Abstract: An ionically resistive ionically permeable element for use in an electroplating apparatus includes ribs to tailor hydrodynamic environment proximate a substrate during electroplating. In one implementation, the ionically resistive ionically permeable element includes a channeled portion that is at least coextensive with a plating face of the substrate, and a plurality of ribs extending from the substrate-facing surface of the channeled portion towards the substrate. Ribs include a first plurality of ribs of full maximum height and a second plurality of ribs of smaller maximum height than the full maximum height. In one implementation the ribs of smaller maximum height are disposed such that the maximum height of the ribs gradually increases in a direction from one edge of the element to the center of the element.

Abstract: In one example, an electroplating system comprises a bath reservoir, an anode in the bath reservoir, and a direct-current power supply. The bath reservoir initially contains a first-electrolyte solution that includes an alkaline copper-complexed solution. The bath reservoir is arranged to be drained of the first-electrolyte solution and replaced with and contain a second-electrolyte solution. The second-electrolyte solution includes an acidic-copper plating solution. The direct-current power supply generates a first direct current between the clamp and the anode to electroplate a first copper layer on the cobalt layer of the substrate submerged in the first-electrolyte solution. The direct-current power supply then generates a second direct current between the clamp and the anode to electroplate a second copper layer on the first copper layer of the substrate submerged in the second electrolyte solution. Other systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus includes an electrode at the bottom of a chamber, an ionically resistive element with through holes arranged horizontally at the top of the chamber, with a membrane in the middle. One or more panels extend vertically and parallelly from the membrane to the element and extend linearly across the chamber, forming a plurality of regions between the membrane and the element. A substrate with a protuberance extending along a chord of the substrate and contacting a top surface of the element is arranged above a first region. An electrolyte flowed between the substrate and the element descends into the first region via the through holes on a first side of the protuberance and ascends from the first region via the through holes on a second side of the protuberance, forcing air bubbles out from a portion of the element associated with the first region.

Abstract: During electro-oxidative metal removal on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a metal layer is anodically biased and the metal is electrochemically dissolved into an electrolyte. Metal particles (e.g., copper particles when the dissolved metal is copper) can inadvertently form on the surface of the substrate during electrochemical metal removal and cause defects during subsequent semiconductor processing. Contamination with such particles can be mitigated by preventing particle formation and/or by dissolution of particles. In one implementation, mitigation involves using an electrolyte that includes an oxidizer, such as hydrogen peroxide, during the electrochemical metal removal. An electrochemical metal removal apparatus in one embodiment has a conduit for introducing an oxidizer to the electrolyte and a sensor for monitoring the concentration of the oxidizer in the electrolyte.

Abstract: In one example, an electroplating system comprises a first bath reservoir, a second bath reservoir, a clamp, a first anode in the first bath reservoir, a second anode in the second bath reservoir, and a direct current power supply. The first bath reservoir contains a first electrolyte solution that includes an alkaline copper-complexed solution. The second bath reservoir contains a second electrolyte solution that includes an acidic copper plating solution. The direct current power supply generates a first direct current between the clamp and the first anode to electroplate a first copper layer on the cobalt layer of the wafer submerged in the first electrolyte solution. The direct current power supply then generates a second direct current between the clamp and the second anode to electroplate a second copper layer on the first copper layer of the wafer submerged in the second electrolyte solution.

Abstract: Nanotwinned copper and non-nanotwinned copper may be electroplated to form mixed crystal structures such as 2-in-1 copper via and RDL structures or 2-in-1 copper via and pillar structures. Nanotwinned copper may be electroplated on a non-nanotwinned copper layer by pretreating a surface of the non-nanotwinned copper layer with an oxidizing agent or other chemical reagent. Alternatively, nanotwinned copper may be electroplated to partially fill a recess in a dielectric layer, and non-nanotwinned copper may be electroplated over the nanotwinned copper to fill the recess. Copper overburden may be subsequently removed.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to apparatuses and methods for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. Embodiments herein utilize a cross flow conduit in the electroplating cell to divert flow of fluid from a region between a substrate and a channeled ionically resistive plate positioned near the substrate down to a level lower than level of fluid in a fluid containment unit for collecting overflow fluid from the plating system for recirculation. The cross flow conduit can include channels cut into components of the plating cell to allow diverted flow, or can include an attachable diversion device mountable to an existing plating cell to divert flow downwards to the fluid containment unit. Embodiments also include a flow restrictor which may be a plate or a pressure relief valve for modulating flow of fluid in the cross flow conduit during plating.

Abstract: Sequential electrodeposition of metals into through-mask features on a semiconductor substrate is conducted such as to reduce the deleterious consequences of lipseal's pressure onto the mask material. In a first electroplating step, a first metal (e.g., nickel) is electrodeposited using a lipseal that has an innermost point of contact with the semiconductor substrate at a first distance from the edge of the substrate. In a second electroplating step, a second metal (e.g., tin) is electrodeposited using a lipseal that has an innermost point of contact with the semiconductor substrate at a greater distance from the edge of the substrate than the first distance. This allows to at least partially shift the lipseal pressure from a point that could have been damaged during the first electrodeposition step and to shield from electrolyte any cracks that might have formed in the mask material during the first electroplating step.

