Patent · US Active

Pretreatment of nickel and cobalt liners for electrodeposition of copper into through silicon vias

US9617648B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
69References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 4, 2015
Grant dateApr 11, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 4, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L23/53238
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Prior to electrodeposition of copper onto a nickel-containing or a cobalt-containing seed layer, a semiconductor wafer is pretreated by contacting the seed layer with a pre-wetting liquid comprising cupric ions at a concentration of at least about 10 g/L, more preferably of at least about 30 g/L, and an electroplating suppressor, such as a compound from the class of polyalkylene glycols. This pre-treatment is particularly useful for wafers having one or more large recessed features, such as through silicon vias (TSVs). The pre-wetting liquid is preferably degassed prior to contact with the wafer substrate. The pretreatment is preferably performed under subatmospheric pressure to prevent bubble formation within the recessed features. After the wafer is pretreated, copper is electrodeposited from an electroplating solution (such as an acidic electroplating solution) to fill the recessed features on the wafer. The described pretreatment minimizes corrosion of seed layer during electroplating and reduces plating defects.

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