PRETREATMENT METHOD FOR PHOTORESIST WAFER PROCESSING
First Claim
1. A method of removing photoresist scum and electroplating metal into photoresist features, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving a substrate in a multi-tool electroplating apparatus, the multi-tool electroplating apparatus comprising;
(i) at least one plasma treatment module comprising a plasma treatment chamber and a plasma generation chamber connected to the plasma treatment chamber; and
(ii) at least one electroplating module comprising an electroplating chamber;
wherein the substrate comprises;
(i) a metal seed layer, and(ii) a layer of photoresist over and directly in contact with the metal seed layer, wherein the layer of photoresist comprises photoresist features patterned therein, and wherein a bottom of the photoresist features comprise photoresist scum;
(b) generating a reducing plasma from a reducing plasma generation gas in the plasma generation chamber;
(c) flowing the reducing plasma from the plasma generation chamber into the plasma treatment chamber to thereby expose the substrate to the reducing plasma, react the photoresist scum with the reducing plasma, and remove at least a portion of the photoresist scum; and
(d) transferring the substrate to the electroplating module and electroplating metal on the metal seed layer in the photoresist features.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Certain embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for processing a partially fabricated semiconductor substrate in a remote plasma environment. The methods may be performed in the context of wafer level packaging (WLP) processes. The methods may include exposing the substrate to a reducing plasma to remove photoresist scum and/or oxidation from an underlying seed layer. In some cases, photoresist scum is removed through a series of plasma treatments involving exposure to an oxygen-containing plasma followed by exposure to a reducing plasma. In some embodiments, an oxygen-containing plasma is further used to strip photoresist from a substrate surface after electroplating. This plasma strip may be followed by a plasma treatment involving exposure to a reducing plasma. The plasma treatments herein may involve exposure to a remote plasma within a plasma treatment module of a multi-tool electroplating apparatus.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of removing photoresist scum and electroplating metal into photoresist features, the method comprising:
-
(a) receiving a substrate in a multi-tool electroplating apparatus, the multi-tool electroplating apparatus comprising; (i) at least one plasma treatment module comprising a plasma treatment chamber and a plasma generation chamber connected to the plasma treatment chamber; and (ii) at least one electroplating module comprising an electroplating chamber; wherein the substrate comprises; (i) a metal seed layer, and (ii) a layer of photoresist over and directly in contact with the metal seed layer, wherein the layer of photoresist comprises photoresist features patterned therein, and wherein a bottom of the photoresist features comprise photoresist scum; (b) generating a reducing plasma from a reducing plasma generation gas in the plasma generation chamber; (c) flowing the reducing plasma from the plasma generation chamber into the plasma treatment chamber to thereby expose the substrate to the reducing plasma, react the photoresist scum with the reducing plasma, and remove at least a portion of the photoresist scum; and (d) transferring the substrate to the electroplating module and electroplating metal on the metal seed layer in the photoresist features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A multi-tool electroplating apparatus for removing photoresist scum and electroplating metal in features on a semiconductor substrate having a metal seed layer under an exposed layer of patterned photoresist, comprising:
-
(i) a plasma treatment module comprising a plasma treatment chamber connected with a plasma generation chamber; (ii) an electroplating module comprising an electroplating chamber; (iii) a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the plasma treatment module and the electroplating module; and (iv) a controller having instructions to; (a) transfer the substrate into the plasma treatment chamber of the plasma treatment module; (b) generate a reducing plasma in the plasma generation chamber from a reducing plasma generation gas, and flow the reducing plasma from the plasma generation chamber into the plasma treatment chamber to thereby expose the substrate to the reducing plasma and react the photoresist scum with the reducing plasma to remove at least a portion of the photoresist scum; (c) transfer the substrate from the plasma treatment chamber to the electroplating chamber via the transfer mechanism; and (d) electroplate metal on the metal seed layer in the features in the patterned photoresist. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A multi-tool electroplating apparatus for removing photoresist scum and electroplating metal in features on a semiconductor substrate having a metal seed layer under an exposed layer of patterned photoresist, comprising:
-
(i) a plasma treatment module comprising a plasma treatment chamber connected with a plasma generation chamber; (ii) an electroplating module comprising an electroplating chamber; (iii) a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the plasma treatment module and the electroplating module; and (iv) a controller having instructions to; (a) transfer the substrate into the plasma treatment chamber of the plasma treatment module; (b) generate a first oxidizing plasma in the plasma generation chamber from a first oxidizing plasma generation gas, and flow the first oxidizing plasma from the plasma generation chamber into the plasma treatment chamber to thereby expose the substrate to the first oxidizing plasma and react the first oxidizing plasma with the photoresist scum to remove at least a portion of the photoresist scum and form oxidized portions of the metal seed layer; (c) generate a reducing plasma in the plasma generation chamber from a reducing plasma generation gas, and flow the reducing plasma from the plasma generation chamber into the plasma treatment chamber to thereby expose the substrate to the reducing plasma and react the oxidized portions of the metal seed layer with the reducing plasma to reduce the oxidized portions of the metal seed layer; (d) transfer the substrate from the plasma treatment chamber to the electroplating chamber via the transfer mechanism; and (e) electroplate metal on the metal seed layer in the features in the patterned photoresist. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
Specification