Removing bubbles from plating cells

US11746435B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lam Research Corporation · US

Inventors

• Stephen J. Banik, II · Portland, US
• Bryan L. Buckalew · Tualatin, US
• Gabriel Hay Graham · Portland, US
• Alfred Bostick · Tigard, US
• Sean Wilbur · Lake Oswego, US
• John Floyd Ostrowski · Hillsboro, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 23, 2021
• Grant date: Sep 5, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 23, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C25D21/14
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

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.