Methods and apparatus for altering lithographic patterns to adjust plating uniformity

A non-transitory, computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a method of electroplating a substrate to be performed, the method comprising:

• receiving a die design;
• forming a first lithographic pattern for a first substrate based on the die design;
• using a digital lithography process to pattern the first substrate with the first lithographic pattern;
• using an electroplating process to deposit material on the first substrate with a first electroplating deposition uniformity;
• using a metrology process to determine at least one parameter of deposited material on the first substrate;
• and
• altering the first lithographic pattern with the digital lithography process to form a second lithographic pattern that adjusts the first electroplating deposition uniformity to a second electroplating deposition uniformity of the electroplating process for a second substrate based, at least in part, on the at least one parameter of deposited material received directly from the metrology process on the first substrate by the digital lithographic process for the second substrate.

An apparatus for electroplating a substrate, comprising:

• a substrate plating model on a processing unit that is configured to determine digital lithographic patterns that alter deposition characteristics of an electroplating process based on a die design;
• a digital lithography patterning tool configured to interact with, at least, the substrate plating model to form a lithographic pattern of active die patterns and dummy patterns on a first substrate based on the die design and deposition characteristics of the electroplating process;
• an electroplating tool configured to deposit a first plating material on the first substrate;
• and
• a metrology tool configured to determine deposition parameters of the first plating material on the first substrate, wherein the metrology tool interacts directly with the substrate plating model or the digital lithography patterning tool to provide the deposition parameters to alter the dummy patterns to change at least one parameter of a second plating material deposited on a second substrate.