 10
A ceiling 88 is provided at an appropriate interval below the ceiling 88, and a dustproof filter 90 is provided on the ceiling 88. Ceiling 8
An inert gas, such as nitrogen gas, is fed into the chamber 92 on the back side of the chamber 8 through a gas supply pipe 96 from a gas supply / exhaust device 94 composed of a fan or a compressor installed outside the processing chamber 10. Then, clean nitrogen gas is supplied from the dustproof filter 90 on the ceiling 88 to the processing space PS in the processing chamber 10 in a laminar downflow flow.

In the processing chamber 10, a gas inlet 98 is provided on the upper surface of the partition 36. The gas intake port 98 is connected through an exhaust pipe 100 to the inlet (intake) side of an outdoor air supply / exhaust device 94. Partition part 36
The nitrogen gas flowing in the vicinity is sent from the gas intake port 98 to the supply / exhaust device 94. Also,
The nitrogen gas that has passed through the inner opening of the partitioning portion 36 and has reached near the upper surface of the electrolytic plating tank 12 is discharged from the exhaust passage 38 to an external exhaust system.

Outside the processing chamber 10, a nitrogen gas supply source 104 is connected to an exhaust pipe 100 via a gas supply pipe 102. On-off valve 10 provided in gas supply pipe 102
By opening 6, new nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas supply source 104 is supplied to the inert gas (nitrogen gas) circulation supply system via the exhaust pipe 100. Note that the gas supply pipe 102 from the nitrogen gas supply source 104 may be directly drawn into the processing chamber 10.

Thus, in this electrolytic copper plating apparatus,
The processing space PS set in the processing chamber 10 above or above the electrolytic plating tank 12 is filled with an atmosphere of a clean nitrogen gas flow.

Next, the operation of the electrolytic copper plating apparatus in this embodiment will be described.

When the substrate W to be subjected to the copper plating process is carried into the processing chamber 10, the gate valve 13 is opened. Then, the transfer arm 80 of the external transfer device puts the substrate W into the substrate holder 54 through the loading / unloading port 11 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, on the electroplating tank 12 side, the pumps 28 and 34 of the plating solution circulating supply system operate to fill the inner tank 16 with the plating solution M substantially in an overflow state.

Further, a clean nitrogen gas flow flows through the processing space PS in the processing chamber 10 as described above. While the transfer arm 80 of the external transfer device moves in and out, the gate valve 13 is opened, and a nitrogen gas flow flows out of the processing chamber 10 to the outside (when the chamber is in a positive pressure state) or outside the processing chamber 10. Outside gas (usually air) enters from inside (when the room is under negative pressure). Although the nitrogen gas atmosphere in the processing space PS is temporarily disturbed by such outflow or inflow of the gas, the time required for the transfer arm 80 to enter and exit, that is, the time when the gate valve 13 is open, is short. The nitrogen gas atmosphere is quickly recovered.

Alternatively, by connecting or adjoining a load lock chamber to the processing chamber 10, the gas atmosphere in the processing chamber 10 can be kept constant when loading and unloading substrates in the processing chamber 10. In this case, the substrate may be transferred between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber 10 after the atmosphere or air is replaced with nitrogen gas in the load lock chamber.

In the handling mechanism 52, FIG.
After the substrate W is mounted on the substrate holder 54 as shown in (C), the rotation drive unit 5 is driven by the downward drive of the elevation drive unit 60.
The entire surface of the substrate W to be processed is immersed face-down in the plating bath in the inner tank 16 by lowering the entirety of the substrate holder 54.

As shown in FIG. 4, a gap 110 is formed between the outer periphery of the substrate holder 54 and the side wall of the inner tank 16 in a state where the surface to be processed of the substrate W is immersed in the plating bath of the inner tank 16. ,
The plating solution M flowing from the upper end opening of the jet pipe 18 in the inner tank 16 overflows from the gap 110 to the outside of the inner tank 16 and the groove 1
Fall into five.

