KR20190018530A - Wet processing system and method of operation - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrochemical deposition system having two or more electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform and configured for depositing one or more metals on a substrate is described. Each electrochemical deposition module includes an anode compartment configured to receive a volume of an anolyte fluid, a cathode compartment configured to receive a volume of the catholyte fluid, and a membrane separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. Each electrochemical deposition module includes a workpiece holder configured to hold opposite edges of the flexible workpiece between the first and second leg members through a clamping mechanism, and a workpiece holder configured to position the flexible workpiece in the workpiece holder, Further comprising a loader congestion configured to hold the flexible workpiece using an air cushion on each opposite planar surface of the flexible workpiece.

Description

Wet processing system and method of operation

Cross-reference to related application

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 194,086, filed June 27, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a method and system for electrochemical deposition comprising electroplating of various workpieces such as semiconductor substrates.

An electrochemical deposition system or a workpiece surface wet processing conditioning system may include a wafer geometry (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) that features a relatively rigid silicon circular disk and a panel that features a much larger, more flexible, Type geometry is widely known. There is a need in the industry for equipment that can handle panel workpieces with the resulting precision of deposited metal comparable to the results resulting from various wafer devices, and which have comparable or better economical productivity to existing panel processing equipment.

Among other processes, electrochemical deposition (ECD) is used as a fabrication technique for application of films to various structures and surfaces such as semiconductor wafers and silicon workpieces or substrates. Such membranes may include metals and metal alloys such as tin, silver, nickel, copper or other metal layers or alloys thereof. Electrochemical deposition involves placing a substrate in a solution containing metal ions and then applying an electric current to cause metal ions from the solution to deposit on the substrate. Typically, a current flows between two electrodes, that is, between the cathode and the anode. When the substrate is used as a cathode, the metal can be deposited on the cathode. The plating solution may include one or more of metal ionic forms, acids, chelating agents, complexing agents, and any other type of additive that supports plating of a particular metal. These additives enable adhesion and uniform plating, and can help reduce film stress. As the plating occurs, the metal from the plating solution is consumed and therefore needs to be replaced to continue the electrochemical deposition operation.

In panel processing, conventional systems use a handling system in the form of a continuous or series of process conveyors whose panel orientation is horizontal or vertical. As discussed above, the panel processing system undergoes poor process uniformity and particle generation as a result of the conveyor system in part. More generally, such systems suffer from poor environmental control. Therefore, the present inventors have recognized that there is a need for improved panel handling and deposition uniformity.

Embodiments relate to methods and systems for electrochemical deposition comprising electroplating of various workpieces such as semiconductor substrates and panels.

An important feature of systems used for electrochemical deposition is the ability to produce films with uniform and repeatable characteristics, such as film thickness, composition, and profiles for underlying workpiece profiles. The electrochemical deposition system may use a primary electrolyte (process electrolyte) that requires supplementation when depleted. As an example, in metal applications, replenishment of the metal cation solution may be required upon depletion. And, when such replenishment can not be performed in place, the replenishment procedure can be expensive as a function of application and may require a significant downtime of the electrochemical deposition tool or submodule for service and process reclassification, This has an adverse effect on the cost of ownership of the tool.

The techniques described herein include, among other things, robust workpiece handling, including improved chemical control for short maintenance times for greater tool availability as well as reliable and uniform plating, improved environmental control, simplified electrolyte circulation The system comprising: an electrochemical deposition apparatus;

