Method and apparatus for maintaining parallelism of layers and/or achieving desired thicknesses of layers during the electrochemical fabrication of structures

• US 20050142846A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Original Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Adam L., Lockard, Michael S., Frodis, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/622
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00492 Processes for surface micromachining not provided for in groups B81C1/0046 - B81C1/00484
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0104 Chemical-mechanical polishing [CMP]
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0197 Processes for making multi-layered devices not provided for in groups B81C2201/0176 - B81C2201/0192
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 99/0065 Process control; Yield prediction
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/00 Electroforming
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/003 3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/12 Process control or regulation controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/022 using masking means
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/10 Electroplating with more than one layer of the same or of different metals for bearings C25D7/10
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/48 After-treatment of electroplated surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2885 using an external electrical current, i.e. electro-deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76885 By forming conductive members before deposition of protective insulating material, e.g. pillars, studs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine.

Claims

1. A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:

(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate, wherein the layer comprises a desired pattern of at least one material, wherein one or more contact pads exist on the substrate or on a previously formed layer;

(b) subjecting the at least one material to a planarization operation;

(c) locating a measurement probe in contact with the one or more contact pads and in contact with material that was subject to the planarization operation and extracting data from the fixture concerning a measured height of planarized material at at least one point relative to a desired reference point or plane;

(d) comparing the measured height of material to a desired height for the material;

(e) if the measured and desired heights are not within a desired tolerance, repeating operations (b)-(d) until the measured and desired heights are within the desired tolerance;

(f) repeating the forming and adhering of operation (a) one or more times to form the three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the one or more contact pads comprise at least three contact pads.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the fixture comprises at least three fixed length standoffs and at least one moveable probe.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the at least one moveable probe comprises at least three moveable probes.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein the at least one moveable probe comprises at least four moveable probes.

6. The process of claim 3 wherein the at least three fixed standoffs are made to contact the pads and the at least one moveable probe is made to contact the deposited material.

7. The process of claim 3 wherein the at least three fixed standoffs are made to contact the deposited material and the at least one moveable probe is made to contact one of the contact pads.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material and wherein at least one of the first or second materials is deposited via an electroplating operation.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the planarization operation includes a lapping operation.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the planarization operation includes a diamond machining operation.

8. A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:

(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate, wherein the layer comprises a desired pattern of at least one material;

(b) subjecting the at least one material to a planarization operation, comprising;

(i) mounting the substrate to a lapping fixture via a porous vacuum chuck;

(ii) while the substrate is mounted to the fixture, subjecting the deposited material to a lapping operation to planarize a surface of the material and to bring the height of deposited material to a desired value;

(c) repeating the forming and adhering of operation (a) one or more times to form the three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers.

14. The process of claim 8 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material.

15. The process of claim 8 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material and wherein at least one of the first or second materials is deposited via an electroplating operation.

16. The process of claim 8 wherein the planarization operation includes a lapping operation.

17. The process of claim 8 wherein the planarization operation includes a diamond machining operation.

9. A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:

(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate, wherein the layer comprises a desired pattern of at least one material, wherein one or more contact pads exist on the substrate or on a previously formed layer;

(b) subjecting the at least one material to a planarization operation;

(c) subjecting the at least one material to inspection to determine at least two of the height of the deposition relative to a desired reference, the planarity of the deposition, and the orientation of the deposition relative to a desired reference;

(d) repeating the forming and adhering of operation (a) one or more times to form the three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers.

18. The process of claim 9 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material.

19. The process of claim 9 wherein forming and adhering of the layer of material involves the selective deposition of a first material, the blanket deposition of a second material and wherein at least one of the first or second materials is deposited via an electroplating operation.

20. The process of claim 9 wherein the planarization operation includes a lapping operation.

21. The process of claim 9 wherein the planarization operation includes a diamond machining operation.