When the surface to be processed of the substrate W is immersed in the plating bath of the inner tank 16 as described above, bubbles may be generated in the plating bath and stay below the surface of the substrate W to be processed. . Therefore, the rotation drive unit 58 is operated to rotate the substrate W integrally with the substrate holder 54 at a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 0 to 300 rpm).
Spin on m). By this substrate rotational movement, bubbles attached to the substrate W can be driven out of the inner tank 16 together with the plating solution that springs from below.

Then, while the substrate rotating motion is continued, a DC power supply (not shown) for electrolytic plating is turned on, so that the anode 20 in the inner tank 10 and the cathode electrode 68 on the substrate holder 54 are turned on. Apply a DC voltage. By the application of this DC voltage, the substrate W electrically connected to the cathode electrode 68 becomes a cathode and faces the anode 20 in the inner tank 16 via the plating solution M, and between the two (W, 20). Then, ion conduction occurs, and a cathode reaction or an electroplating reaction occurs on the surface to be processed of the substrate W, and copper is deposited. The mist and gas that stood near the electrolytic plating tank 12 during the copper plating process are discharged from the exhaust passage 38 of the partition 36 to an external exhaust line.

When the above-described copper plating step is completed after a predetermined processing time has elapsed, the DC power supply for electrolytic plating is turned off, and the rotation of the substrate temporarily stops in the handling mechanism 52, and the substrate W is removed. It is pulled up from the inner tank 16 to the height position for the cleaning process.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning processing position may be set at a position somewhat higher than the cleaning liquid / drying gas injection nozzle 40, and the cleaning processing is performed at this cleaning processing position. More specifically, the handling mechanism 52 operates the rotation drive unit 58 to rotate the substrate W at a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 0 V).
Spin at ２００200 rpm). Then, in the cleaning liquid / drying gas supply mechanism, the on-off valve 48 is closed and the on-off valves 46 and 50 are opened, so that the cleaning liquid (pure water) from the cleaning liquid supply unit 42 passes through the supply pipes 43 and 51. The cleaning liquid (pure water) is sent to the nozzle 40 and is discharged obliquely upward at a predetermined spread angle from the discharge port of the nozzle 40 toward the substrate W on the substrate holder 54 side.

In the substrate holder 54, the substrate W is held in the same holding state as during the plating process, that is, as shown in FIG. 3C, the ring member 82 of the clamp means presses the substrate W against the substrate support 54a. 5, the substrate W is transferred to the chuck 78 as shown in FIG. 5 from the beginning or during the cleaning process, and the spin rotation is performed while the substrate W is floated from the substrate support portion 54a. Is also good. As described above, by floating the substrate W from the substrate support portion 54a side, the cleaning liquid from the nozzle 40 can be applied to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate W, the cathode electrode 68 and the O-ring 70, and the cleaning range can be expanded. The cleaning effect can be improved. During the cleaning process, the nozzle 40 may be swung vertically and / or horizontally by an appropriate actuator (not shown) to oscillate the discharge flow of the cleaning liquid. Alternatively, the lifting / lowering drive unit 60 may be operated on the handling mechanism 52 side to reciprocate or vibrate the substrate holder 54 in the vertical direction.

As described above, the cleaning liquid discharged from the nozzle 40 is applied to the substrate W or the vicinity of the substrate supporting portion 54a which is spinning, whereby the plating liquid adhering to each part is washed away and immediately below. Is collected in the electrolytic plating tank 12. In this embodiment, since pure water is used as the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid (pure water) used for cleaning the substrate W falls into the electroplating tank 12 and mixes with the plating liquid M in the tank. It will not change. However, it is also possible to once remove the plating solution M from the electrolytic plating tank 12 after the completion of the copper plating process as described above by a suitable plating solution recovery mechanism (not shown).

The mist generated in the vicinity of the substrate holder 54 or the electroplating tank 12 during the cleaning process is removed by the horizontal partition 36.
From the exhaust path 38 to the external exhaust line.

When the above-described cleaning process is completed after a predetermined processing time, the on-off valve 46 is closed in the cleaning liquid / drying gas supply mechanism, and the supply of the cleaning liquid to the nozzle 40 is stopped. The handling mechanism 52 side may keep the spin rotation of the substrate holder 54.