According to one embodiment, an electrochemical deposition system having two or more electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform and configured to deposit one or more metals on a substrate is described. Each electrochemical deposition module includes an anode compartment configured to receive a volume of anolyte fluid, a cathode compartment configured to receive a volume of catholyte fluid, and a cathode compartment configured to receive the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. Membrane. Each electrochemical deposition module includes a loading port configured to receive a set of flexible workpieces defining respective through holes through which the metal is filled and a loading port configured to receive a flexible workpiece from the loading port and to receive a flexible workpiece Further comprising a loader module configured to position the piece, while holding the flexible workpiece using an air cushion on each of the opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece. The workpiece holder has a header member separating the first and second leg members and the workpiece holder is configured to apply electrical contacts to the opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece using electrical contacts surrounded by the elastomeric seal The clamping mechanism being configured to hold opposite edges of the flexible workpiece between the first and second leg members via a clamping mechanism, wherein the header member provides tension to the flexible workpiece when held by the workpiece holder. Each electrochemical deposition module also includes a transport mechanism configured to carry a flexible workpiece from a loader module to a given electrochemical deposition module via a workpiece holder and to lower a given workpiece into a given electrochemical deposition module. The electrical system is configured to apply current to each opposite planar surface of the flexible workpiece when each opposing flat surface is plated with metal and held in a given electrochemical deposition module such that the through holes are filled with metal. The unloader module is configured to transfer the flexible workpiece to an unloading port configured to remove the flexible workpiece from the workpiece holder and receive a set of flexible workpieces.

The systems and techniques disclosed herein provide several advantages. As well as robust workpiece handling and environmental control, efficient workpiece flow enables improved process performance and reduced particle contamination, including process uniformity and yield. Simplified chemical flow management eliminates cost and complexity. In addition, having an on-board or off-board chemical generation system close to the processing system provides easier management of the chemical concentration.

Of course, the discussion order of the different steps as set forth herein has been presented for clarity. Generally, these steps can be performed in the proper order. Furthermore, although each of the different features, techniques, configurations, etc. of the present disclosure may be discussed elsewhere herein, it is contemplated that the respective concepts may be implemented independently of one another or in combination with one another. Thus, the present invention may be embodied and viewed in many different ways.

It should be noted that these summary sections do not specify all embodiments of the invention or claimed invention and / or progressively new aspects. Instead, this summary provides only a preliminary discussion of the different embodiments and corresponding points as compared to the prior art. For further details and / or possible aspects of the present invention and the embodiments, the reader will refer to the detailed description and corresponding drawings in this disclosure as discussed further below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention and many of its advantages will be readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating features, principles and concepts.
1 is a schematic diagram of an electrochemical deposition system according to an embodiment.
Figures 2A and 2B are diagrams of an electrochemical deposition module according to another embodiment.
3 is a cross-sectional view of an electrochemical deposition module according to another embodiment;
4 is a perspective view of an electrochemical deposition system according to yet another embodiment.

The techniques described herein provide an electrochemical deposition apparatus that provides a robust workpiece handling system, a simplified circulation system, an improved chemical management system for more reliable and uniform plating, as well as a shorter maintenance time for greater tool availability .

The systems and techniques disclosed herein may be implemented as an electrochemical deposition system or module of a system, or as a wet processing conditioning system on a workpiece surface. Exemplary systems include, but are not limited to, a variety of configurations, including both wafer-like geometric features (e.g., semiconductor wafers) that feature relatively rigid silicon circular discs and paneled geometric features that are much larger and more flexible, And a wet processing system capable of processing or adjusting workpieces of a size. One embodiment includes an electrochemical deposition apparatus for depositing metal on a substrate. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electrochemical deposition system 100 according to an embodiment. The electrochemical deposition system 100 includes two or more processing modules, such as electrochemical deposition modules, arranged on a common platform and configured for depositing one or more metals on a workpiece, such as those described below. Each processing module, e. G., Each electrochemical deposition module, includes an anode compartment configured to receive a volume of anolyte fluid, a cathode compartment configured to receive a volume of a catholyte fluid, and a cathode compartment configured to receive the anode compartment and the cathode compartment Membrane.

