Anode assembly and method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating

A method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating of copper over a substrate, comprising:

• applying a current between a consumable anode comprising copper and the substrate so that the consumable anode is at a potential of greater or equal to about 3.7 V in reference to the normal hydrogen scale.

A method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating of copper over a substrate, comprising:

• providing a consumable anode comprising copper, wherein the consumable anode has an exposed surface area to an electrolyte solution less than an exposed surface area of the substrate to the electrolyte solution;
• and
• applying a current between the consumable anode and the substrate so that the consumable anode is at a potential of greater or equal to about 0.9 V in reference to the normal hydrogen scale and so that a current density to the substrate is between about 10 mA/cm2 and about 60 mA/cm2.

A method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating of copper over a substrate, comprising:

• providing a consumable anode comprising copper, wherein the consumable anode has an exposed surface area to an electrolyte solution less than or equal to one-half of an exposed surface area of the substrate to the electrolyte solution;
• and
• applying a current between the consumable anode and the substrate so that the consumable anode is at a potential of greater or equal to about 0.9 V in reference to the normal hydrogen scale.

A method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating of copper over a substrate, comprising:

• providing a consumable anode comprising copper;
• and
• applying a current between the consumable anode and the substrate so that the consumable anode is at a potential of greater or equal to about 0.9 V in reference to the normal hydrogen scale and so that a current density provided to the consumable anode is greater than or equal to 40 mA/cm2.

A method of reducing sludge formation during electroplating of copper over a substrate, comprising:

• providing a current between the consumable anode comprising copper and tellurium and a substrate to electroplate copper from the consumable anode onto the substrate.

An apparatus adapted to reduce the formation of sludge in an electroplating cell adapted to receive a substrate having an exposed surface area in contact with an electrolyte solution, the apparatus comprising:

• a consumable anode adapted to have an exposed surface area in contact with the electrolyte solution, the exposed surface area of the consumable anode is less than the exposed surface area of the substrate.

An apparatus adapted to reduce the formation of sludge in an electroplating cell adapted to receive a substrate having an exposed surface area in contact with an electrolyte solution, the apparatus comprising:

• a consumable anode adapted to have an exposed surface area in contact with the electrolyte solution, wherein the exposed surface area of the consumable anode is less than the exposed surface area of the substrate and wherein the consumable anode has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the substrate.

An apparatus adapted to reduce the formation of sludge in an electroplating cell adapted to receive a substrate having an exposed surface area in contact with an electrolyte solution, the apparatus comprising:

• a consumable anode adapted to have an exposed surface area in contact with the electrolyte solution, the exposed surface area of the consumable anode is less than the exposed surface area of the substrate, the consumable anode having a diameter less than a diameter of the substrate.

An apparatus adapted to reduce the formation of sludge in an electroplating cell adapted to receive a substrate having an exposed surface area in contact with an electrolyte solution, the apparatus comprising:

• a consumable anode;
• an insulator partially covering the consumable anode to limit an exposed surface area of the consumable anode in contact with the electrolyte solution to be less than the exposed surface area of the substrate.

An electroplating apparatus, comprising:

• a reference electrode adapted to be disposed in a cavity of an electroplating cell proximate to a consumable anode disposed in the cavity of the electroplating cell.

A consumable anode, comprising an alloy comprising copper and tellurium.