Methods and apparatuses for electroplating and seed layer detection
US9822460B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 2014 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 25, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L22/12
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for electroplating which employ seed layer detection. Such methods and related apparatuses may operate by selecting a wafer for processing, measuring from its surface one or more in-process color signals having one or more color components, calculating one or more metrics, each metric indicative of the difference between one of the in-process color signals and a corresponding set of reference color signals, determining whether an acceptable seed layer is present on the wafer surface based on whether a predetermined number of the one or more metrics are within an associated predetermined range which individually corresponds to that metric, and either electroplating the wafer when an acceptable seed layer is present or otherwise designating the wafer unacceptable for electroplating. The foregoing may then be repeated for one or more additional wafers to electroplate multiple wafers from a set of wafers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.