Apparatus for electrochemically depositing a material onto a workpiece surface

• US 20030127320A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (LAM Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SpeedFam-Ipec Corporation
• Inventors: Chadda, Saket, Emesh, Ismail
• Granted Patent: US 7,033,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/207
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 5/08 Electrolytic grinding
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 17/001 Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 17/14 for pad-plating
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/06 Brush or pad plating
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/22 Electroplating combined with mechanical treatment during the deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2885 using an external electrical current, i.e. electro-deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67219 comprising at least one polishing chamber polishing apparatuses B24B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6723 comprising at least one plating chamber electroless plating apparatuses C23C, electroplating apparatuses C25D

Abstract

A multi-process workpiece apparatus is disclosed. The multi-process workpiece apparatus includes an electrochemical deposition apparatus which has a wafer contacting surface having at least one electrical conductor disposed therein. The multi-process workpiece apparatus also includes a planarization apparatus and at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from the electrochemical deposition apparatus to the planarization apparatus.

Claims

1. A multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

an electrochemical deposition apparatus having a platen assembly, said platen assembly comprising a platen, a workpiece contacting surface disposed proximate to said platen, and at least one electrical conductor disposed proximate to said workpiece contacting surface;

a planarization apparatus; and

at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said planarization apparatus.

2. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, wherein said planarization apparatus comprises a chemical mechanical planarization apparatus.

3. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, said planarization apparatus comprising an electrochemical planarization apparatus.

4. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a buffing apparatus.

5. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an anneal apparatus.

6. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a buffing apparatus.

7. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning apparatus.

8. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 7, said cleaning apparatus comprising at least one brush cleaner.

9. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 7, said cleaning apparatus comprising a carbon dioxide particle cleaner.

10. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spin rinse dryer.

11. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 10, wherein said spin rinse dryer is configured for bevel edge etching.

12. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a metrology apparatus.

13. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, said workpiece handling robot having at least a first end effector and a second end effector, said first end effector configured to transport clean wafers and maintain the cleanliness thereof and a second end effector configured to transport unclean wafers.

14. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rinsing apparatus configured to clean a workpiece before electrochemical deposition by said electrochemical deposition apparatus.

15. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a seed layer enhancement apparatus.

16. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a rinsing apparatus configured to clean a workpiece before electrochemical deposition by said electrochemical deposition apparatus and a rinsing apparatus configured to clean a workpiece after chemical electrochemical deposition by said electrochemical deposition apparatus.

17. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrochemical deposition apparatus is configured to monitor a change in an electrical resistance across a workpiece as material is deposited thereon during electrochemical deposition.

18. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platen comprises a conductive material and said electrochemical deposition apparatus further comprises:

a workpiece carrier configured to carry a workpiece and urge said workpiece against said workpiece contacting surface; and

a power supply coupled to said platen and said workpiece, said power supply configured to apply a relatively negative charge to said workpiece and a relatively positive charge to said platen.

19. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 3, said electrochemical planarization apparatus comprising:

a polishing surface;

a platen comprising a conductive material, said platen disposed proximate to said polishing surface;

at least one electrical conductor disposed within said polishing surface, a workpiece carrier configured to carry a workpiece and press said workpiece against said polishing surface; and

a power supply coupled to said platen and said workpiece, said power supply configured to apply a relatively positive charge to said workpiece and a relatively negative charge to said platen.

20. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electrochemical planarization apparatus is configured to monitor a change in an electrical resistance across a workpiece as material is removed therefrom during planarization.

21. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrochemical deposition apparatus functions to perform planar plating of a film over down features and field regions on a surface of the workpiece.

22. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 21 wherein a thickness of said film over a top of said field regions is within a range of about 1000 to 5000 Angstroms.

23. A multi-process workpiece apparatus, said multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

an electrochemical deposition apparatus, said electrochemical deposition apparatus comprising a workpiece contacting surface having at least one electrical conductor disposed therein;

a wet etching apparatus; and

at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said wet etching apparatus.

24. A multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

an electrochemical deposition apparatus;

a planarization apparatus comprising a workpiece contacting surface having at least one electrical conductor disposed therein; and

at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said planarization apparatus.

25. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 24, said planarization apparatus comprising:

a platen comprising a conductive material, said platen disposed proximate to said workpiece contacting surface;

a workpiece carrier configured to carry a workpiece and press said workpiece against said workpiece contacting surface; and

a power supply coupled to said platen and said workpiece, said power supply configured to apply a relatively positive charge to said workpiece and a relatively negative charge to said platen.

26. A multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

an electrochemical deposition apparatus comprising a workpiece contacting surface formed of an electrically insulating material, said workpiece contacting surface having an exposed surface for contacting a metal-coated surface of a workpiece;

a planarization apparatus; and

a first transporter configured to transport a workpiece to said electrochemical deposition apparatus without introducing contaminants to said workpiece.

27. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 26 further comprising a second transporter configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said planarization apparatus following a deposition process without contaminating said planarization apparatus with a residue from said deposition process

28. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 27, wherein each of said first and second transporter comprises a robot having a first and a second end effector, said first end effector configured to handle only clean workpieces.

29. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 27, wherein said first transporter is a first end effector of a robot and said second transporter is a second end effector of said robot.

30. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of said first transporter and said second transporter comprise a workpiece carrier.

31. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a workpiece rinsing station accessible by at least one of said first and second transporter.

32. A multi-process workpiece apparatus for processing a workpiece, said multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

a seed layer enhancement apparatus;

an electromechanical deposition apparatus having a platen assembly, said platen assembly comprising a platen, a workpiece contacting surface disposed proximate to said platen, and at least one electrical conductor disposed proximate to said workpiece contacting surface;

a planarization apparatus; and

at least one of a workpiece handling robot and a workpiece carrier configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said planarization apparatus.

33. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 32 wherein the electrochemical deposition apparatus and the seed layer enhancement apparatus are a same piece of apparatus.

34. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 32, wherein said electrochemical deposition apparatus is configured to monitor a change in an electrical resistance across a workpiece as material is deposited thereon during electrochemical deposition.

35. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 32, said electrochemical deposition apparatus further comprising:

a workpiece carrier configured to carry a workpiece and position said workpiece proximate to said workpiece contacting surface and said at least one electrical conductor, and

a power supply coupled to said platen and said workpiece, said power supply configured to apply a relatively negative charge to said workpiece and a relatively positive charge to said platen.

36. A multi-process workpiece apparatus for processing a workpiece, said multi-process workpiece apparatus comprising:

an electrochemical deposition apparatus having a platen assembly, said platen assembly comprising a platen, a workpiece contacting surface disposed proximate to said platen, and at least one electrical conductor disposed proximate to said workpiece contacting surface;

a wet etching apparatus; and

at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from said electrochemical deposition apparatus to said wet etching apparatus.

37. A multi-process workpiece apparatus for processing a workpiece comprising at least one station capable of performing seed layer enhancement, electrochemical deposition, and electrochemical planarization.

38. The multi-process workpiece apparatus of claim 37 further comprising at least one workpiece handling robot configured to transport a workpiece from said at least one station to at least one of a buff station, an anneal station, and a cleaning station.