Apparatus for electroless deposition of metals onto semiconductor substrates

US7827930B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Dmitry Lubomirsky · Cupertino, US
• Arulkumar Shanmugasundram · Sunnyvale, US
• Russell C. Ellwanger · Hollister, US
• Ian Pancham · San Francisco, US
• Ramakrishna Cheboli · Sunnyvale, US
• Timothy Weidman · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 26, 2005
• Grant date: Nov 9, 2010
• Expiry date: Apr 4, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/6723
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An electroless deposition system is provided. The system includes a processing mainframe, at least one substrate cleaning station positioned on the mainframe, and an electroless deposition station positioned on the mainframe. The electroless deposition station includes an environmentally controlled processing enclosure, a first processing station configured to clean and activate a surface of a substrate, a second processing station configured to electrolessly deposit a layer onto the surface of the substrate, and a substrate transfer shuttle positioned to transfer substrates between the first and second processing stations. The system also includes a substrate transfer robot positioned on the mainframe and configured to access an interior of the processing enclosure. The system also includes a substrate a fluid delivery system that is configured to deliver a processing fluid by use of a spraying process to a substrate mounted in the processing enclosure.