Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus, systems, and methods for electroplating cobalt, nickel, and alloys thereof in interconnect features of partially or fully fabricated electronic devices. During electroplating, cobalt, nickel, or alloys thereof fill features by a bottom up electrofill mechanism. Examples of features that may be electrofilled with cobalt, nickel, or alloys thereof include micro TSVs, contacts for devices, and certain gates for transistors. Electroplating apparatus may include electroplating cells along with one or more instances of each of a post-electrofill module, an anneal chamber, a plasma pretreatment module, and a substrate pre-wetting module.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for electroplating metal into recessed features using a superconformal fill mechanism that provides relatively faster plating within a feature and relatively slower plating in the field region. Moreover, within the feature, plating occurs faster toward the bottom of the feature compared to the top of the feature. The result is that the feature is filled with metal from the bottom upwards, resulting in a high quality fill without the formation of seams or voids, defects that are likely where a conformal fill mechanism is used. The superconformal fill mechanism relies on the presence of a sacrificial oxidant molecule that is used to develop a differential current efficiency within the feature compared to the field region. Various plating conditions are balanced against one another to ensure that the feature fills from the bottom upwards. No organic plating additives are necessary, though plating additives can be used to improve the process.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for electroplating metal into recessed features using a superconformal fill mechanism that provides relatively faster plating within a feature and relatively slower plating in the field region. Moreover, within the feature, plating occurs faster toward the bottom of the feature compared to the top of the feature. The result is that the feature is filled with metal from the bottom upwards, resulting in a high quality fill without the formation of seams or voids, defects that are likely where a conformal fill mechanism is used. The superconformal fill mechanism relies on the presence of a sacrificial oxidant molecule that is used to develop a differential current efficiency within the feature compared to the field region. Various plating conditions are balanced against one another to ensure that the feature fills from the bottom upwards. No organic plating additives are necessary, though plating additives can be used to improve the process.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for electroplating metal into recessed features using a superconformal fill mechanism that provides relatively faster plating within a feature and relatively slower plating in the field region. Moreover, within the feature, plating occurs faster toward the bottom of the feature compared to the top of the feature. The result is that the feature is filled with metal from the bottom upwards, resulting in a high quality fill without the formation of seams or voids, defects that are likely where a conformal fill mechanism is used. The superconformal fill mechanism relies on the presence of a sacrificial oxidant molecule that is used to develop a differential current efficiency within the feature compared to the field region. Various plating conditions are balanced against one another to ensure that the feature fills from the bottom upwards. No organic plating additives are necessary, though plating additives can be used to improve the process.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing metal oxide surfaces to modified metal surfaces and cooling the metal surfaces are disclosed. By exposing a metal oxide surface to remote plasma, the metal oxide surface on a substrate can be reduced to pure metal. A remote plasma apparatus can treat the metal oxide surface as well as actively cool, load/unload, and move the substrate within a single standalone apparatus. The remote plasma apparatus can be configured to actively cool the substrate during and/or after reducing the metal oxide to pure metal using an active cooling system. The active cooling system can include one or more of an actively cooled pedestal, an actively cooled showerhead, and one or more cooling gas inlets for delivering cooling gas to cool the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for electroplating metal into recessed features using a superconformal fill mechanism that provides relatively faster plating within a feature and relatively slower plating in the field region. Moreover, within the feature, plating occurs faster toward the bottom of the feature compared to the top of the feature. The result is that the feature is filled with metal from the bottom upwards, resulting in a high quality fill without the formation of seams or voids, defects that are likely where a conformal fill mechanism is used. The superconformal fill mechanism relies on the presence of a sacrificial oxidant molecule that is used to develop a differential current efficiency within the feature compared to the field region. Various plating conditions are balanced against one another to ensure that the feature fills from the bottom upwards. No organic plating additives are necessary, though plating additives can be used to improve the process.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating cobalt on a substrate. In many cases, the cobalt is electroplated into recessed features. The recessed features may include a seed layer such as a cobalt seed layer. Electroplating may occur through a bottom-up mechanism. The bottom-up mechanism may be achieved by using particular additives (e.g., accelerator and suppressor), which may be present in the electrolyte at particular concentrations. Further, leveler, wetting agent, and/or brightening agents may be used to promote high quality plating results. In various embodiments, the substrate is pre-treated to remove oxide (and in some cases carbon impurities) from the seed layer before electroplating takes place. Further, the electrolyte may have a particular conductivity to promote uniform plating results across the face of the substrate.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating cobalt on a substrate. In many cases, the cobalt is electroplated into recessed features. The recessed features may include a seed layer such as a cobalt seed layer. Electroplating may occur through a bottom-up mechanism. The bottom-up mechanism may be achieved by using particular additives (e.g., accelerator and suppressor), which may be present in the electrolyte at particular concentrations. Further, leveler, wetting agent, and/or brightening agents may be used to promote high quality plating results. In various embodiments, the substrate is pre-treated to remove oxide (and in some cases carbon impurities) from the seed layer before electroplating takes place. Further, the electrolyte may have a particular conductivity to promote uniform plating results across the face of the substrate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for preparing a substrate with a semi-noble metal layer are disclosed. The substrate can be pretreated so that a metal oxide surface on the semi-noble metal layer can be reduced to a modified metal surface integrated with the semi-noble metal layer. The substrate can be pretreated using a remote plasma treatment. A copper seed layer can be formed on the semi-noble metal layer using either an acidic or alkaline bath with a plating solution including either at least two copper complexing agents with varying dentacity or a single hexadentate copper complexing agent that is in excess of the copper source. The copper complexing agents can include a hexadentate ligand and a bidentate ligand. In some embodiments, a bulk layer of copper can be subsequently deposited on the copper seed layer using an acidic bath.