TWI678437B - System for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid, a device for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid, and an apparatus for A method for chemically and / or electrolytically treating a substrate in a process fluid. The system for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes a tank, a fluid channel, an expansion tank, and a control unit. The tank is configured for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating the substrate in the process fluid. The fluid passage connects the groove and the expansion tank. The expansion tank is configured to maintain an expanded volume of one of the process fluids. The control unit and the fluid channel are configured to maintain a level of one of the process fluids in the tank substantially constant.

Description

Systems for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment

The present invention relates to a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid, a device for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid, and an apparatus for A method for chemically and / or electrolytically treating a substrate in a process fluid.

In the semiconductor industry, various procedures can be used to deposit material on or remove material from the surface of a wafer.

For example, an electrochemical deposition (ECD) or electrochemical mechanical deposition (ECMD) procedure can be used to deposit a conductor, such as copper, on a previously patterned wafer surface to make a device interconnect structure.

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is commonly used in a material removal step. Another technique (electropolishing or electroetching) can also be used to remove excess material from the surface of the wafer.

Electrochemical (or electrochemical mechanical) deposition of materials on or to the electrochemical (or electrochemical mechanical) removal of materials from the wafer surface is collectively referred to as "electrochemical processing." Electrochemical, chemical, and / or electrolytic processing techniques may include electropolishing (or electroetching), electrochemical mechanical polishing (or electrochemical mechanical etching), electrochemical deposition, and electrochemical mechanical deposition. All technologies utilize one process fluid.

Chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment techniques involve the following steps. One substrate to be processed is attached to a substrate holder, immersed in an electrolytic process fluid and used as a cathode. An electrode is immersed in the process fluid and used as an anode. A direct current is applied to the process fluid and dissociates positively charged metal ions at the anode. The ions then migrate to the cathode where they are electroplated and attached to the substrate of the cathode.

One difficulty with this procedure is that bubbles may be trapped under the wafer when the wafer is lowered into the process solution. If the procedure is for, for example, one of copper deposition procedures, these bubbles prevent copper from being deposited into the bubble-containing areas on the wafer surface, thereby creating unplated or underplated areas that represent defects in the plating material. These defects reduce the reliability of the interconnect structure. Similarly, in an electropolishing process, trapped air bubbles are removed from the material containing the air bubbles in a delayed manner, thereby creating non-uniformities and defects and causing reliability issues.

US 2004/182712 A1 discloses a pre-wetting method and system for preventing the formation of bubbles on a selected area of a surface when a wafer surface is in contact with a process solution for an electrochemical process. During this procedure, the wafer surface is initially brought close to the surface of the process solution. Then, a process solution flow is directed toward the selected area on the wafer surface for a predetermined time. In the following steps, a selected area of the wafer surface is in contact with the process solution flow for the predetermined time to prevent bubble formation, and the wafer surface is immersed in the process solution for electrochemical processing.

However, this pre-wetting method is not an optimal method.

Therefore, it may be desirable to provide an improved system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid that still allows for a better and more uniform material deposition on the substrate.

The problem of the present invention is solved by the subject matter of the independent technical solution, wherein further embodiments are incorporated in the subsidiary technical solution. It should be noted that aspects of the invention described below also apply to systems for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid, and for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid. Apparatus, and method for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid.

According to the present invention, a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid is proposed.

The chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment may be any material deposition, galvanized coating, chemical or electrochemical etching, anodizing, metal separation or the like.

The substrate may include a conductor plate, a semiconductor substrate, a film substrate, a substantially plate-like, metal or metallized workpiece, or the like. One surface of the substrate to be processed may be at least partially masked or unmasked.

A system for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes a tank, a fluid channel, an expansion tank, and a control unit.

The tank is configured for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid. In other words, it is a receptacle in which a substrate is processed (e.g., coated). The slot may be a vertical plating chamber in which a substrate may be vertically inserted.

The fluid channel connects the groove and the expansion tank. It can be a connection or a pipe between the tank and the expansion tank.

The expansion tank is configured to maintain an expanded volume of one of the process fluids. It may be another receptacle arranged near the tank. The expansion tank may have a volume less than one of the tank.

The control unit may be a processor. It can detect the level of the process fluid in the tank and / or the expansion tank. It can manipulate process fluids to enter or exit tanks and / or expansion tanks.

