# US 12,181,362 B2 · Device and method for pressure force inspection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,362 B2 - Document ID: US12181362B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/537,036 - Filed: 2021-11-29 - Published: 2022-03-17 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-15 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yung Chang Huang; Tsun-En Kuo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181362B2 ## CPC - G01L 5/009: {Force sensors associated with material gripping devices} - H10P 72/7606: {characterised by edge clamping, e.g. clamping ring} - C25D 7/123: {Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer} - C25D 17/001: {Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells} - C25D 17/06: Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated - C25D 21/12: Process control or regulation (controlling or regulating in general G05) - G01L 5/226: {to manipulators, e.g. the force due to gripping} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment - H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks - H10W 20/043: {for electroplating} - H10P 14/47: Electrolytic deposition, i.e. electroplating; Electroless plating - H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches} - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A method includes disposing a wafer in a cup of a clamshell of an electroplating apparatus. The wafer is clamped using the cup and a cone of the clamshell. Pressure forces applied by the cone against the wafer are detected by pressure sensors. The pressure forces include a maximum pressure and a minimum pressure. Clamping the wafer is stopped when a difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure is higher than a predetermined value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: disposing a wafer in a cup of a clamshell of an electroplating apparatus; clamping the wafer using the cup and a cone of the clamshell; detecting, by pressure sensors, pressure forces applied by the cone against the wafer, wherein the pressure forces include a maximum pressure and a minimum pressure; stopping clamping the wafer when a difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure is higher than a predetermined value; and calibrating a wafer center mechanism of the clamshell based on the difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising keeping clamping the wafer until the difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure is higher than the predetermined value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the pressure forces applied by the cone against the wafer comprises detecting the pressure forces at two different positions between the cone and the wafer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising calibrating a position of the wafer after stopping clamping the wafer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising calibrating a position of the wafer centering mechanism of the clamshell after stopping clamping the wafer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the pressure sensors on a pressing surface of the cone before clamping the wafer, wherein the pressing surface of the cone faces the wafer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the pressure sensors between the cone and the cup before clamping the wafer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the pressure sensors under contacts of the cup before clamping the wafer, wherein the contacts are in contact with the wafer when clamping the wafer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the wafer and the clamshell into a plating solution after stopping clamping the wafer. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: placing a wafer in a cup of a clamshell of an electroplating apparatus such that a wafer centering mechanism of the cup holds the wafer in the cup, wherein the electroplating apparatus further comprises a plurality of pressure sensors between the clamshell and a cone of the electroplating apparatus; clamping the wafer using the cup and the cone of the electroplating apparatus; detecting pressure force values of the pressure sensors after placing the wafer in the cup; obtaining a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the pressure force values of the pressure sensors; and calibrating the wafer centering mechanism of the clamshell based on the difference of the pressure force values. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: placing the pressure sensors under contacts of the electroplating apparatus, wherein placing the wafer in the cup of the clamshell of the electroplating apparatus comprises placing the wafer on the contacts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: placing the pressure sensors under the cone of the electroplating apparatus, and clamping the wafer is such that the pressure sensors are in contact with the wafer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: placing the pressure sensors under the cone of the electroplating apparatus, and clamping the wafer is such that the pressure sensors are in contact with the cone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising calibrating an orientation of the cone of the clamshell with respect to the cup of the clamshell based on the difference of the pressure force values. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure sensors are disposed in a radial-array distribution. ### Claim 16 A method, comprising: placing a wafer in a cup of a clamshell of an electroplating apparatus; clamping the wafer using the cup and a cone of the clamshell; detecting, by pressure sensors, pressure forces applied by the cone against the wafer, wherein the pressure sensors are arranged as a circle; inspecting if the cone is inclined relative to the cup according to a maximum pressure and a minimum pressure of the pressure forces; and calibrating a wafer centering mechanism of the clamshell based on a difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure of the pressure forces. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: stopping clamping the wafer when the difference between the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure is higher than a predetermined value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the pressure forces comprises detecting the pressure forces at two opposite positions on the circle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the cone has a pressing surface facing the cup, and an o-ring on the pressing surface of the cone and surrounds the pressure sensors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein a plurality of wires interconnects the pressure sensors and a feedback module.