The electrochemical deposition system 100 includes a loading port for receiving a set of workpieces that receives a workpiece entering the electrochemical deposition system 100 via a load / And a loader module 110 for loading the received workpiece in a workpiece holder 125 such as a flexible panel holder PH. Each workpiece may comprise a flexible panel, for example a flexible rectangular panel of various dimensions. The workpiece may include at least one blind hole or at least one through hole filled with a material such as a metal. Filling of one or more holes may include one-sided deposition, i.e., deposition from a cross section of the workpiece, or two-sided deposition, i.e. deposition from both sides of the workpiece (e.g., if the hole is a through hole).

To control the environment surrounding each of the workpieces during loading into the workpiece holder, the loader is configured to move the workpiece by applying an air cushion to each of the opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece during workpiece movement and loading, The device can be used to perform substantially contactless handling. According to some embodiments, the workpiece holder 125 may include a gripperable header member that separates the first and second leg members, and the workpiece holder may include an electrical contact enclosed by the elastomeric seal And is configured to hold opposite edges of the flexible workpiece between the first and second leg members through a clamping mechanism that selectively applies electrical contacts to opposite planar surfaces of the casting workpiece. The header member may also provide tension to the flexible workpiece when held by the workpiece holder 125. [

The electrochemical deposition system 100 also includes a means for transferring the flexible workpiece from the loader module 110 to a given processing module, for example an electrochemical deposition module, via a workpiece holder 125, And a delivery mechanism configured to lower the piece. For example, referring to FIG. 1, when a workpiece holder 125 designated for processing is loaded, it is advanced along process path 115 to be preprocessed in one or more preprocessing modules 120 as needed See the PH process route in Figure 1); Processed in one or more processing modules (130, 132, 134, 136, 138); Processed in one or more post-processing modules 140 as needed. Pretreatment includes, but is not limited to, cleaning and / or wetting the workpiece to be treated. The treatment may include, but is not limited to, depositing a material such as a metal on the workpiece. And the post-treatment includes but is not limited to rinsing and / or drying the workpiece.

The electrochemical deposition system 100 further includes an unloader module configured to remove the flexible workpiece from the workpiece holder and to transfer the flexible workpiece to an unloading port configured to receive the set of flexible workpieces. For example, in some embodiments shown in FIG. 1, after processing, the workpiece holder 125 carrying the processed workpiece can proceed to the unloader module 150, and each workpiece is unloaded Output stage 152 to exit the electrochemical deposition system 100. The unload / Once unloaded, the workpiece holder 125 may return to the loader module 110 along a return path 155 (see the PH return path in FIG. 1) to receive another workpiece. It should be noted that multiple workpiece holders can be used and some workpiece holders are held in the storage buffer. A more detailed description of an exemplary workpiece holder is shown in U.S. Patent Application No. 15/193595, filed June 27, 2016, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A more detailed description of an exemplary workpiece loader module is shown in U.S. Patent Application No. 15/193890, filed June 27, 2016, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The electrochemical deposition system 100 further includes a chemical management system 160 for managing the process fluid in one or more process cells, i.e., modules 120, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, Chemical management may include, but is not limited to, feeding, replenishing, administering, heating, cooling, circulating, recirculating, storing, monitoring, draining, abating, The electrochemical deposition system 100 also includes an electrical management system 170 for controlling the operability of the electrochemical deposition system 100. Electrical management includes, but is not limited to, scheduling, conditioning, monitoring, tuning, communication, and the like. For example, the electrical management system 170 may be used to control workpiece movement through the electrochemical deposition system 100 or to control the chemical composition of the plurality of modules 120, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, And may transmit and receive signals in accordance with computer-encoded instructions to control chemical characteristics such as temperature, flow rate (s), and the like. Additionally, the electrical management system 170 can be configured to apply current to one or both opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece when held within a given electrochemical deposition module. In this way, one or both opposing surfaces may be plated with metal, and the clogged holes and / or through holes are filled with metal.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, a diagram of an electrochemical deposition module having a plurality of ECD cells is provided in accordance with another embodiment. As shown, FIG. 2A shows an anolyte reservoir 230 configured to receive a constant volume of anolyte fluid 232, a plurality of cathode compartments configured with a volume of a catholyte fluid, and a plurality of cathode compartments 200 And provides a top view of the membrane separating the anolyte fluid 232. The anolyte reservoir 230 includes an anolyte reservoir for receiving the anolyte fluid 232 in which a plurality of cathode compartments 200 are located. The anolyte reservoir 230 may include an anolyte reservoir 262 and the anolyte may be circulated, replenished, and / or readjusted using an anolyte pumping system 264, And may be exchanged with the anolyte reservoir 230. The anolyte reservoir 230 may also include a catholyte supply and storage reservoir 266 that is circulated, replenished, and / or readjusted using a catholyte pumping system 268, And then exchanged for a plurality of cathode compartments 200. The chemical management system 260 can be connected to the anolyte and catholyte supply and storage reservoirs 262 and 266 and is capable of managing fluid level, chemical composition, chemical quality, chemical temperature, chemical dosing, etc. . For example, the chemical management system 260 may include an anolyte and / or catholyte solution, including the addition or replacement of water, acid, anion solution, cation solution, chelating agent, complexing agent, leveling agent, It can be restored.

