Process gas discharged from a bypass pipe to a gas exhaust system can be prevented from diffusing back to the inside of a process chamber without having to install a dedicated vacuum pump at the downstream side of the bypass pipe. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber accommodating a substrate, a gas supply system supplying process gas from a process gas source to the process chamber for processing the substrate, a gas exhaust system configured to exhaust the process chamber, two or more vacuum pumps installed in series at the gas exhaust system, and a bypass pipe connected between the gas supply system and the gas exhaust system. The most upstream one of the vacuum pumps is a mechanical booster pump, and the bypass pipe is connected between the mechanical booster pump and the rest vacuum pumps located at a downstream side of the mechanical booster pump.

Substrate Processing Apparatus

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 invention generally provides an apparatus and a method for electro-chemically depositing a uniform metal layer onto a substrate. More specifically, the invention provides an electro-chemical deposition cell for face-up processing of semiconductor substrates comprising a substrate support member, a cathode connected to the substrate plating suface, an anode disposed above the substrate support member and an electroplating solution inlet supplying an electroplating solution fluidly connecting the anode and the substrate plating surface. Preferably, the anode comprises a consumable metal source disposed in a liquid permeable structure, and the anode and a cavity ring define a cavity for holding and distributing the electroplating solution to the substrate plating surface. Preferably, the substrate support member comprises a vacuum chuck having vacuum ports disposed on the substrate supporting surface that serves to provide suction during processing and to provide a blow-off gas flow to prevent backside contamination during substrate transfers. The substrate support member also rotates and vibrates during processing to enhance the electro-deposition onto the substrate plating surface. Another aspect of the invention provides a dual catch-cup system comprising an electroplating solution catch-cup and a rinse catch-cup. The dual catch-cup system provides separation of the electroplating solution and the rinse solutions during processing and provides re-circulating systems for the different solutions of the electroplating system. The invention also provides an apparatus for delivering an electrical power to a substrate surface comprising an annular ring electrically connected to a power supply, the annular ring having a contact portion to electrically contact a peripheral portion of the substrate surface. Preferably, the contact portion comprises annular surface, such as a metal impregnated elastomer ring, to provide continuous electrical contact with the peripheral portion of the substrate. Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for holding a substrate for electro-chemical deposition comprising a substrate holder having a substrate support surface and an annular ring electrically connected to a power supply, the annular ring having a contact portion to electrically contact a peripheral portion of the substrate surface.

Electro-chemical deposition cell for face-up processing of single semiconductor substrates

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating high performance chip interconnects and packages by providing methods for depositing a conductive material in cavities of a substrate in a more efficient and time saving manner. This is accomplished by selectively removing portions of a seed layer from a top surface of a substrate and then depositing a conductive material in the cavities of the substrate, where portions of the seed layer remains in the cavities. Another method includes forming an oxide layer on the top surface of the substrate such that the conductive material can be deposited in the cavities without the material being formed on the top surface of the substrate. The present invention also discloses methods for forming multi-level interconnects and the corresponding structures.

Novel chip interconnect and packaging deposition methods and structures

A process for applying a metallization interconnect structure to a semiconductor workpiece having a barrier layer deposited on a surface thereof is set forth. The process includes the forming of an ultra-thin metal seed layer on the barrier layer. The ultra-thin seed layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 500 Angstroms. The ultra-thin seed layer is then enhanced by depositing additional metal thereon to provide an enhanced seed layer. The enhanced seed layer has a thickness at all points on sidewalls of substantially all recessed features distributed within the workpiece that is equal to or greater than about 10% of the nominal seed layer thickness over an exteriorly disposed surface of the workpiece.

Apparatus and method for electrolytically depositing copper on a semiconductor workpiece

In electroplating a metal layer on a semiconductor wafer, the resistive voltage drop between the edge of the wafer, where the electrical terminal is located, and center of the wafer causes the plating rate to be greater at the edge than at the center. As a result of this so-called "terminal effect", the plated layer tends to be concave. This problem is overcome by first setting the current at a relatively low level until the plated layer is sufficiently thick that the resistive drop is negligible, and then increasing the current to improve the plating rate. Alternatively, the portion of the layer produced at the higher current can be made slightly convex to compensate for the concave shape of the portion of the layer produced at the lower current. This is done by reducing the mass transfer of the electroplating solution near the edge of the wafer to the point that the electroplating process is mass transfer limited in that region. As a result, the portion of the layer formed under these conditions is thinner near the edge of the wafer.

Method of electroplating semiconductor wafer using variable currents and mass transfer to obtain uniform plated layer

Apparatus for treating the surface of a substrate, the apparatus comprising a clamshell (32) mounted on a rotatable spindle (40). The clamshell comprises a cone (34), a cup (36) and a flange (48). The flange (48) has apertures (50) which are adjacent the substrate or wafer (38) allowing gas bubbles entrapped on the substrate surface to readily escape.

Electric potential shaping apparatus for holding a semiconductor wafer during electroplating

Chemical etching methods and associated modules for performing the removal of metal from the edge bevel region of a semiconductor wafer are described. The methods and systems apply liquid etchant in a precise manner at the edge bevel region of the wafer under viscous flow conditions, so that the etchant is applied on to the front edge area and flows over the side edge and onto the back edge in a viscous manner. The etchant thus does not flow or splatter onto the active circuit region of the wafer.

Edge bevel removal of copper from silicon wafers

A plating cell has an inner plating bath container for performing electroplating on a work piece (e.g., a wafer) submerged in a solution contained by the inner plating bath container. A reclaim inlet funnels any solution overflowing the inner plating bath container back into a reservoir container to be circulated back into the inner plating bath container. A waste channel is also provided having an inlet at a different height than the inlet of the reclaim channel. After electroplating, the wafer is lifted to a position and spun. While spinning, the wafer is thoroughly rinse with, for example, ultra pure water. The spin rate and height of the wafer determine whether the water and solution are reclaimed through the reclaim channel or disposed through the waste channel.

Electroplating chamber with rotatable wafer holder and pre-wetting and rinsing capability

An electroplating apparatus prevents anode-mediated degradation of electrolyte additives by creating a mechanism for maintaining separate anolyte and catholyte and preventing mixing thereof within a plating chamber The separation is accomplished by interposing a porous chemical transport barrier between the anode and cathode The transport barrier limits the chemical transport (via diffusion and/or convection) of all species but allows migration of ionic species (and hence passage of current) during application of sufficiently large electric fields within electrolyte

Evan E. Patton

Papers

Method of electroplating semiconductor wafer using variable currents and mass transfer to obtain uniform plated layer

Electric potential shaping apparatus for holding a semiconductor wafer during electroplating

Edge bevel removal of copper from silicon wafers

Electroplating chamber with rotatable wafer holder and pre-wetting and rinsing capability

Copper electroplating apparatus