Abstract: In one example, an electroplating apparatus is provided for electroplating a wafer. The electroplating apparatus comprises a wafer holder for holding a wafer during an electroplating operation and a plating cell configured to contain an electrolyte during the electroplating operation. An anode chamber is disposed within the plating cell, and a charge plate is disposed within the anode chamber. An anode is positioned above the charge plate within the anode chamber. In some examples, the anode chamber is a membrane-less anode chamber.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to apparatuses and methods for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. Embodiments herein utilize a cross flow conduit in the electroplating cell to divert flow of fluid from a region between a substrate and a channeled ionically resistive plate positioned near the substrate down to a level lower than level of fluid in a fluid containment unit for collecting overflow fluid from the plating system for recirculation. The cross flow conduit can include channels cut into components of the plating cell to allow diverted flow, or can include an attachable diversion device mountable to an existing plating cell to divert flow downwards to the fluid containment unit. Embodiments also include a flow restrictor which may be a plate or a pressure relief valve for modulating flow of fluid in the cross flow conduit during plating.

Abstract: In one example, an electroplating apparatus is provided for electroplating a wafer. The electroplating apparatus comprises a wafer holder for holding a wafer during an electroplating operation and a plating cell configured to contain an electrolyte during the electroplating operation. An anode chamber is disposed within the plating cell, and a charge plate is disposed within the anode chamber. An anode is positioned above the charge plate within the anode chamber. In some examples, the anode chamber is a membrane-less anode chamber.

Abstract: An electroplating cup assembly comprises a cup bottom, a lip seal, and an electrical contact structure. The cup bottom at least partially defines an opening configured to allow exposure of a wafer positioned in the cup assembly to an electroplating solution. The lip seal is on the cup bottom and comprises a sealing structure extending upwardly along an inner edge of the lip seal to a peak that is configured to be in contact with a seed layer of a wafer and adjacent to a sacrificial layer of the wafer. The electrical contact structure is over a portion of the seal. The electrical contact structure configured to be coupled to the seed layer of the wafer.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus for electroplating metal on a substrate includes a plating chamber configured to contain an electrolyte, a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate the substrate during electroplating, an anode, and an azimuthally asymmetric auxiliary electrode configured to be biased both anodically and cathodically during electroplating. The azimuthally asymmetric auxiliary electrode (which may be, for example, C-shaped), can be used for controlling azimuthal uniformity of metal electrodeposition by donating and diverting ionic current at a selected azimuthal position.

Abstract: In one example, a method for redistribution layer (RDL) process is described. A substrate is provided. A dielectric layer is deposited on top of the substrate. The dielectric layer is patterned. A barrier and copper seed layer are deposited on top of the dielectric layer. A photoresist layer is applied on top of the barrier and copper seed layer. The photoresist layer is patterned to correspond with the dielectric layer pattern. Copper is electrodepositing in the patterned regions exposed by the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is removed. The copper and seed barrier are etched.

Abstract: A method of electroplating a metal into features, having substantially different depths, of a partially fabricated electronic device on a substrate is provided. The method includes adsorbing accelerator into the bottom of recessed features; partially filling the features by a bottom up fill mechanism in an electroplating solution; diffusing leveler into shallow features to decrease the plating rate in shallow features as compared to deep features; and electroplating more metal into the features such that the height of metal in deep features is similar to the height of metal in shallow features.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for method for etch assisted gold (Au) through silicon mask plating (EAG-TSM). An example method comprises providing a seed layer on a substrate and providing a silicon mask on at least a portion of the seed layer on the substrate. The silicon mask includes one or more via to be filled with Au. The masked substrate is subjected to at least one processing cycle, each processing cycle including an Au plating sub-step and an etch treatment sub-step. The cycles are repeated until a selected via fill thickness is achieved.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus includes an electrode at the bottom of a chamber, an ionically resistive element with through holes arranged horizontally at the top of the chamber, with a membrane in the middle. One or more panels extend vertically and parallelly from the membrane to the element and extend linearly across the chamber, forming a plurality of regions between the membrane and the element. A substrate with a protuberance extending along a chord of the substrate and contacting a top surface of the element is arranged above a first region. An electrolyte flowed between the substrate and the element descends into the first region via the through holes on a first side of the protuberance and ascends from the first region via the through holes on a second side of the protuberance, forcing air bubbles out from a portion of the element associated with the first region.

Abstract: Direct copper-copper bonding at low temperatures is achieved by electroplating copper features on a substrate followed by electroplanarizing the copper features. The copper features are electroplated on the substrate under conditions so that nanotwinned copper structures are formed. Electroplanarizing the copper features is performed by anodically biasing the substrate and contacting the copper features with an electrolyte so that copper is electrochemically removed. Such electrochemical removal is performed in a manner so that roughness is reduced in the copper features and substantial coplanarity is achieved among the copper features. Copper features having nanotwinned copper structures, reduced roughness, and better coplanarity enable direct copper-copper bonding at low temperatures.

Abstract: A copper structure having a high density of nanotwins is deposited on a substrate. Electroplating conditions for depositing a nanotwinned copper structure may include applying a pulsed current waveform that alternates between a constant current and no current, where a duration of no current being applied is substantially greater than a duration of a constant current being applied. In some implementations, the nanotwinned copper structure is deposited by applying a pulsed current waveform followed by a constant current waveform. In some implementations, the nanotwinned copper structure is deposited on a highly-oriented base layer, where an electroplating solution contains an accelerator additive. In some implementations, the nanotwinned copper structure is deposited on a non-copper seed layer. In some implementations, the nanotwinned copper structure is deposited at a relatively low flow rate.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus includes an electrode at the bottom of a chamber, an ionically resistive element with through holes arranged horizontally at the top of the chamber, with a membrane in the middle. One or more panels extend vertically and parallelly from the membrane to the element and extend linearly across the chamber, forming a plurality of regions between the membrane and the element. A substrate with a protuberance extending along a chord of the substrate and contacting a top surface of the element is arranged above a first region. An electrolyte flowed between the substrate and the element descends into the first region via the through holes on a first side of the protuberance and ascends from the first region via the through holes on a second side of the protuberance, forcing air bubbles out from a portion of the element associated with the first region.