Next, a height position that is the same as or close to the above-mentioned cleaning processing position is set as a drying processing position, and drying processing is performed at this drying processing position. More specifically, the drying gas (nitrogen gas) is supplied from the nozzle 40 on the cleaning liquid / drying gas supply mechanism side while the substrate holder 54 is spin-rotated at a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 0 to 300 rpm) on the handling mechanism 52 side. Discharge. In order to discharge the drying gas, the on-off valve 46 is closed and the on-off valves 48 and 50 are opened, and the drying gas (nitrogen gas) from the drying gas supply unit 44 is supplied through supply pipes 49 and 51. To the nozzle 40.

The drying gas (nitrogen gas) discharged from the nozzle 40 is applied to the spinning substrate W or the vicinity of the substrate support 54a, whereby the cleaning liquid adhering to each part is removed.

Prior to the above-described blow drying, the substrate holding member 54 is spun at a high speed (for example, 500 rpm or more) on the handling mechanism 52 side, so that the droplets of the cleaning liquid from each part are subjected to a large centrifugal force. Spin drying may be performed to efficiently shake off. It is preferable that such spin drying is performed at a position close to the electrolytic plating tank 12 in order to safely and securely capture or collect the droplets shaken off from the substrate W side.

When the drying step as described above is completed, the on-off valves 48 and 50 are closed in the cleaning liquid / drying gas supply mechanism, and the discharge of the drying gas by the nozzle 40 is stopped. On the handling mechanism 52 side, the spin rotation of the substrate holder 54 is stopped.

The electroplating tank 12 and the processing space PS can be separated or separated by a shutter (not shown). With such an isolation function, the temperature of the plating solution M in the electrolytic plating tank 12 can be kept constant even during the processing such as the drying step.

Next, the lamp unit 74 operates (lights up) in the substrate holder 54 to start the annealing step.
The processing position of the annealing step can be set at an arbitrary position in the processing space PS. However, since the cleanliness or the concentration of the nitrogen gas atmosphere is higher as it goes above the processing space PS, it is preferable that the processing position in the drying step be higher. May be set at a higher position.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the annealing step, the chuck 78 holds the substrate W and can adjust the distance between the substrate W and the lamp unit 74. Preferably, light from the lamp unit 74 may irradiate the entire back surface or most of the substrate W. Thus,
When the substrate W is heated to a predetermined temperature by the light from the lamp unit 74 in the nitrogen gas atmosphere in the substrate holder 54, the copper plating film on the substrate processing surface undergoes safe and high-quality heat treatment.

When the above-described annealing step is completed after a predetermined processing time has elapsed, the lamp unit 74 is turned off. Next, the substrate holder 54 is moved up and down to the height position of the loading / unloading port 11 in the handling mechanism 52.
Immediately thereafter, the gate valve 13 is opened, and the transfer arm 80 (FIG. 3) of the external transfer device enters the room, takes out the substrate W from the substrate holder 54, and carries it out of the processing chamber 10.

As described above, in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of this embodiment, the electrolytic plating tank 12
An atmosphere of an inert gas (nitrogen gas) having a high degree of purity or cleanness is formed on the upper surface or above, and the steps of electrolytic plating, washing, drying, and annealing are sequentially performed under or in the atmosphere of the inert gas. I have to.

As described above, since the steps of the copper film forming process by the electrolytic plating method can be completed in one chamber (processing chamber 10), the system can be reduced in size and the installation area can be reduced. Further, since the integrated processing is performed while the substrate W is kept in the atmosphere of one inert gas,
The efficiency and quality of the film forming process can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the lamp unit 74 is provided on the substrate holder 54, and the substrate W is annealed by a lamp heating method. However, other annealing techniques can be used. For example, it is possible to perform resistance heating annealing by attaching a resistance heating element to the substrate holder 54.

