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US 6,585,876 B2Granted
Flow diffuser to be used in electro-chemical plating system and method
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsYezdi N. Dordi, Joseph J. Stevens, H. Peter W. Hey, Donald J. K. Olgado
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising an electrolyte cell, an anode, and a porous rigid diffuser. The electrolyte cell is configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon. An anode is contained within the electrolyte cell. A porous rigid diffuser is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell. The diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode.
Claims38
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell having an opening configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- and
- a porous, rigid diffuser extending across the electrolyte cell and positioned between the opening and the anode, wherein the diffuser is made from a ceramic and has a generally uniform thickness.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- and
- a porous, rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode, wherein the porous rigid diffuser is made from a ceramic.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- and
- a porous, rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode, wherein the porous, rigid diffuser is hydrophilic.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- and
- a porous, rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon, and the anode, wherein the porous, rigid diffuser has pore sizes from about 45 μm to about 90 μm.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- a porous rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode;
- and
- a membrane extending across the electrolyte cell between the anode and the porous rigid diffuser.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- a porous rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode;
- and
- a bowl to encase the anode, wherein a plurality of electric feed throughs are substantially equally spaced radially about the bowl.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell configured to receive a substrate to have a metal film deposited thereon;
- an anode contained within the electrolyte cell;
- a porous rigid diffuser that is connected to the electrolyte cell and extends across the electrolyte cell, wherein the diffuser is positioned between a location that the substrate is to be positioned when the metal film is deposited thereon and the anode;
- and
- a bowl to encase the anode, wherein a plurality of bypass outlets are substantially equally spaced radially about the bowl.
2 more elements
A method of electrochemical plating on a seed layer of a substrate located in an electrolyte cell containing electrolyte solution, comprising:
- extending a porous ceramic diffuser across the electrolyte cell;
- applying fluid pressure to the electrolyte solution contained in the electrolyte cell below the ceramic diffuser;
- and
- inserting a substrate to undergo electro-chemical plating in the electrolyte cell above the ceramic diffuser.
1 more element
An apparatus for use in an electrolyte cell, the apparatus comprising:
- a porous ceramic diffuser that is connected to and extends across the electrolyte cell, the porous ceramic diffuser is positioned between the top opening and an anode positioned in the electrolyte cell, wherein the ceramic diffuser is formed from sintered particles of ceramic having pores extending between the sintered particles.
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrolyte cell including a bowl;
- an anode mounted within the bowl, wherein a plurality of electric feed throughs are substantially equally spaced radially about the bowl;
- a porous ceramic diffuser that is connected to and extends across the electrolyte cell, the porous ceramic diffuser is positioned between the top opening and an anode positioned in the electrolyte cell, wherein the ceramic diffuser is formed from sintered particles of ceramic having pores extending between the sintered particles;
- and
- a diffuser structural stiffener mounted to the electrolyte cell and attached to and supporting the porous ceramic diffuser.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.