The control unit and the fluid channel are configured to maintain a substantially constant level of one of the process fluids in the tank. The term "substantially constant" can be understood as that one of the liquid process fluids in the tank remains at the same level, regardless of an external influence. The term "substantially constant" can be understood to be in a range greater than or less than 15% of the total constant, preferably in a range greater than or less than 10% of the total constant, and more preferably in the range of greater than or less than 5% of the total constant In range. The control unit and the fluid channel can also be configured to maintain a constant level of one of the process fluids in the tank. The term "substantially constant" is understood to be less than greater than or less than 5% completely constant. The control unit and the fluid channel can also be configured to maintain a constant level of one of the process fluids in the tank (in the sense of being completely constant).

A system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid according to the present invention allows to prevent components (for example, A dispensing body). Drying can cause harmful crystallization of particles of the process fluid. The distribution body may be a component configured to direct process fluid and / or current to the substrate.

The system for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment according to the present invention may further allow preventing the introduction of air to components of a device for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment (for example, such as a distribution body, an anode, and / or Including the distribution body and / or an enclosure of the anode). The introduction of air can lead to harmful oxidation of the particles of the process fluid and / or so-called bubble shielding of one of the substrates.

Therefore, the system for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment according to the present invention allows a uniform liquid flow on the substrate surface, a calibration distribution of an electric field between the substrate and a counter electrode, and thereby one Easy and more uniform material deposition.

In one example, the substrate holder holds the substrate. The external influence that can change the level of the process fluid in the tank prevented here can be the insertion and / or removal of only one substrate holder or one or two substrates (one substrate on each side of the substrate holder) . In one example, the control unit is configured to maintain the liquid level of the process fluid substantially constant when a substrate holder is removed from the tank. In one example, the fluid channel is configured to maintain the liquid level of the process fluid substantially constant when the substrate holder is inserted into the tank. The substrate holder can replace, for example, one volume of 20 liters, and the expansion tank can have, for example, one volume of 30 liters.

The external influence that can be changed here to change the level of the process fluid in the tank can also be evaporation, flushing, overflow, failure, or the like of one of the process fluids.

In an example, the system further includes one of the pumping components configured to continuously circulate the process fluid between the tank and the expansion tank. The pumping member may be a pump. It can permanently pump the process fluid from the tank to the expansion tank and back.

In one example, the pumping member is configured to increase a pumping volume to balance the removal of the substrate holder. In other words, when an expansion volume has been pumped from the tank to the expansion tank, this can be achieved by increasing the pumping volume each time (for example, by increasing a motor speed). In contrast, the pumping member can also be configured to move the process fluid between the tank and the expansion tank only if an expansion volume needs to be moved to keep the level of the process fluid in the tank substantially constant.

In one example, one of the fluid channel connecting grooves is full of the overflow port and the expansion tank.

In one example, the control unit is configured to maintain the level of the process fluid above an uppermost portion of a distribution body to be disposed in the tank. The dispensing body may be a component configured to direct process fluid and / or current to the substrate. In another example, the control unit is configured to maintain the liquid level of the process fluid substantially at a liquid level of an uppermost portion of a distribution body to be disposed in the tank. Both possibilities allow to prevent any damage to the dispensing body caused by drying, introduction of air or the like. In one example, the control unit is configured to prevent drying of the dispensing body to be disposed in the tank. In one example, the control unit is configured to prevent introduction of air into the distribution body to be disposed in the tank.

In one example, the system further includes a temperature control system configured to detect a temperature of the process fluid and to control a change in the temperature of the process fluid, for example, by heating and / or cooling.

In one example, the system further includes a composition control system configured to detect a chemical property of the process fluid and control a change in the chemical property of the process fluid. The chemical nature of the process fluid may be a component, a pH value, an amount of an additive, or the like. This change in chemical properties can be achieved by adding a certain component.

According to the present invention, a device for chemically and / or electrolytically treating a substrate in a process fluid is also proposed. The device for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid and a substrate holder as described above. The substrate holder is configured to hold the substrate. The substrate holder can be configured to hold one or two substrates (one substrate on each side of the substrate holder).

