The present invention provides an electro-chemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electro-chemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells. Preferably, the electro-chemical deposition system includes a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station disposed between the loading station and the mainframe, a rapid thermal anneal chamber attached to the loading station, and a system controller for controlling the electro-chemical deposition process and the components of the electro-chemical deposition system.

Electro-chemical deposition system

The present invention deposits a conductive material from an electrolyte solution to a predetermined area of a wafer. The steps that are used when making this application include applying the conductive material to the predetermined area of the wafer using an electrolyte solution disposed on a surface of the wafer, when the wafer is disposed between a cathode and an anode, and preventing accumulation of the conductive material to areas other than the predetermine area by mechanically polishing the other areas while the conductive material is being applied.

Method and apparatus for electro-chemical mechanical deposition

The present invention provides methods of electrolessly depositing metal onto the surfaces of electronic components (22) using an enclosable single vessel (20). The methods of the present invention include contacting the electronic components (22) with an activation solution followed by contacting the electronic components (22) with a metal deposition solution. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen levels in the activation solution and metal deposition solution are controlled in a manner for improved processing results. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the activation and metal deposition solutions are used one time without reuse.

Electroless metal deposition of electronic components in an enclosable vessel

An apparatus for electroplating a wafer surface includes a cup (34J) having a central aperture defined by an inner perimeter (A25), a compliant seal (F25) adjacent the inner perimeter, contacts (D25) adjacent the compliant seal and a cone attached to a rotatable spindle. The compliant seal forms a seal with the perimeter region of the wafer surface preventing plating solution from contaminating the wafer edge, wafer backside and the contacts. As a further measure to prevent contamination, the region behind the compliant seal is pressurized. By rotating the wafer during electroplating, bubble entrapment on the wafer surface is prevented. Further, the contacts can be arranged into banks of contacts and the resistivity between banks can be tested to detect poor electrical connections between the contacts and the wafer surface.

Clamshell apparatus for electrochemically treating semiconductor wafers

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for processing printed material to provide an index of locations within the printed material that can be associated with external actions such as displaying a graphical image, providing an audio or video output, or providing a multimedia output. The associations are stored in a database. Apparatus and methods are also disclosed that allow a user to image the printed material and by indicating a desired location within the printed material can cause one of the associated actions to be executed.

Method and system for locating position in printed texts and delivering multimedia information

An article, such as a semiconductor wafer (31), is selectively electrolytically plated to form metal deposits, such as contacts (26), adjacent to anodes of diode regions within such wafer by mounting the wafer in a plating chamber (36) opposite first and second electrodes (61 and 62), filling the chamber (36) with a metal plating electrolyte (49) and applying alternatingly plating pulses between the wafer (31) and the first electrode (61) and deplating pulses between the wafer (31) and the second electrode (62) The plating pulses are current controlled yielding a predetermined total plating current The deplating pulses are voltage controlled yielding a deplating current which tends to subside in the course of the plating operation The electrolyte in the chamber is agitated by streams of electrolyte pumped at a comparatively high rate toward the wafer (31) to break down surface layers of electrolyte adjacent to the wafer

Methods of and apparatus for electroplating preselected surface regions of electrical articles

An edge surface (18) of an article (16) is treated in a fluid (52) with a minimum effect on other adjacent side surfaces of the article by contacting the edge surface to the surface of the fluid such that the fluid wets the side surfaces and forms a meniscus adjacent to each of the side surfaces. In the meniscus the fluid stagnates and quickly becomes an inactive barrier which shields the side surfaces of the article, while the edge surface of the article remains exposed for the duration of the treatment to the active bulk of the fluid.

Selectively treating an article

A cylindrical surface of an article is electrolytically treated with a controlled, cross-sectional distribution of the electrolytic action. The distribution is achieved by placing the surface at a predetermined distance from a formed electrode to control the influence of the electrode on each portion of the surface along a cross section thereof. The influence on each such portion with respect to other portions of the surface is determined by the magnitude of an influence number associated with such portion in relation to the magnitude of similar influence numbers associated with the other surface portions along the cross section.

Duane E. Bacon

Papers

Methods of and apparatus for electroplating preselected surface regions of electrical articles

Selectively treating an article

Electrolytically treating a selected cylindrical surface of an article