According to some embodiments, the workpiece W may comprise a flexible rectangular substrate having dimensions ranging from about 50 cm x 50 cm to about 100 cm x 10 0 cm. As a result, the fluid depth in the anolyte reservoir 230 can range from 90 cm to 150 cm, and the width of the anolyte reservoir 230 can range from 90 cm to 150 cm. Each ECD module can be designed to be relatively narrow and, for example, can be designed to be an anode-to-anode or an anode-to-cathode width less than 20 cm in width. As a result, a plurality of cathode compartments 200 (ECD modules) can be arranged in the anolyte reservoir up to 120 cm in length. Dipping or partial immersion of the plurality of cathode compartments 200 within the anolyte reservoir 230 provides efficient use of space. Thus, among other advantages, another advantage of this embodiment is that it is a single container of anode liquid fluid 232 with a simplified chemical and fluid management system that provides a plurality of ECD modules in an economical arrangement, Save money on printing.

FIG. 2B provides a top view of the cathode compartment 200 located between opposing anode cathode assemblies 240, 241. The workpiece holder 215 for receiving the workpiece W has a diameter of about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm for other important elements of the ECD module that affect the uniformity of the electric field and fluid flow field at the surface of the workpiece W In the frame 210, which advantageously and repeatedly positions the workpiece holder 215 within ± 0.5 mm, preferably within ± 0.5 mm. The cathode compartment 200 may comprise electric field shaping elements 201 and 204 located at about 3 to 10 mm of the surfaces of the workpiece W and preferably at 4 mm from the surfaces of the workpiece W . The cathode compartment 200 may further include fluid stirring elements 202 and 205 positioned proximate to the surfaces of the workpiece W and preferably within 10 mm from the surfaces of the workpiece W.

The ion exchange membranes 203 and 206 define a boundary between the cathode compartment 200 and the anode compartment that accommodates conflicting anode assemblies 240 and 241 and define the boundary between the anode compartment fluid 232 in the anode compartment and the cathode compartment in the cathode compartment & Thereby providing a separation between the liquids 220. One advantage is the compact geometry provided by defining the boundary between the anode fluid 232 and the catholyte 220 and is advantageous for the operation of the anolyte fluid 232 and catholyte 220 during operation. It is not necessary to integrate a wide range of wall structures to accommodate hydrostatic pressure of the catholyte for each workpiece W so that the fluid pressure is stable throughout the flexible ion exchange membrane.

Each opposing anode assembly 240, 241 may include a multi-zone anode 242, e.g., anodes arranged as a ring in the radial direction, or anodes arranged on the grid in, for example, an orthogonal direction . In this embodiment, two opposing anode assemblies 240, 241 are shown opposite the cathode compartment. However, in other embodiments, a single anode assembly may face the cathode compartment.

