In-situ profile measurement in an electroplating process
OwnerManoocher Birang, Nicolay Y. Kovarsky +1inventors
InventorsMANOOCHER BIRANG, Nicolay Y. Kovarsky, Bernardo Donoso
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring differential voltages in an electrolyte of an electrochemical plating cell. Current densities are calculated from the measured differential voltages and correlated to thickness values of plated materials. A real time thickness profile may be generated from the thickness values.
Claims20
An electrochemical plating system, comprising,
- a fluid basin assembly having a fluid volume configured to retain an electrolyte therein;
- a contact ring is configured to position a substrate in a plane across an upper portion of the fluid basin assembly and electrically contact the substrate for electrochemical plating;
- an anode disposed in a lower portion of the fluid basin assembly;
- and
- a sensor assembly disposed in the fluid volume, wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least a first sensor and a second sensor configured to measure local voltage levels in the fluid volume.
An electrochemical plating system, comprising,
- a fluid basin assembly having a fluid volume configured to retain an electrolyte therein;
- a contact ring having one or more electric contacting elements configured electrically contact a perimeter of a substrate being processed, wherein the contact ring is configured to support the substrate and position the substrate across an upper portion of the fluid volume;
- an anode disposed in a lower portion of the fluid basin assembly;
- a power supply coupled to connected to the contact ring and the anode to apply a bias between the contact ring and the anode;
- and
- a sensor assembly comprising at least a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first and second sensors are conductors electronically floating in the fluid volume;
- and
- a signal sampling and processing circuit connected to the sensor assembly, wherein the signal sampling and processing circuit is configured to obtain a voltage difference between the first sensor and the second sensor.
A patterned substrate for calibrating a sensor assembly in an electrochemical plating cell, wherein the electroplating cell comprises a fluid basin assembly having a fluid volume, a contact ring is configured to position a substrate in a plane across an upper portion of the fluid basin assembly, an anode disposed in a lower portion of the fluid basin assembly, and the sensor assembly disposed in the fluid volume, comprising:
- a first conductive patch;
- and
- a first contact point positioned in an edge of the patterned substrate and configured to connect the contact ring of the electroplating cell, wherein the first conductive patch is in electric communication with the first contact point through a protected trace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.