According to the present invention, a method for chemically and / or electrolytically treating a substrate in a process fluid is also proposed. The method for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes the following steps, but not necessarily in this order: a) An expanded volume of the process fluid is directed from a tank of the substrate for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment to An expansion tank, and b) reinserting the expansion volume of the process fluid from the expansion tank into the tank, so that a level of one of the process fluids in the tank is maintained substantially constant.

In one example, the method for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment further includes the following steps:-inserting a substrate holder into the slot, which is related to step a), and-removing the substrate holder from the slot, the Related to step b).

The substrate holder can hold one or two substrates (one substrate on each side of the substrate holder).

In one example, the process flow system is continuously circulated between the tank and the expansion tank.

In an example, the method further includes a temperature control method configured to detect a temperature of the process fluid and to control a change in the temperature of the process fluid, for example, by heating and / or cooling.

In one example, the method further includes a composition control method configured to detect a chemical property of the process fluid and control a change in the chemical property of the process fluid. The chemical nature of the process fluid may be a component, a pH value, an amount of an additive, or the like. This change in chemical properties can be achieved by adding a certain component.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for realizing a locally defined liquid flow on an approximately flat substrate for the purpose of controlling the transportation of materials on the entire surface of the substrate, and a device for constructing a method according to the present invention. At the same time, the present invention allows a calibrated distribution of an electric field on the surface of a conductive substrate.

The device and method are particularly suitable for processing structured semiconductor substrates, conductor plates, and film substrates, and are also suitable for processing entire surfaces of flat metal and metallized substrates. The device and method can also be used to manufacture large surface photovoltaic panels, or large display panels for solar power generation according to the present invention.

It should be understood that systems, devices and methods for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid according to independent technical solutions have similar and / or identical preferred implementations as defined in the accompanying technical solutions example. It should be further understood that a preferred embodiment of the present invention may also be any combination of the subsidiary technical solutions and the respective independent technical solutions.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described below.

1, 3 and 4 schematically and exemplarily show an embodiment of an apparatus 100 for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate 30 in a process fluid according to the present invention. The apparatus 100 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes a substrate holder 20 and a system 10 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate 30 in a process fluid.

The substrate holder 20 is shown in FIG. 2 and is configured to hold the substrate 30. The substrate holder 20 here holds two substrates 30 (one substrate 30 on each side of the substrate holder 20). The substrate holder 20 may also be configured to hold only one substrate that can be processed from one or both sides.

A system 10 for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate 30 in a process fluid as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4 generates a calibrated flow and current density for a chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment pattern. The system 10 includes two dispensing bodies 21 immersed in a process fluid (not shown). One substrate 30 attached to one substrate holder 20 is opposed to each of the distribution bodies 21. The surface of the substrate 30 is wetted by the process fluid. There are two electrodes, here two anodes 22, each of which is positioned on the side of the distribution body 21 opposite to the substrate 30, and they are also immersed in the process fluid.

The distribution body 21 has at least one inlet opening 23 for the process fluid and at least one liquid channel at an outlet nozzle array (not shown) at a front side of the distribution body 21. The pumped process fluid flows through the outlet nozzles at a relatively high speed along the direction of the substrate 30 and performs the desired chemical and / or electrolytic reaction at that location.

The substrate 30 may be a substantially plate-shaped workpiece for generating one of an electrical component or an electronic component, the substantially plate-shaped workpiece is mechanically fixed in a substrate holder 20, and a surface to be processed is immersed in the substrate from the distribution body 21 in the process fluid of the processing medium. In a special case, the substrate 30 may be a shielded or unshielded conductor plate, a semiconductor substrate or a film substrate, or even any metal or metallized workpiece having an approximately flat surface.

The dispensing body may advantageously consist of plastic, in a particularly advantageous manner from polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylic glass (i.e. polymethyl methacrylate), polytetrafluoroethylene or another which is not decomposed by the process solution One material composition.

The anode 22 is attached to a rear area of the distribution body 21 and is in mechanical contact with or spatially separated from the distribution body 21 so that current flows between the anode 22 and the substrate 30 as a counter electrode in the process fluid. Depending on the surface treatment method used, the anode 22 may be composed of one material (such as platinum-plated titanium) or another soluble material (such as, for example, a metal to be galvanized) that is insoluble in the process liquid.