Figure 3 provides a detailed cross-sectional view of an ECD module according to an embodiment. The workpiece holder 315 includes an electric field shaping element 330, fluid stirring elements 310, ion exchange membranes 325 held by the support structure 320, and an anode assembly (W) between the workpieces (340). As shown, the electric field shaping elements 330 extend near the exposed surfaces of the workpiece W and are arranged to improve the uniformity of the deposition process. Additionally, as shown, the fluid agitating elements 310 extend near the exposed surface of the workpiece W, increase the fluid shear and increase mass, momentum, and heat transfer near the exposed surface of the workpiece W .

Figure 4 provides a perspective view of an electrochemical deposition system according to yet another embodiment. The electrochemical deposition system 500 includes a loader module 510 and an unloader module 550 having a plurality of processing modules 520, 530, 540 disposed therebetween. Processing modules 520 may include pre-processing modules such as pre-rinse modules. The processing modules 530 may include electrochemical deposition modules. The processing modules 540 may then include post-processing modules such as rinse or dry modules. Although the loader module 510 and the unloader module 550 are shown as being at the distal end of the electrochemical deposition system 500, such loading and unloading modules may be arranged near the same end of the overall system. The workpiece W may be loaded into the workpiece holder 525 and translated through the workpiece delivery system 560 and oriented to be located within the plurality of processing modules 520, 530, 540.

Using the system herein, an electrochemical deposition system can be created that efficiently uses the plating solution and has a relatively small footprint compared to conventional deposition systems. For example, each electrochemical deposition module may be configured to hold less than about 30 liters of plating solution. In some embodiments, the common platform may include less than about 16 electrochemical deposition modules and may be configured to plate 100 flexible workpieces per hour. The common platform can cover less than about 250 square feet of floor space. Thus, the system herein can provide relatively high throughput with relatively small systems and relatively few plating solutions used per workpiece.

In the foregoing description, specific details have been set forth, such as the specific geometry of the processing system and the description of the various components and processes used in the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the teachings herein may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from this specific detail, and that such details are for the purpose of description and not of limitation. The embodiments disclosed herein have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Likewise, for purposes of explanation, specific reference numerals, materials, and configurations have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding. Nevertheless, embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Components having substantially the same function configuration are referred to by the same reference numerals, and therefore, any redundant description can be omitted.

Various techniques have been described as a number of discrete operations to aid in understanding various embodiments. The order of description should not be construed to imply that this operation is order-dependent. In practice, these tasks need not be performed in the order of presentation. The described operations may be performed in a different order than the described embodiments. Various additional operations may be performed and / or the described operations may be omitted in further embodiments.

As used herein, " substrate " or " target substrate " generally refers to an object to be processed in accordance with the present invention. The substrate may comprise any material portion or structure of a device, particularly a semiconductor or other electronic device, and may be, for example, a semiconductor wafer, a base substrate structure such as a reticle, or a layer on or over a base substrate structure such as a thin film . Thus, the substrate is not limited to any particular base structure, underlying layer or overlying layer, that is not patterned or patterned, but rather may include any such layer or base structure, and any combination of layers and / . Although the detailed description may refer to a particular type of substrate, this is for illustrative purposes only.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that there may be variations that are made with respect to the operation of the above-described techniques while still achieving the same purpose of the present invention. Such variations are intended to be covered by the scope of the present invention. As such, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to be limiting. Rather, any limitation on embodiments of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims (16)

