Method and apparatus for uniform electroplating of integrated circuits using a variable field shaping element

US6402923B1 · kind B1 · utility

Inventors

• Steven T. Mayer · Lake Oswego, US
• Richard Hill · San Jose, US
• Alain Harrus · Palo Alto, US
• Evan E. Patton · Portland, US
• Robert J. Contolini · Lake Oswego, US
• Steve Taatjes · Sherwood, US
• Jon Reid · Sherwood, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 2000
• Grant date: Jun 11, 2002
• Expiry date: Mar 27, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S204/07
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An electrochemical reactor is used to electrofill damascene architecture for integrated circuits. A shield is used to screen the applied field during electroplating operations to compensate for potential drop along the radius of a wafer. The shield establishes an inverse potential drop in the electrolytic fluid to overcome the resistance of a thin film seed layer of copper on the wafer.