3 and 4 schematically and exemplarily illustrate one embodiment of a system 10 for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate 30 in a process fluid according to the present invention. The system 10 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment includes a tank 11, a fluid channel 12, an expansion tank 13 and a control unit 14. The substrate holder 20 having the substrate 30 is arranged in the groove 11 in FIG. 3 and is arranged outside the groove 11 in FIG. 4.

The tank 11 is configured for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating the substrate 30 in a process fluid and forming a receptacle in which the substrate 30 is processed. The tank 11 is a vertical plating chamber in which one of the substrates 30 (not shown) is vertically inserted.

The fluid passage 12 connects the tank 11 and the expansion tank 13 in the form of a pipe between the tank 11 and the expansion tank 13.

The expansion tank 13 maintains an expansion volume of one of the process fluids and is disposed near the tank 11. The expansion tank 13 has a volume smaller than that of the tank 11.

The control unit 14 is a processor here. It detects the level of the process fluid in the tank 11 and operates the process fluid to enter or discharge the tank 11 and / or the expansion tank 13. It can thus control a pumping member 15.

The control unit 14 and the fluid channel 12 maintain a level of one of the process fluids in the tank 11 substantially constant. The term “substantially constant” can be understood as that one of the liquid process fluids in the tank 11 is maintained at the same level, regardless of an external influence.

When the substrate holder 20 without the substrate 30 or with one or two substrates 30 is removed from the slot 11 (FIG. 4) and when the substrate holder 20 is inserted into the slot 11 (FIG. 3), the control unit 14 enables The level of the process fluid remains substantially constant. The level L of one of the process fluids in the expansion tank 13 is therefore reduced from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4.

The system 10 further includes a pumping member 15 for continuously circulating the process fluid between the tank 11 and the expansion tank 13 (which means from the tank 11 to the expansion tank 13 and back). The pumping member 15 can increase a pumping volume to balance the removal of the substrate holder 20.

The fluid passage 12 connects one of the grooves 11 with the overflow port 16 and the expansion tank 13.

The control unit 14 maintains the liquid level of the process fluid higher than an uppermost portion of one of the distribution bodies 21 disposed in the tank 11. The control unit 14 can also maintain the liquid level of the process fluid substantially at a liquid level of the uppermost portion of a distribution body 21 arranged in the tank 11. Both possibilities allow to prevent any damage to the distribution body 21 caused by drying, introduction of air or the like. Thereby, the control unit 14 prevents the distribution body 21 in the tank 11 from being dried. In addition, the control unit 14 prevents the introduction of air into the distribution body 21.

The system 10 further includes a temperature control system 17 for detecting a temperature of the process fluid and controlling a change in the temperature of the process fluid, for example, by heating and / or cooling.

The system 10 further includes a component control system 18 for detecting a chemical property of the process fluid and controlling a change in the chemical property of the process fluid. The chemical nature of the process fluid may be a component, a pH value, an amount of an additive, or the like. This change in chemical properties can be achieved by adding a certain component.

The system 10 for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate 30 in a process fluid according to the present invention allows to prevent the drying of components of a device 100 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment. It may further allow preventing the introduction of air into the components of a device 100 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment. Therefore, the system 10 for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment according to the present invention allows a uniform liquid flow on the substrate surface, a calibration distribution of an electric field between the substrate 30 and a counter electrode, and thereby the substrate 30 One is easier and more uniform material deposition.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic overview of the steps of a method for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate 30 in a process fluid. The method for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment comprises the following steps:-In a first step S1, an expansion volume of one of the process fluids is guided from a tank 11 for a chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment substrate 30 To an expansion tank 13. -In a second step S2, the expansion volume of the process fluid is re-inserted from the expansion tank 13 to the tank 11 so that the level of one of the process fluids in the tank 11 remains substantially constant.

The method for chemical and / or electrolytic surface treatment may further include: inserting a substrate holder 20 into the groove 11, which is related to step S1; and removing the substrate holder 20 from the groove 11, which is related to step S2.

The substrate holder 20 can hold one or two substrates (one substrate 30 is shown on each side of the substrate holder 20 shown in FIG. 2).

It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to different targets. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to a method type request, while other embodiments are described with reference to a device type request. However, those skilled in the art will understand from the above description and the following description that, unless otherwise notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter, consideration is also given to the disclosure between the features of different subject matter disclosed by this application. Any combination. However, all features can be combined to provide a synergistic effect that exceeds the simple sum of those features.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, this illustration and description are to be regarded as illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention should not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other changes to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and implemented by those skilled in the art while researching and practicing a claimed invention from the drawings, disclosures, and patent application scope of the subsidiary invention.

