Electroplating cell with copper acid correction module for substrate interconnect formation

Abstract

The present invention generally provides an apparatus and method for neutralizing an acid in a plating solution. The apparatus generally includes a plating cell having an anolyte compartment containing an anolyte and a catolyte compartment containing a catolyte, wherein the anolyte compartment has an anolyte inlet and an anolyte drain and the catolyte compartment has a catolyte inlet and a catolyte drain, and a cell membrane disposed in the cell between the anolyte compartment and the catolyte compartment, wherein the membrane is selective to hydrogen ions and copper ions. The apparatus further includes a catolyte storage unit in fluid communication with the catolyte inlet and an electrochemical device in fluid communication with the catolyte chamber, the electrochemical device being configured to receive a portion of aged catolyte solution and correct a catolyte concentration. The method generally includes supplying an electrolyte solution to a copper plating cell, plating copper onto a substrate in the plating cell with the electrolyte solution, removing aged electrolyte solution from the plating cell, and neutralizing a portion of the used electrolyte solution with an electrochemical device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.