System for driving and controlling a movable electrode assembly in an electrochemical process tool
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsMichael Pietzner, Mario Illgen, Kerstin Siury, Frank Kuechenmeister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
By providing an enhanced drive system for electrochemical etch process tools, the operational range, as well as the reliability, may be enhanced. For this purpose, a high torque electric motor may be used in combination with an appropriate power transmission, which may be attached to a corresponding tool frame at a height level that is above a corresponding height level at which respective chemicals are provided to the substrate under process. Hence, the probability for contamination by chemicals may be significantly reduced, thereby also reducing maintenance efforts resulting in reduced production costs.
Claims20
A drive system for a process tool for performing electrochemical processes, comprising:
- a frame configured to receive a substrate holder configured to hold in place a substrate at a predefined process position in an interior of said frame;
- a movable electrode assembly configured to be scanned across said predefined process position along a linear scan path;
- a drive assembly having a rotating electric motor and a power transmission connected thereto, said power transmission extending along one outer sidewall of said frame, said drive assembly being connected to said movable electrode assembly;
- and
- a control unit connected to said electric motor and configured to drive said electric motor on the basis of a control regime for locally maintaining a predefined scan speed along said linear scan path.
A drive system for a process tool for performing electrochemical processes, comprising:
- a frame configured to receive a substrate holder configured to hold in place a substrate at a predefined process position in an interior of said frame;
- a movable electrode assembly configured to be scanned across said predefined process position along a linear scan path;
- a drive assembly having a first electric motor and a first power transmission connected thereto, said first power transmission extending along a first outer sidewall of said frame and being located above a height position of said substrate when placed in said predefined process position, said drive assembly being connected to said movable electrode assembly;
- and
- a control unit connected to said first electric motor and configured to drive said first electric motor on the basis of a control regime for locally maintaining a predefined scan speed along said linear scan path.
An electrochemical etch process tool for processing substrates of micro-structure devices, said etch tool comprising:
- a frame configured to receive a substrate and to hold said substrate in a predefined process position;
- and
- a movable electrode assembly driven by a drive assembly comprising an electric motor and a power transmission train defining a linear scan path, at least said power transmission train being positioned at a height level that is above a height level of said predefined process position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.