Electroplating apparatus with vented electrolyte manifold

An apparatus for electroplating a layer of metal onto a conductive seed layer on a work piece, the apparatus comprising:

• a plating chamber comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber;
• a work piece holder configured to hold the work piece in the plating chamber during an electroplating process;
• a cathode contact associated with the work piece holder, the cathode contact configured to electrically contact the work piece during plating;
• an anode contact configured to electrically contact an anode disposed in the plating chamber;
• a diffusing barrier disposed between the cathode contact and the anode contact;
• a vented electrolyte manifold integrated into the anode chamber and configured to deliver electrolyte to the plating chamber, the vented electrolyte manifold comprising
• a quiescent stage,
• a de-bubbler stage, the quiescent stage configured to receive a higher velocity flow of electrolyte and to provide a lower velocity laminar flow of electrolyte to the de-bubbler stage, and the de-bubbler stage comprising one or more vents configured to remove bubbles from the electrolyte,
• one or more electrolyte delivery openings configured to deliver electrolyte to the plating chamber, and
• a wall separating the quiescent stage and the de-bubbler stage, the wall including at least one slit proximate to a top of the wall, the wall angled from a bottom of the manifold to a top of the manifold away from the one or more electrolyte delivery openings;
• and
• at least one electrolyte feed tube configured to feed an electrolyte flow to the quiescent stage of the vented manifold, each slit being azimuthally spaced from each electrolyte feed tube.

An apparatus for electroplating a layer of metal onto a conductive seed layer on a work piece, the apparatus comprising:

• a plating chamber;
• a work piece holder configured to hold the work piece in the plating chamber during an electroplating process;
• a cathode contact associated with the work piece holder, the cathode contact being configured to electrically contact a seed layer on the work piece at a location adjacent to an edge of the work piece;
• an anode contact configured to electrically contact an anode disposed in the plating chamber;
• a diffusing barrier disposed along an ionic path between the cathode contact and the anode contact;
• an electrolyte delivery path for delivering electrolyte to the plating chamber upstream of the diffusing barrier;
• an electrolyte return path for delivering away from the plating chamber electrolyte that flows over an electrolyte weir that forms an upper edge of the plating chamber;
• and
• a vented electrolyte manifold disposed in the electrolyte delivery path immediately upstream from the plating chamber, the vented electrolyte manifold comprising
• a quiescent stage configured to receive electrolyte from an electrolyte feed tube,
• a de-bubbler stage,
• one or more electrolyte delivery openings that open to the plating chamber, wherein the electrolyte delivery path is an azimuthal electrolyte flow path extending between an electrolyte feed tube and the one or more electrolyte delivery openings,
• a wall separating the quiescent stage and the de-bubbler stage, the wall angled from a bottom of the vented electrolyte manifold to a top of the electrolyte manifold away from the one or more electrolyte delivery openings, and
• one or more vents that open to the electrolyte return path at a location spaced from a perimeter of the electrolyte weir.

A device configured to reduce bubbles in an electroplating apparatus comprising an electrolyte delivery path including a plating chamber and an electrolyte feed tube when the device is in the electrolyte delivery path immediately upstream from the plating chamber, the device comprising:

• a bottom;
• a top;
• an electrolyte entry aperture configured to receive fluid from the electrolyte feed tube;
• an electrolyte exit aperture configured to deliver electrolyte into the plating chamber;
• a quiescent stage comprising the electrolyte entry aperture;
• a de-bubbler stage in fluid communication with the quiescent stage, the de-bubbler stage comprising the exit aperture proximate to the bottom;
• a wall between the quiescent and de-bubbler stages, the wall angled from the bottom to the top away from the electrolyte exit aperture, wherein the wall comprises one or more openings azimuthally aced from the electrolyte entry aperture;
• and
• a vent open to an area other than the plating chamber.