US 10,768,140 B2Granted

Plating analysis method, plating analysis system, and computer readable storage medium for plating analysis

AssigneeEbara Corporation

InventorsMitsuhiro Shamoto, Masashi Shimoyama

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Abstract

The present disclosure provides techniques for determining plating conditions by numerically analyzing a film-thickness distribution. The disclosed techniques comprise performing electrochemical measurement in an electroplating apparatus; determining electrochemical parameters based on a result of the electrochemical measurement; receiving initial plating conditions for performing a plating process; based on the electrochemical parameters and the initial plating conditions, determining a current density distribution on a surface of a substrate based on a function formula which comprises a variable which represents a position on the substrate; based on the current density distribution, calculating a thickness of a film to be plated on the substrate; and performing the plating process based on final plating conditions corresponding to a calculated film-thickness distribution satisfying a desired film-thickness distribution.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for determining plating conditions by numerically analyzing a film-thickness distribution, comprising:

performing an electrochemical measurement in an electroplating apparatus;
determining electrochemical parameters based on a result of the electrochemical measurement;
receiving plating conditions for performing a plating process;
based on the electrochemical parameters and the plating conditions, determining a current density distribution on a surface of a substrate which is an object of the plating process, wherein the current density distribution is determined based on a function formula which comprises a variable which represents a position on the substrate;
based on the current density distribution, calculating a thickness distribution of a film to be on the substrate,
wherein the predetermined function formula is given as
I
P
⁡
(
r
)
=
κ
⁢
I
0
(
r
t
2
-
r
2
)
⁢
ξ
4
+
exp
⁡
(
-
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
)
,
(
1
)
wherein Ip(r) denotes the current density distribution at position r on the substrate, wherein a dimensionless polarization parameter ξ, a current displacement point rt, and an overvoltage norm φt2 at the current displacement point rt are given respectively as
ξ
=
b
⁢
⁢
R
s
⁢
I
0
⁢
L
2
,
(
3
)
r
t
=
10
⁢
⁢
C
⁢
ξ
2
-
10
⁢
⁢
ξ
⁢
⁢
C
2
4
⁢
⁢
ξ
,
(
4
)
C
=
ξ
2
+
exp
⁡
(
-
b
⁢
⁢
η
0
2
)
,
and
(
5
)
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
=
-
2
⁢
⁢
ln
⁡
[
(
1
-
r
t
)
⁢
ξ
2
+
exp
⁢
{
-
b
⁡
(
ϕ
z
-
ϕ
l
-
E
eq
)
2
}
]
,
(
6
)
wherein I0 denotes exchange current density, b denotes polarization resistance, η0 denotes overvoltage relating to applied current, φS denotes electric potential of the substrate, φ1 denotes electric potential in a plating solution, Eeq denotes equilibrium potential, RS denotes surface resistance of a seed layer of the substrate, κ denotes an optional correction factor, and L denotes the distance between an electric contact of the substrate and the center of the substrate;
and
performing the plating process based on plating conditions corresponding to a calculated film-thickness distribution satisfying a desired film-thickness distribution.

155 more elements

A system for determining plating conditions, comprising:

