Back to results
US 8,603,305 B2Granted
Electrolyte loop with pressure regulation for separated anode chamber of electroplating system
AssigneeNovellus Systems, Inc.
InventorsRobert Rash, Richard Abraham, David W. Porter, Steven T. Mayer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrolyte, and particularly anolyte, may be circulated via an open loop having a pressure regulator, so that the pressure in the plating chamber is maintained at a constant (or substantially constant) value with respect to atmospheric pressure. In these embodiments, a pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the anode chamber.
Claims34
An apparatus for electroplating onto substrates, comprising:
- (a) a separated anode chamber for containing electrolyte and an anode;
- (b) a cathode chamber for receiving substrates and contacting them with a catholyte;
- (c) a separation structure positioned therebetween, said separation structure comprising a transport barrier which enables passage of ionic species across the transport barrier while maintaining different electrolyte compositions in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
- and
- (d) an open loop recirculation system for providing electrolyte to and removing electrolyte from the separated anode chamber during electroplating, wherein the open loop recirculation system is configured to expose the electrolyte to atmospheric pressure and comprises a pressure regulating device arranged to maintain the electrolyte in the anode chamber at a substantially constant pressure, and wherein the pressure regulating device is designed or configured to compensate for depletion of electrolyte in the separated anode chamber resulting from an electroosmotic effect.
2 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- separate anode and cathode chambers ionically connected to one another;
- an anolyte flow loop that circulates anolyte into, out of, and through the anode chamber;
- a porous transport barrier separating the anode chamber from the cathode chamber, which transport barrier enables migration of ionic species across the transport barrier while substantially preventing non-ionic organic bath additives from passing across the transport barrier;
- and
- a pressure regulating device coupled to the anolyte flow loop and comprising a vertical column arranged to provide a pressure head that maintains the anolyte in the anode chamber at a substantially constant pressure, wherein the pressure regulating device is separate from the separate anode chamber.
2 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating onto substrates, comprising:
- (a) a separated anode chamber for containing electrolyte and an anode;
- (b) a cathode chamber for receiving substrates and contacting them with a catholyte;
- (c) a separation structure positioned therebetween, said separation structure comprising a transport barrier which enables passage of ionic species across the transport barrier while maintaining different electrolyte compositions in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
- and
- (d) an open loop recirculation system for providing electrolyte to and removing electrolyte from the separated anode chamber during electroplating, wherein the open loop recirculation system is configured to expose the electrolyte to atmospheric pressure and comprises a pressure regulating device arranged to maintain the electrolyte in the anode chamber at a substantially constant pressure, wherein the pressure regulating device comprises an overflow weir positioned between about 5-20 cm above an uppermost height to which electrolyte may fill the anode chamber and cathode chamber.
2 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating onto substrates, comprising:
- (a) a separated anode chamber for containing electrolyte and an anode;
- (b) a cathode chamber for receiving horizontally oriented substrates and contacting them with a catholyte;
- (c) a separation structure positioned therebetween, said separation structure comprising a transport barrier which enables passage of ionic species across the transport barrier while maintaining different electrolyte compositions in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
- and
- (d) an open loop recirculation system for providing electrolyte to and removing electrolyte from the separated anode chamber during electroplating, wherein the open loop recirculation system is configured to expose the electrolyte to atmospheric pressure and comprises a pressure regulating device arranged to maintain the electrolyte in the anode chamber at a substantially constant pressure.
2 more elements
An apparatus for electroplating onto substrates, comprising:
- (a) a first separated anode chamber for containing electrolyte and an anode;
- (b) a cathode chamber for receiving substrates and contacting them with a catholyte;
- (c) a separation structure positioned therebetween, said separation structure comprising a transport barrier which enables passage of ionic species across the transport barrier while maintaining different electrolyte compositions in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
- and
- (d) an open loop recirculation system for providing electrolyte to and removing electrolyte from the separated anode chamber during electroplating, wherein the open loop recirculation system is configured to expose the electrolyte to atmospheric pressure and comprises a pressure regulating device arranged to maintain the electrolyte in the anode chamber at a substantially constant pressure;
- and
- (e) a second separated anode chamber that shares the open loop recirculation system with the first separated anode chamber.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.