Methods and apparatus for electrically and/or chemically-mechanically removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• engaging the microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad;
• coupling the conductive material to a source of electrical potential;
• removing at least a portion of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through the conductive material while moving at least one of the microelectronic substrate and the polishing pad relative to the other and while the microelectronic substrate is engaged with the polishing pad;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the face surface of the microelectronic substrate and an electrode facing toward the face surface of the microelectronic substrate while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• engaging the microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad;
• applying a pressure with an electrolytic fluid to force at least one of the polishing surface and the microelectronic substrate against the other;
• coupling the conductive material to a source of electrical potential;
• removing at least a portion of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through the conductive material while moving at least one of the microelectronic substrate and the polishing pad relative to the other and while the microelectronic substrate is engaged with the polishing pad;
• removing gas from a region adjacent to the microelectronic substrate and/or an electrode at least proximate to the microelectronic substrate while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• engaging the microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad;
• positioning first and second electrodes to face toward the face surface of the microelectronic substrate and coupling at least one of the electrodes to a source of electrical potential;
• coupling the conductive material to the source of electrical potential;
• removing at least a portion of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through the conductive material while moving at least one of the microelectronic substrate and the polishing pad relative to the other and while the microelectronic substrate is engaged with the polishing pad;
• and
• removing gas from a region adjacent to the microelectronic substrate and/or at least one of the electrodes, with the at least one electrode at least proximate to the microelectronic substrate while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• engaging the microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad;
• aligning a first portion of the microelectronic substrate with a first portion of the polishing pad having first electrical characteristics and aligning a second portion of the microelectronic substrate with a second portion of the polishing pad having second electrical characteristics different than the first electrical characteristics;
• coupling the conductive material to a source of electrical potential;
• removing at least a portion of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through the conductive material while moving at least one of the microelectronic substrate and the polishing pad relative to the other and while the microelectronic substrate is engaged with the polishing pad;
• removing gas from a region adjacent to the microelectronic substrate and/or an electrode at least proximate to the microelectronic substrate while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• interposing a polishing pad having a polishing surface between the face surface of the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• electrically coupling the electrodes to the face surface of the microelectronic substrate through the polishing pad, with one of the electrodes defining an anode and the other electrode defining a cathode;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate to oxidize the conductive material, and engaging the microelectronic substrate with a polishing surface of a polishing pad while passing the varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• interposing a polishing surface between the face surface of the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• coupling the first and second electrodes to a substantial portion of the face surface through the polishing surface
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• positioning surfaces of the electrodes to face downwardly toward the microelectronic substrate with the first and second electrodes being spaced apart from each other to define a gas removal channel therebetween;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes by removing the gas through the gas removal channel while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• positioning surfaces of the electrodes to face upwardly toward the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between a downwardly facing surface of the microelectronic substrate and an upwardly facing surface of at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• rotating at least one of the microelectronic substrate and/or at least one of the electrodes at a rate sufficient to direct the gas radially outwardly and away from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate, the first conductive electrode having a surface facing downwardly toward the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate, the second conductive electrode having a surface facing downwardly toward the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate by positioning at least one of the downwardly facing surfaces at a non-horizontal orientation to conduct the gas upwardly and away from the region proximate to the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current through at least one of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes by conducting the gas through pores in a polishing pad adjacent to the microelectronic substrate while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current from at least one of the first and second electrodes through the electrolyte to the microelectronic substrate and to the other of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate, and without passing the varying current through an electrical connection attached directly to the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.

A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising:

• spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate;
• disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte;
• removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current from at least one of the first and second electrodes through the electrolyte to the microelectronic substrate and to the other of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate, and while the first and second electrodes are at different electrical potentials than the microelectronic substrate;
• and
• removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.