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US 8,012,319 B2Granted
Multi-chambered metal electrodeposition system for semiconductor substrates
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsNishath Yasmeen, Richard Aaron Ledesma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-chambered system for electroplating metal layers on a semiconductor substrate. The system comprises a fluid reservoir having at least a first chamber and a second chamber. A cathode is located in the first chamber, an anode is located in the second chamber, and a shield is located between the cathode and anode. The cathode is configured to be electrically coupled to a semiconductor substrate locatable in the first chamber. The anode is configured to oppose a first major surface of the semiconductor substrate. The shield is configured to deter electrolytic fluid communication between the first and second chamber, other than through predefined openings in the shield.
Claims21
An apparatus for electroplating a semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a first chamber having an inlet port that is adapted to provide a plating solution;
- a second chamber having a drain port that is adapted to drain the plating solution, wherein the first chamber is substantially adjacent to the first chamber;
- a shield that is located between the first and second chambers;
- a first electrode that is located in the first chamber;
- a second electrode that is located in the second chamber, wherein the semiconductor substrate is adapted to be electrically coupled to the second electrode and be separated from the shield by a distance;
- and
- a plurality of openings formed in the shield that allow for fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a pattern area such that an electric field formed between the first electrode and the semiconductor substrate through the plating solution produces a substantially uniform current density across a target area of the semiconductor substrate at the distance, and wherein the pattern area is substantially oval having a major axis, a minor axis, and a center, and wherein the plurality of openings includes:
- a first opening formed along at least a portion of the major axis of the pattern area, wherein the first opening is elongated;
- a second opening formed along at least a portion of the minor axis of the pattern area, wherein the second opening is elongated, and wherein the first and second openings intersect at the center of the pattern area;
- a third opening that is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the pattern area along the minor axis of the pattern area, wherein the third opening is substantially circular;
- and
- a set of fourth openings arranged in a symmetrical pattern, wherein each fourth opening is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the pattern area, and wherein each fourth opening is substantially circular.
9 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating a semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a first chamber having an inlet port that is adapted to provide a plating solution;
- a second chamber having a drain port that is adapted to drain the plating solution, wherein the first chamber is substantially adjacent to the first chamber;
- a shield that is located between the first and second chambers;
- a first electrode that is located in the first chamber;
- a second electrode that is located in the second chamber, wherein the semiconductor substrate is adapted to be electrically coupled to the second electrode and be separated from the shield by a first distance;
- and
- a plurality of openings formed in the shield that allow for fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a pattern area such that an electric field formed between the first electrode and the semiconductor substrate through the plating solution produces a substantially uniform current density across a target area of the semiconductor substrate at the first distance, and wherein the pattern area is substantially circular having a center, and wherein the plurality of openings includes:
- a first opening that is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the pattern area along its entire length, wherein the first opening is elongated;
- a plurality of second openings, wherein each second opening is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the pattern area along at least a portion of its length, the majority of the length of each second opening is offset from the periphery of the pattern area, and wherein each second opening is elongated;
- and
- a plurality of third openings formed in a symmetrical pattern, wherein each third opening is elongated, and wherein each third opening is separated from the center of the pattern area by at least a second distance.
8 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating a plurality of semiconductor substrates, the apparatus comprising:
- a fluid reservoir having a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber;
- a first shield that is located between the first chamber and the second chamber;
- a second shield that is located between the second chamber an the third chamber
- a first set of openings located in the first shield that allows for fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the first set of openings includes:
- a first pattern area that is substantially oval having a major axis, a minor axis, and a center;
- a first opening formed along at least a portion of the major axis of the first pattern area, wherein the first opening is elongated;
- a second opening formed along at least a portion of the minor axis of the first pattern area, wherein the second opening is elongated, and wherein the first and second openings intersect at the center of the first pattern area;
- a third opening that is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the first pattern area along the minor axis of the first pattern area, wherein the third opening is substantially circular;
- and
- a set of fourth openings arranged in a symmetrical pattern, wherein each fourth opening is substantially adjacent to the periphery of the first pattern area, and wherein each fourth opening is substantially circular;
- a second set of openings located in the second shield that allows for fluid communication between the second and third chambers, wherein at least one of the openings from the second set of openings is elongated;
- a first electrode that is located the second chamber;
- a second electrode that is located in the first chamber, wherein a first semiconductor substrate of the plurality of semiconductor substrates is adapted to be electrically coupled to the second electrode and be separated from the first shield by a first distance, and wherein a first electric field formed between the first electrode and the first semiconductor substrate through a plating solution and the first set of openings produces a first substantially uniform current density across a first target area of the first semiconductor substrate at the first distance;
- and
- a third electrode that is located in the third chamber, wherein a second semiconductor substrate of the plurality of semiconductor substrates is adapted to be electrically coupled to the third electrode and be separated from the second shield by a second distance, and wherein the second set of openings is arranged in a second pattern area such that a second electric field formed between the first electrode and the first semiconductor substrate through the plating solution produces a second substantially uniform current density across a second target area of the second semiconductor substrate at the second distance.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.