an electroplating apparatus;
and
a computer communicatively coupled to the electroplating apparatus and configured to at least perform operations comprising:
determine electrochemical parameters based on a result of an electrochemical measurement received from the electroplating apparatus,
receive plating conditions to be applied by the electroplating apparatus when performing a plating process,
based on the electrochemical parameters and the plating conditions, determine a current density distribution on a surface of a substrate, which is an object of the plating process, based on a function formula which comprises a variable which represents a position on the substrate,
based on the current density distribution, calculate a thickness distribution of a film to be plated on the substrate by the electroplating apparatus,
wherein the predetermined function formula is given as
I
P
⁡
(
r
)
=
κ
⁢
I
0
(
r
t
2
-
r
2
)
⁢
ξ
4
+
exp
⁡
(
-
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
)
,
(
1
)
wherein Ip(r) denotes the current density distribution at position r on the substrate, wherein a dimensionless polarization parameter ξ, a current displacement point rt, and an overvoltage norm φt2 at the current displacement point rt are given respectively as
ξ
=
b
⁢
⁢
R
s
⁢
I
0
⁢
L
2
,
(
3
)
r
t
=
10
⁢
⁢
C
⁢
ξ
2
-
10
⁢
⁢
ξ
⁢
⁢
C
2
4
⁢
⁢
ξ
,
(
4
)
C
=
ξ
2
+
exp
⁡
(
-
b
⁢
⁢
η
0
2
)
,
and
(
5
)
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
=
-
2
⁢
⁢
ln
⁡
[
(
1
-
r
t
)
⁢
ξ
2
+
exp
⁢
{
-
b
⁡
(
ϕ
z
-
ϕ
l
-
E
eq
)
2
}
]
,
(
6
)
wherein I0 denotes exchange current density, b denotes polarization resistance, η0 denotes overvoltage relating to applied current, φS denotes electric potential of the substrate, φ1 denotes electric potential in a plating solution, Eeq denotes equilibrium potential, RS denotes surface resistance of a seed layer of the substrate, κ denotes an optional correction factor, and L denotes the distance between an electric contact of the substrate and the center of the substrate, and
storing final plating conditions for performing the plating process, the final plating conditions corresponding to plating conditions applied in calculating the thickness distribution where the thickness distribution satisfies a desired thickness distribution.

156 more elements

A computer readable storage medium storing thereon computer executable instructions for determining plating conditions by numerically analyzing a film-thickness distribution, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the processor to:

determine electrochemical parameters based on a result of an electrochemical measurement received from an electroplating apparatus;
receive plating conditions to be applied by the electroplating apparatus when performing a plating process;
based on the electrochemical parameters and the plating conditions, determine a current density distribution on a surface of a substrate, which is an object of the plating process, based on a function formula which comprises a variable which represents a position on the substrate;
based on the current density distribution, calculate a thickness distribution of a film to be plated on the substrate,
wherein the predetermined function formula is given as
I
P
⁡
(
r
)
=
κ
⁢
I
0
(
r
t
2
-
r
2
)
⁢
ξ
4
+
exp
⁡
(
-
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
)
,
(
1
)
wherein Ip(r) denotes the current density distribution at position r on the substrate, wherein a dimensionless polarization parameter ξ, a current displacement point rt, and an overvoltage norm φt2 at the current displacement point rt are given respectively as
ξ
=
b
⁢
⁢
R
s
⁢
I
0
⁢
L
2
,
(
3
)
r
t
=
10
⁢
⁢
C
⁢
ξ
2
-
10
⁢
⁢
ξ
⁢
⁢
C
2
4
⁢
⁢
ξ
,
(
4
)
C
=
ξ
2
+
exp
⁡
(
-
b
⁢
⁢
η
0
2
)
,
and
(
5
)
ϕ
t
⁢
⁢
2
=
-
2
⁢
⁢
ln
⁡
[
(
1
-
r
t
)
⁢
ξ
2
+
exp
⁢
{
-
b
⁡
(
ϕ
z
-
ϕ
l
-
E
eq
)
2
}
]
,
(
6
)
wherein I0 denotes exchange current density, b denotes polarization resistance, η0 denotes overvoltage relating to applied current, φS denotes electric potential of the substrate, φ1 denotes electric potential in a plating solution, Eeq denotes equilibrium potential, RS denotes surface resistance of a seed layer of the substrate, κ denotes an optional correction factor, and L denotes the distance between an electric contact of the substrate and the center of the substrate;
and
storing final plating conditions for performing the plating process, the final plating conditions corresponding to plating conditions applied in calculating the thickness distribution where the thickness distribution satisfies a desired thickness distribution.

154 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/180,801Filed 5 Nov 2018
Priority: JP 2017-2144167 Nov 2017
Published: US 2019/0137445 A19 May 2019
Granted: 8 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01N 27/42
Systems: measuring deposition or liberation of materials from an electrolyte; Coulometry, i.e. measuring coulomb-equivalent of material in an…
C25D 21/12
Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating: process control or regulation
G01B 7/06
For measuring length, width or thickness: for measuring thickness
G01N 33/208
Metals: coatings, e.g. platings

Family

US 2019/0137445 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 May 2019
US 10,768,140 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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