In the scope of the invention patent application, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude plural elements or steps. A single processor or other unit may implement the functions of several items described in the scope of the invention patent application. Certain measures are described in the scope of patent applications for different subsidiary inventions, but this fact alone does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to obtain benefits. Any element symbol in the patent application scope of the invention should not be interpreted as a limiting scope.

10‧‧‧System

11‧‧‧slot

12‧‧‧ fluid channel

13‧‧‧Expansion tank

14‧‧‧Control unit

15‧‧‧ pumping components

16‧‧‧ full overflow

17‧‧‧Temperature Control System

18‧‧‧Composition Control System

20‧‧‧ substrate holder

21‧‧‧ Allocation ontology

22‧‧‧Anode

23‧‧‧ entrance opening

30‧‧‧ substrate

100‧‧‧ device

L‧‧‧ Level of process fluid

S1‧‧‧First Step

S2‧‧‧Second step

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 schematically and exemplarily shows an embodiment of an apparatus for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid according to the present invention. . FIG. 2 schematically and exemplarily shows an embodiment of a substrate holder that holds one of two substrates. FIG. 3 schematically and exemplarily shows an embodiment of a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid according to the present invention. FIG. 4 schematically and exemplarily shows an embodiment of a system for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate in a process fluid according to the present invention. Figure 5 shows the basic steps of an example of a method for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating a substrate in a process fluid according to the present invention.

Claims (17)

A system (10) for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate (30) in a process fluid, comprising: a tank (11), a fluid channel (12), an expansion tank (13), and A control unit (14), wherein the groove (11) is configured for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating the substrate (30) in the process fluid, wherein the fluid channel (12) is connected to the groove (11) And the expansion tank (13), wherein the expansion tank (13) is configured to maintain an expansion volume of the process fluid, and wherein the control unit (14) and the fluid channel (12) are configured to enable the tank The level of one of the process fluids in (11) remains substantially constant. The system (10) of claim 1, further comprising a pumping member (15) configured to continuously circulate the process fluid between the tank (11) and the expansion tank (13). If the system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to maintain a basic level of the process fluid when the substrate holder (20) is removed from the tank (11) On constant. The system (10) of claim 2, wherein the pumping member (15) is configured to increase a pumping volume to balance the removal of the substrate holder (20). The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid channel (12) is configured to maintain the liquid level of the process fluid substantially when the substrate holder (20) is inserted into the groove (11) On constant. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid channel (12) connects one of the overflow port (16) of the tank (11) and the expansion tank (13). The system (10) of claim 3, wherein the substrate holding member (20) holds the substrate (30). If the system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to maintain the liquid level of the process fluid above a distribution body (21) to be disposed in the tank (11) ) One of the top part. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to substantially maintain the liquid level of the process fluid at a distribution body (21) to be disposed in the tank (11). ) One of the uppermost part of the liquid level. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a temperature control system (17) configured to detect a temperature of the process fluid and control a change in the temperature of the process fluid. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a component control system (18) configured to detect a chemical property of the process fluid and control a change in the chemical property of the process fluid. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to prevent one of the distribution bodies (21) to be arranged in the tank (11) from drying out. The system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (14) is configured to prevent the introduction of air to the distribution body (21) and / or an anode (22) to be arranged in the tank (11) )in. A device (100) for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate (30) in a process fluid, comprising: a system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, and a substrate holder (20) ), Wherein the substrate holder (20) is configured to hold the substrate (30). A method for chemically and / or electrolytically surface-treating a substrate (30) in a process fluid, comprising the following steps: a) self-expanding one of the process fluids for chemically and / or electrolytically surface treating the substrate ( 30) a groove (11) is guided to an expansion tank (13), and b) the expansion volume of the process fluid is reinserted from the expansion tank (13) into the groove (11), so that the groove (11 The level of one of the process fluids in) is maintained substantially constant. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: inserting a substrate holder (20) into the groove (11), which is related to step a), and removing the substrate holder from the groove (11) (20) This is related to step b). The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the process flow system continuously circulates between the tank (11) and the expansion tank (13).