An electrochemical deposition system comprising:
At least two electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform and configured to deposit one or more metals on a substrate, each electrochemical deposition module comprising:
An anode compartment configured to receive a volume of an anolyte fluid;
A cathode compartment configured to receive a volume of a catholyte fluid;
A loading port configured to receive a set of flexible workpieces;
To hold the flexible workpiece from the loading port and to position the flexible workpiece in the workpiece holder while using an air cushion on each opposing flat surface of the flexible workpiece to hold the flexible workpiece As a configured loader module,
The workpiece holder having a header member separating the first and second leg members, the workpiece holder having electrical contacts on opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece when held by the workpiece holder Wherein the electrical contacts are configured to hold opposite edges of the flexible workpiece between the first and second leg members via a clamping mechanism encircled by an elastomeric seal for the flexible workpiece Wherein the holder is configured to expose both sides of the workpiece to the plating solution;
A conveying mechanism configured to convey the flexible workpiece from the loader module to a given electrochemical deposition module via the workpiece holder and to lower a given workpiece into the given electrochemical deposition module;
An electrical system configured to apply an electrical current to each opposite planar surface of the flexible workpiece when held in the given electrochemical deposition module such that each opposing planar surface is plated with metal;
An unloader module configured to remove the flexible workpiece from the workpiece holder and to transfer the flexible workpiece to an unloading port configured to receive the set of flexible workpieces. 2. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein the loading port and the unloading port are located at different locations in the electrochemical deposition system. 3. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 2, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to return workpiece holders from the unloader module to the loader module. 3. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 2, wherein the loading port and the unloading port are located at opposite ends of the electrochemical deposition system. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein the electrochemical deposition system is adapted to supply one or more metal components to at least one of the one or more electrochemical deposition modules for depositing the one or more metals, ≪ / RTI > wherein the electrochemical deposition system comprises a chemical management system configured. 6. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 5, wherein the chemical management system comprises a helical conveyor for transferring metal powder to a metal distribution system. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, further comprising a membrane separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein each electrochemical deposition module comprises a stirring member configured to agitate the plating solution on opposite surfaces of the flexible workpiece. The method of claim 1, wherein when the flexible workpiece is positioned within the given electrochemical deposition module, each opposing flat surface of the flexible workpiece faces the anode, and each flexible workpiece is filled with metal Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > through-holes. ≪ / RTI > 2. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein each electrochemical deposition module is configured to hold less than 30 liters of plating solution. 2. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises elastic members that impart a clamping force on opposite planar surfaces of the flexible workpiece. 12. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 11, wherein the electrochemical deposition system comprises a pneumatic bladder configured to open the clamping mechanism when inflated. 2. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 1, wherein the common platform comprises less than 16 electrochemical deposition modules and is configured to deposit 100 flexible workpieces per hour. 14. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 13, wherein the common platform covers less than 250 square feet of floor space. An electrochemical deposition system comprising:
At least two electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform and configured to deposit one or more metals on a substrate, each electrochemical deposition module comprising:
A plating solution compartment configured to receive a volume of plating solution;
A loading port configured to receive a set of workpieces;
A loader module configured to receive a workpiece from the loading port and position the workpiece in a workpiece holder while holding the workpiece using an air cushion on an opposite planar surface of each of the workpieces,
The workpiece holder having a header member separating the first and second leg members, the workpiece holder applying electrical contacts to opposite planar surfaces of the workpiece when held by the workpiece holder, Wherein the electrical contacts are configured to hold opposite edges of the workpiece between the first and second leg members via a clamping mechanism surrounded by an elastomeric seal to the workpiece, The loader module being configured to expose both sides of the piece to the plating solution;
A transport mechanism configured to transport the workpieces from the loader module to the given electrochemical deposition module through the workpiece holders and to lower a given workpiece into the given electrochemical deposition module;
An electrical system configured to apply current to each opposite planar surface of the workpiece as it is held in the given electrochemical deposition module such that each opposite planar surface is plated with metal or one opposite planar surface is plated with metal;
An unloader module configured to remove the workpiece from the workpiece holder and to transfer the workpiece to an unloading port configured to receive a workpiece of the set. 16. The electrochemical deposition system of claim 15, wherein the anode and the workpiece contact the same plating solution.

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