Application of antifoaming agent to reduce defects in a semiconductor electrochemical plating process
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Yahalom, Mei Wen, Roman Mostovoy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and formulations for preventing foam formation inside a plating apparatus prior to or during plating a material on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method for preventing foam formation inside a plating apparatus designed for plating a material on a substrate includes providing an electrolyte solution containing at least one antifoaming agent, at least one metal ion source, and a supporting electrolyte. The method further includes placing the substrate onto a substrate holder of the plating apparatus, immersing the substrate in the electrolyte solution, and depositing the material onto the substrate.
Claims28
A method for preventing foam formation inside a plating cell, comprising:
- providing an electrolyte solution to the cell, the electrolyte solution containing an antifoaming agent, a metal ion source, and a supporting electrolyte;
- placing the substrate onto a substrate holder of the plating apparatus;
- immersing the substrate in the electrolyte solution;
- and
- depositing the material onto the substrate.
A method for preventing foam formation inside an electroless plating apparatus, comprising:
- providing an electroless plating solution containing at least one antifoaming agent;
- immersing the substrate in the electroless plating solution;
- and
- depositing a material layer onto the substrate by electroless deposition in the electroless plating solution.
A method for preventing foam formation inside an electroless plating apparatus designed for electroless plating on a substrate, comprising:
- providing a catalytic layer solution containing at least one antifoaming agent;
- immersing the substrate in the catalytic layer solution;
- depositing a catalytic seed layer onto the substrate by electroless deposition in the catalytic layer solution;
- and
- depositing a conductive layer on the substrate over the catalytic seed layer.
A method for preventing foam formation inside a plating apparatus designed for plating on a substrate having a metal seed layer formed thereon, comprising:
- providing an electrolyte solution containing at least one antifoaming agent;
- immersing the substrate in the electrolyte solution;
- and
- depositing a conductive layer onto the metal seed layer of the substrate.
A composition for a plating bath, comprising:
- at least one antifoaming agent selected from the group consisting of alcohols, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols octyl alcohol, C6 to C20 alcohols, lauryl alcohol, and combinations and derivatives thereof;
- a metal ion source;
- and
- a supporting electrolyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.