In the above embodiment, the cleaning liquid and the drying gas are switched and sprayed onto the substrate W by the common nozzle 40. However, the dedicated nozzles are used for discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the drying gas. It may be. Electrolytic plating tank 12 and handling mechanism 52 in the above-described embodiment
The configuration of each part such as is also an example, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

The electric field copper plating apparatus in the above-mentioned embodiment was constituted by a face-down system. However, it is also possible to modify the configuration of the face-up system in which the surface to be processed of the substrate W faces upward.

In the above embodiment, a semiconductor wafer is used as a substrate to be processed. However, other substrates such as an LCD substrate can be used. Further, the present invention is applicable not only to copper plating but also to other metal plating.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to safely and efficiently perform various steps of a film forming process by an electrolytic plating method in one chamber,
The system can be reduced in size and the installation area can be reduced, and the efficiency and quality of the process can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an electrolytic copper plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure inside a substrate holder in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an operation of loading a substrate into a substrate holder in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an electrolytic plating step in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a cleaning step in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an annealing step in the electrolytic copper plating apparatus of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Processing chamber 11 Loading / exiting 12 Electroplating tank 38 Exhaust path 40 Cleaning liquid / drying gas injection nozzle 52 Handling mechanism 54 Substrate holder 58 Rotation drive unit 60 Elevation drive unit 90 Dustproof filter 94 Supply / exhaust device 96 Air supply tube 98 Gas intake 100 exhaust pipe 104 inert gas supply source

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) C25D 19/00 C25D 19/00 B 21/10 302 21/10 302 H01L 21/288 H01L 21/288 E 21/304 643 21/304 643A 651 651L

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. An electrolytic plating bath for providing an electrolytic plating bath to a surface to be processed of a substrate to be processed, a processing chamber for placing the electrolytic plating bath under an inert gas atmosphere, and an inert gas in the processing chamber. A heating unit for heating the substrate in a gas atmosphere. 2. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber. 3. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a drying section for drying the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber. 4. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a handling mechanism that moves or moves the substrate while holding the substrate in an inert gas atmosphere in the processing chamber. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handling mechanism includes a holding unit for holding the substrate, a rotating unit for spinning the substrate held by the holding unit, and a substrate holding by the holding unit. The electroplating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a lifting means for raising and lowering. 6. The cleaning unit according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning unit has a first nozzle for spraying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate at a predetermined cleaning processing position set above the electrolytic plating bath. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to any one of the above. 7. The drying section has a second nozzle for blowing an inert gas for drying onto the substrate at a predetermined drying processing position set above the electrolytic plating tank. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to claim 3. 8. The heating unit according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit mounted on the handling mechanism for heating the substrate held by the holding unit from a side opposite to the surface to be processed. Item 8. The electrolytic plating apparatus according to any one of Items 5 to 7. 9. An inert gas circulating supply unit for circulating and supplying an inert gas to the processing chamber, and replenishing a new inert gas to the processing chamber or the inert gas circulating supply unit. The electrolytic plating according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: an inert gas replenishing unit; and an exhaust unit configured to exhaust gas in the processing chamber to an exhaust system independent of the inert gas circulating supply unit. apparatus. 10. An atmosphere of an inert gas is formed in a process chamber capable of being sealed, and a surface to be processed of a substrate to be processed is immersed in an electrolytic plating bath under an atmosphere of the inert gas to perform plating on the surface to be processed. An electrolytic plating method in which a film is formed, and the substrate is heated to a predetermined temperature in an atmosphere of the inert gas to anneal a plating film on the surface to be processed. 11. The electrolytic plating method according to claim 10, wherein a cleaning solution is sprayed on the substrate in an atmosphere of the inert gas immediately after the electrolytic plating step to wash at least the surface to be processed. 12. The plating method according to claim 11, wherein an inert gas is blown onto the substrate in an atmosphere of the inert gas immediately after the cleaning step to dry the plating film on the surface to be processed. Electroplating method. 13. The plating film on the surface to be processed is dried by spinning the substrate in an atmosphere of the inert gas immediately after the cleaning step.
4. The electrolytic plating method according to 1. 14. The electrolytic plating method according to claim 10, wherein an inert gas is supplied from above to the atmosphere of the inert gas in a downflow manner.