Metrology in electroless cobalt plating
AssigneeEnthone Inc.
InventorsNicolai Petrov, Paul Figura, Qingyun Chen, Charles Valverde, Richard Hurtubise
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Abstract
Electrolessly depositing a cobalt-based alloy on a metal surface of a substrate in a process which involves monitoring for Co3+ ion concentration in a sample of the electroless cobalt deposition composition during said contacting; and replacing or regenerating the electroless cobalt deposition composition when the concentration of Co3+ ions exceeds a predetermined concentration of Co3+ ions.
Claims20
A method for electrolessly depositing a cobalt-based alloy on a metal surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- contacting the metal surface with an electroless cobalt deposition composition comprising cobalt ions to deposit cobalt on the metal surface;
- quantifying a concentration of Co3+ ions in a sample of the electroless cobalt deposition composition during said contacting;
- and
- replacing or regenerating the electroless cobalt deposition composition when the concentration of Co3+ ions exceeds a predetermined concentration of Co3+ ions.
A method for electrolessly depositing a cobalt-based alloy on a metal surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- contacting the metal surface with an electroless cobalt deposition composition comprising cobalt ions to deposit cobalt on the metal surface;
- removing a sample from the electroless cobalt deposition composition;
- adding a chelating agent to the sample in an amount sufficient to quantitatively chelate cobalt ions present in the sample;
- subjecting the sample to quantitative chemical analysis to quantify the concentration of Co3+ ions in the sample;
- and
- replacing or regenerating the electroless cobalt deposition composition when the concentration of Co3+ ions exceeds a predetermined concentration of Co3+ ions.
A method for electrolessly depositing a cobalt-based alloy on a metal surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- contacting the metal surface with an electroless cobalt deposition composition comprising cobalt ions and a complexing agent selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, glycine, propionic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, methanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydroxide, pyrophosphate, polyphosphate, and mixtures thereof to deposit cobalt on the metal surface;
- removing a sample from the electroless cobalt deposition composition;
- adding ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to the sample in an amount sufficient to quantitatively chelate cobalt ions present in the sample;
- subjecting the sample to quantitative chemical analysis to quantify the concentration of Co3+ ions in the sample;
- and
- replacing or regenerating the electroless cobalt deposition composition when the concentration of Co3+ ions exceeds a predetermined concentration of Co3+ ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.