Modular electrochemical processing system

• US 6,699,380 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Guan-Shian, Yang, Michael X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R
• Application Number:
  US10/274,721
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 204/198, 204/224.R, 204/224.M, 204/269, 205/205, 205/220, 205/640
• US Class Current: 205/205
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1632 Features specific for the apparatus, e.g. layout of cells and of its equipment, multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/123 Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6723 comprising at least one plating chamber electroless plating apparatuses C23C, electroplating apparatuses C25D

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a substrate processing system and method. The substrate processing system generally includes two primary components. The first component is an interface section having at least one first substrate transfer robot positioned therein, and the second component is at least one processing module in communication with the interface section, the at least one processing module having a pretreatment and post treatment cell, a processing cell, at a second substrate transfer robot positioned therein. The substrate processing method generally includes transporting a dry substrate to a processing module via a dry interface. Once the substrate is positioned in the processing module, a robot transfers the substrate between a treatment cell and a processing cell contained within the processing module to complete a predetermined sequence of processing steps. Once the processing steps are completed, the treatment cell generally dries the substrate and then the substrate is transferred back to the dry interface.

Claims

1. A substrate processing system, comprising:

an interface section having at least one first substrate transfer robot positioned therein; and

at least one processing module in communication with the interface section, the at least one processing module having a pretreatment and post treatment cell, a processing cell selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical cell and an electroless cell, and a second substrate transfer robot positioned therein.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the interface section comprises a factory interface configured communicate with at least one substrate cassette and each of the at least one processing modules.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the first substrate transfer robot comprises at least one linear track robot.

4. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the interface section further comprises at least one of an annealing station and a metrology station.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the pretreatment and post treatment cell comprises a fluid processing cell configured to selectively dispense pretreatment fluids and post treatment fluids on a substrate.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 5, wherein pretreatment fluids include rinsing solutions, cleaning solutions, and oxide removal solutions.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the pretreatment and post treatment cell comprises a combination spin rinse dry cell and a bevel clean cell.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the processing cell is an electrochemical processing cell.

9. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the processing cell is an electroless processing cell.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the second substrate transfer robot is configured to transport substrates between the processing cell, the pretreatment and post treatment cell, and the first substrate transfer robot.

11. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing module comprises at least one of a deposition module, a chemical mechanical polishing module, an anneal module, an edge bead removal module, and a rinse clean module.

12. The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one processing modules are detachable from the substrate processing system.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12, wherein the substrate processing system is scalable.

14. An electrochemical processing system, comprising:

a factory interface having a substrate transfer robot positioned therein, the factory interface being configured to communicate with at least one substrate containing cassette; and

at least one substrate processing module in detachable communication with the factory interface, each of the at least one substrate processing modules including a pretreatment/post treatment cell and an electrochemical processing cell.

15. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the substrate transfer robot comprises a linear track-type robot configured to access each of the substrate processing modules.

16. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the at least one substrate processing module further comprises a second substrate transfer robot positioned therein, the second substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer substrates between the substrate transfer robot in the factory interface, the pretreatment/post treatment cell, and the electrochemical processing cell.

17. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the pretreatment/post treatment cell comprises a fluid processing cell configured to conduct at least one of rinsing, cleaning, edge bead removal, and spin rinse drying.

18. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processing module is detachable from the factory interface.

19. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the electrochemical processing cell comprises:

a fluid basin configured to contain a plating solution therein;

an anode positioned in a lower portion of the fluid basin;

a membrane positioned above the anode;

a diffusion plate positioned above the membrane; and

a first fluid inlet configured to supply a catholyte solution to a volume above the membrane and a second fluid inlet configured to supply an anolyte solution to a volume below the membrane.

20. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

introducing a substrate into an interface section of a substrate processing system;

transferring the substrate to a processing module in communication with the interface section of the substrate processing system;

conducting at least one of a pretreatment process and a post treatment process on the substrate in a pretreatment and post treatment cell positioned within the processing module; and

conducting a processing step on the substrate in a processing cell selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical cell and an electroless cell positioned in the processing module.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the interface section further comprises at least one of an annealing station and a metrology station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the pretreatment and post treatment cell comprises a combination spin rinse dry cell and a bevel clean cell.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing cell is an electrochemical processing cell.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing cell is an electroless processing cell.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the pretreatment and post treatment cell comprises a fluid processing cell configured to selectively dispense pretreatment fluids and post treatment fluids on a substrate, and wherein the pretreatment fluids include rinsing solutions, cleaning solutions, and oxide removal solutions.