Combinatorial electrochemical deposition

• US 8,580,090 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermolecular Incorporated (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermolecular Incorporated (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorer, Alexander, Sun, Zhi-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ripa, Bryan D.
• Application Number:
  US13/332,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20120090987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 205/81
• US Class Current: 204/267
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 17/001 Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/10 Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/123 Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer

Abstract

Combinatorial electrochemical deposition is described, including dividing a wafer into a plurality of substrates for combinatorial processing, immersing the plurality of substrates at least partially into a plurality of cells, within one integrated tool, including electrolytes, the cells also including electrodes immersed in the electrolytes, depositing layers on the substrates by applying potentials across the substrates and the electrodes, and varying characteristics of the depositing to perform the combinatorial processing.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of die mounts, each die mount configured to hold a substrate, wherein the substrate is a diced portion of a wafer, wherein at least one of the die mounts is configured to rotate;

a plurality of counter electrodes, wherein each counter electrode is spaced from a die mount of the plurality of die mounts forming a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein the counter electrodes spaced from the at least one of the die mounts are configured to rotate in opposite direction as compared to that of the at least one of the die mounts,

wherein the space between the each counter electrode and the each die mount is configured to contain an electrolyte;

wherein the rotations and the spacing of the each die mount and the each counter electrode are configured to retain the electrolyte to the space between the each die mount and the each electrode without a cell wall;

wherein the plurality of die mounts and the plurality of counter electrodes are connected to a multichannel potentiostat configured to perform combinatorial electrochemical plating on the substrate held by each of the plurality of die mounts.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of die mounts comprises:

a retaining lip to hold the substrate;

contacts in the retaining lip to deliver current from the multichannel potentiostat; and

a seal configured to prevent the electrolyte from entering an interior of the die mount.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seal is one of an o-ring, a lip seal, or an adhesive.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrates mounted to the plurality of die mounts are diced from a same wafer.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a die mount, wherein the die mount is configured to hold a substrate, wherein the substrate is a diced portion of a wafer, wherein the die mount is configured to rotate;

a counter electrode, wherein the counter electrode is spaced from the die mount, wherein the counter electrode is configured to rotate in an opposite direction as compared to that of the die mount, wherein the die mount and the counter electrode form an electrochemical cell;

wherein the space between the counter electrode and the die mount is configured to contain an electrolyte;

wherein the rotations and the spacing of the die mount and the counter electrode are configured to retain the electrolyte to the space between the die mount and the electrode without a cell wall;

wherein the die mount and the counter electrode are connected to a multichannel potentiostat configured to perform combinatorial electrochemical plating on the substrate held by the die mount.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the die mount comprises:

a retaining lip to hold the substrate;

contacts in the retaining lip to deliver current from the multichannel potentiostat; and

a seal configured to prevent the electrolyte from entering an interior of the die mount.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the seal is one of an o-ring, a lip seal, or an adhesive.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electrochemical deposition cells,

wherein each electrochemical deposition cell comprises a die mount and a counter electrode,

wherein the die mount is configured to hold a substrate, wherein the substrate is a diced portion of a wafer, wherein the die mount is configured to rotate;

wherein the counter electrode is spaced from the die mount, wherein the counter electrode is configured to rotate in opposite direction as compared to that of the die mount,

wherein the space between the counter electrode and the die mount is configured to contain an electrolyte;

wherein the rotations and the spacing of the die mount and the counter electrode are configured to retain the electrolyte to the space between the die mount and the electrode without a cell wall;

wherein the die mount and the counter electrode are connected to a multichannel potentiostat configured to perform combinatorial electrochemical plating on the substrate held by the die mount.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the die mount comprises:

a retaining lip to hold the substrate;

contacts in the retaining lip to deliver current from the multichannel potentiostat; and

a seal configured to prevent the electrolyte from entering an interior of the die mount.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the seal is one of an o-ring, a lip seal, or an adhesive.