Patent · US Expired

Plating apparatus and method

US6391166B1 · kind B1 · utility

243Cited by
15References
109Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 15, 1999
Grant dateMay 21, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC25D21/12
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus for plating a conductive film directly on a substrate with a barrier layer on top includes anode rod (1) placed in tube (109), and anode rings (2), and (3) placed between cylindrical walls (107) and (105), (103) and (101), respectively. Anodes (1), (2), and (3) are powered by power supplies (13), (12), and (11), respectively. Electrolyte (34) is pumped by pump (33) to pass through filter (32) and reach inlets of liquid mass flow controllers (LMFCs) (21), (22), and (23). Then LMFCs (21), (22) and (23) deliver electrolyte at a set flow rate to sub-plating baths containing anodes (3), (2) and (1), respectively. After flowing through the gap between wafer (31) and the top of the cylindrical walls (101), (103), (105), (107) and (109), electrolyte flows back to tank (36) through spaces between cylindrical walls (100) and (101), (103) and (105), and (107) and (109), respectively. A pressure leak valve (38) is placed between the outlet of pump (33) and electrolyte tank (36) to leak electrolyte back to tank (36) when LMFCs (21), (22), (23) are closed. A wafer (31) held by wafer chuck (29) is connected to power supplies (11), (12) and (13). A drive mechanism (30) is used to rota…

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