Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for the electrochemical etching of a wafer

US6103096A · kind A · utility

120Cited by
47References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 12, 1997
Grant dateAug 15, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 12, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67075
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrochemical etching apparatus and method increasing the rate at which material is removed from a substrate such as a metallic surface. The apparatus includes an electrolyte delivery system positioned below and centered beneath the center of the substrate (e.g., a wafer) to be etched so that the center axis of the delivery system corresponds to the center of the wafer. The electrolyte delivery system and the wafer are then rotated relative to each other as the electrolyte is discharged from the delivery system and toward the surface of the wafer. A corresponding method for electrochemically etching a surface of the wafer with an electrolyte is also provided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.