US 6,932,896 B2 · Method and apparatus for avoiding particle accumulation in electrodeposition

Abstract

Systems and methods to remove or lessen the size of metal particles that have formed on, and to limit the rate at which metal particles form or grow on, workpiece surface influencing devices used during electrodeposition are presented. According to an exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is occasionally placed in contact with a conditioning substrate coated with an inert material, and the bias applied to the electrodeposition system is reversed. According to another exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is conditioned using mechanical contact members, such as brushes, and conditioning of the workpiece surface influencing device occurs, for example, through physical brushing of the workpiece surface influencing device with the brushes. According to a further exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is rotated in different direction during electrodeposition.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A method of processing that includes conditioning a workpiece surface influencing device, the workpiece surface influencing device being used during at least a portion of at least one electrochemical mechanical process that operates upon a workpiece using a solution, the method comprising:

operating upon the workpiece using the solution in the electrochemical mechanical process, with the workpiece surface influencing device being disposed in proximity to the workpiece for a period of time during the electrochemical mechanical process, the electrochemical mechanical process also resulting in accumulation of conductive particles onto the workpiece surface influencing device;
and
conditioning the workpiece surface influencing device before performing another electrochemical mechanical process, the step of conditioning including applying a potential difference between an electrode and a conditioning member, the application of the potential difference during the step of the conditioning resulting in one of the number of accumulated conductive particles being reduced and the size of the accumulated conductive particles being reduced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for avoiding particle accumulation in electrodeposition

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for avoiding particle accumulation in electrodeposition

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44