Conductive biasing member for metal layering
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Stevens, Norman Cowan, Chien-Shien Tzou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact ring applies electroplating to a substrate having an electrically conductive portion. The contact ring comprises an annular insulative body, a conductive biasing member, and a seal member. The annular insulative body defines a central opening. The conductive biasing member is configured to exert a biasing force upon the substrate.
Claims47
A contact ring for use in an apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate having an electrically conductive portion, the contact ring comprising:
- an annular insulative body defining a central opening;
- a plurality of conductive biasing members formed into the annular insulative body, each of the plurality of conductive biasing members being electrically isolated from each other via the annular insulative body and configured to exert a biasing force upon the substrate;
- and
- a power supply in parallel electrical communication with each of the plurality conductive biasing members, the power supply being configured to control the amount of electrical current supplied to each of the plurality of conductive biasing members through an a variable resistor is series electrical communication with each of the plurality of conducive biasing members.
An apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate, comprising:
- (a) an electroplating cell body;
- (b) an anode disposed at a lower end of the body;
- (c) a cathode contact ring at least partially disposed within the cell body, the cathode contact ring comprising:
- (i) an annular insulative body defining a central opening;
- (ii) a plurality of conductive biasing members formed into the annular insulative body and configured to exert a biasing force upon the substrate;
- and
- (iii) a seal member coupled to the annular insulative body and disposed between the central opening and the plurality of conductive biasing members;
- and
- (d) at least one power supply coupled to the plurality of conductive biasing members and being configured to regulate the current supplied to each individual conductive biasing member of the plurality of conductive biasing members via a variable resistor in series electrical communication with each of the plurality of conductive biasing members.
A contact ring for use in an apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate, the contact ring comprising:
- an annular insulative body defining a central opening;
- a plurality of conductive elements disposed through the insulative member, each of the plurality of conductive elements being in electrical communication with a power supply configured to individually control a current supplied thereto;
- a conductive resilient positioning member disposed in electrical connection with the plurality of conductive elements;
- and
- a conductive biasing member comprising a canted spring disposed on the conductive resilient positioning member.
An apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate, comprising:
- (a) an electroplating cell body;
- (b) an anode disposed at a lower end of the body;
- (c) a cathode contact ring disposed at an upper end of the cell body, the cathode contact ring comprising:
- (i) an annular insulative body defining a central opening;
- (ii) a plurality of conductive elements disposed through the insulative member;
- (iii) a conductive resilient positioning member disposed in electrical connection with the plurality of conductive elements;
- (iv) a plurality of conductive biasing members comprising a canted spring disposed on the conductive resilient positioning member;
- and
- (v) a seal member coupled to the annular insulative body and disposed between the central opening and the conductive biasing member;
- and
- (d) at least one power supply coupled to the cathode contact ring and configured to individually regulate the current supplied to each of the plurality of conductive biasing members.
A contact ring for use in an apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate, the contact ring comprising:
- an annular insulative body defining a central opening;
- a plurality of conductive means disposed through the insulative member, each of the plurality of conductive means being in electrical communication with a power supply configured to control the electrical current supplied to each of the individual plurality of conductive means;
- a conductive resilient positioning means disposed in electrical connection with the plurality of conductive elements;
- and
- a conductive biasing means for exerting a biasing force upon the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.