ELECTROCHEMICAL DEPOSITION APPARATUS WITH REMOTE CATHOLYTE FLUID MANAGEMENT

摘要

Techniques disclosed herein include an electro-chemical deposition apparatus that provides an efficient circulation system, chemical management that provides reliable and uniform plating, and a configuration that provides short maintenance times and greater tool availability. Techniques include a processing tank containing an anolyte fluid, and one or more plating cells each having a catholyte fluid compartment with a circulation path that connects to a separate or remote catholyte reservoir. Thus, with such a configuration, a single pump can be used to flow catholyte (via manifolds) through one or more plating cells. Thus, with the catholyte reservoir maintained off board, instead of dumping catholyte over a weir into a reservoir, catholyte fluid—after flowing through a plating cell—is returned to the catholyte reservoir.

主权项

1. An electrochemical deposition apparatus for depositing metal onto a substrate, the electrochemical deposition apparatus comprising:
a processing tank configured for holding an anolyte fluid, the processing tank sized sufficiently to receive one or more processing cells via a top opening of the processing tank; an electrochemical plating cell sized and configured to be removably inserted into the processing tank, the electrochemical plating cell defining a catholyte fluid compartment configured for holding a catholyte fluid, the catholyte fluid compartment providing a fluid boundary between anolyte fluid in the processing tank and catholyte fluid in the electrochemical plating cell; an ion exchange membrane removably coupled to the electrochemical plating cell, the ion exchange membrane providing a portion of the fluid boundary separating anolyte fluid in the processing tank from catholyte fluid in the electrochemical plating cell; an anode removably positioned within the processing tank, the anode being positioned adjacent to the ion exchange membrane and being positioned at a sufficient distance from the ion exchange membrane to permit anolyte fluid flow between the anode and the ion exchange membrane; a substrate holder configured to removably hold a substrate, the substrate holder configured to be removably inserted into the catholyte fluid compartment of the electrochemical plating cell such that the substrate is in contact with the catholyte fluid; a catholyte fluid circulation system configured to pump catholyte fluid from a catholyte reservoir to the electrochemical plating cell such that catholyte fluid flows across a surface of the substrate, the catholyte reservoir being located at a location remote from the processing tank; and an electrical system configured to generate a current between the anode and the substrate such that metal ions within the catholyte fluid are deposited on the substrate.