Abstract: To solve the problems of conventional wire billet butt-welding such as high labor intensity, potential safety hazards, and low production efficiency, the disclosure provides a wire billet butt-welding apparatus and a wire billet butt-welding method. The wire billet butt-welding method comprises: S1: preparing a stock, S2: rotating a butt-welding stock receiver to a stock receiving position, and feeding a first coil of wire billet to a stock receiving rod of the butt-welding stock receiver; S3: welding the first coil of wire billet and the second coil of wire billet on a rotary plate at the butt-welding position end-to-head; S4: rotating the butt-welding stock receiver and the second coil of wire billet to the stock receiving position; S5: rotating the stock receiving rod to rotate to tighten the wire billet between the first coil of wire billet and the second coil of wire billet; and S6: repeating steps S3 to S5 to complete butt-welding operations on the 3rd to nth coils of wire billet sequentially.

Abstract: A protective layer is formed over a copper seed layer on a semiconductor substrate prior to electroplating. The protective layer is capable of protecting the copper seed layer from oxidation and from dissolution in an electrolyte during initial phases of electroplating. The protective layer, in some embodiments, prevents the copper seed layer from contacting atmosphere, and from being oxidized by atmospheric oxygen and/or moisture. The protective layer contains a metal that is less noble than copper (e.g., cobalt), where the metal can be in an oxidized form that is readily soluble in a plating liquid. In one embodiment a protective cobalt layer is formed by depositing cobalt metal by chemical vapor deposition over copper seed layer without exposing the copper seed layer to atmosphere, followed by subsequent oxidation of cobalt to cobalt oxide that occurs after the substrate is exposed to atmosphere. The resulting protective layer is dissolved during electroplating.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for filling features with copper by a bottom-up fill mechanism without the use of organic plating additives. In some cases, filling occurs directly on a semi-noble metal layer, without the deposition of a copper seed layer. In other cases, the filling occurs on a copper seed layer. Factors such as the polarization of electrolyte, the use of a complexing agent, electrolyte pH, electrolyte temperature, and the waveform used to deposit material may contribute to promoting the bottom-up fill.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing metal oxide surfaces to modified metal surfaces are disclosed. Metal oxide surfaces are reduced to form a film integrated with a metal seed layer by contacting a solution with a reducing agent with the metal oxide surfaces. The solution with the reducing agent can contact the metal oxide surfaces under conditions that form an integrated film with the metal seed layer, and that reduces reoxidation from exposure the ambient environment. In some embodiments, an additive can be included with the reducing agent to form a surface protecting layer on the metal seed layer. In some embodiments, the metal is copper used in damascene copper structures.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of depositing and annealing a copper seed layer. A copper seed layer may be deposited on a ruthenium layer disposed on a surface of a wafer and on features in the wafer. The thickness of the ruthenium layer may be about 40 Angstroms or less. The copper seed layer may be annealed in a reducing atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of about 2 parts per million or less. Annealing the copper seed layer in a low-oxygen atmosphere may improve the properties of the copper seed layer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing copper and other metals are provided. In some implementations, a wafer substrate is provided to an apparatus. The wafer substrate has a surface with field regions and a feature. A copper layer is plated onto the surface of the wafer substrate. The copper layer is annealed to redistribute copper from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature. Implementations of the disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems allow for void-free bottom-up fill of features in a wafer substrate.