Applied Materials, Inc.

Charles Sharbono

Paul R McHugh

Kyle Moran Hanson

John Lee Klocke

Sam Lee

Gregory J Wilson

Nolan Layne Zimmerman

Eric J Bergman

Arvind Sundarrajan

Guan Huei See

Prayudi Lianto

Marvin L Bernt

Kwan Wook Roh

Paul Van Valkenburg

Deepak Saagar Kalaikadal

Jing Xu

Keith Edward Ypma

Exemplary electroplating systems may include a vessel. The systems may include a paddle disposed within the vessel. The paddle may be characterized by a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the paddle may be include a plurality of ribs that extend upward from the first surface. The plurality of ribs may be arranged in a generally parallel manner about the first surface. The paddle may define a plurality of apertures through a thickness of the paddle. Each of the plurality of apertures may have a diameter of less than about 5 mm. The paddle may have an open area of less than about 15%.

Electroplating co-planarity improvement by die shielding

A method of plating substrates may include placing a substrate in a plating chamber comprising a liquid, and applying a current to the liquid in the plating chamber to deposit a metal on exposed portions of the substrate, where the current may include alternating cycles of a forward plating current and a reverse deplating current. To determine the current characteristics, a model of a substrate may be simulated during the plating process to generate data points that relate characteristics of the plating process and a pattern on the substrate to a range nonuniformity of material formed on the substrate during the plating process. Using information from the data points, values for the forward and reverse currents may be derived and provided to the plating chamber to execute the plating process.

Plating and deplating currents for material co-planarity in semiconductor plating processes

Electroplating systems may include an electroplating chamber. The systems may also include a replenish assembly fluidly coupled with the electroplating chamber. The replenish assembly may include a first compartment housing anode material. The first compartment may include a first compartment section in which the anode material is housed and a second compartment section separated from the first compartment section by a divider. The replenish assembly may include a second compartment fluidly coupled with the electroplating chamber and electrically coupled with the first compartment. The replenish assembly may also include a third compartment electrically coupled with the second compartment, the third compartment including an inert cathode.

Multi-compartment electrochemical replenishment cell

Electroplating methods and systems are described that include adding a metal-ion-containing starting solution to a catholyte to increase a metal ion concentration in the catholyte to a first metal ion concentration. The methods and systems further include measuring the metal ion concentration in the catholyte while the metal ions electroplate onto a substrate and the catholyte reaches a second metal ion concentration that is less than the first metal ion concentration. The methods and systems additionally include adding a portion of an anolyte directly to the catholyte when the catholyte reaches the second metal ion concentration. The addition of the portion of the anolyte increases the metal ion concentration in the catholyte to a third metal ion concentration that is greater than or about the first metal ion concentration.

Electroplating systems and methods with increased metal ion concentrations

Methods of etching a semiconductor substrate may include applying an etchant to the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may include an exposed region of an oxygen-containing material and an exposed region of a nitrogen-containing material. The methods may include heating the semiconductor substrate from a first temperature to a second temperature. The methods may include maintaining the semiconductor substrate at the second temperature for a period of time sufficient to perform an etch of the nitrogen-containing material relative to the oxygen-containing material. The methods may also include quenching the etch subsequent the period of time.

Controlled etch of nitride features

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: immersing a substrate in a first bath, wherein the substrate comprises a barrier layer, a conductive seed layer, and a patterned photoresist layer defining an opening; providing a first electric current between the conductive seed layer and a first anode disposed in electrical contact with the first bath to deposit a conductive material within the opening; stripping the patterned photoresist layer; immersing the substrate in a second bath; providing a second electric current that is a reverse of the first electric current between the conductive seed layer plus the conductive material and a second anode disposed in electrical contact with the second bath; etching the conductive seed layer from atop a field region of the barrier layer; and etching the barrier layer from atop a field region of the substrate.

Methods of enhancing polymer adhesion to copper

A non-uniform initial metal film is non-uniformly deplated to provide a more uniform metal film on a substrate. Electrochemical deplating may be performed by placing the substrate in a deplating bath formulated specifically for deplating, rather than for plating. The deplating bath may have a throwing power of 0.3 or less; or a bath conductivity of 1 mS/cm to 250 mS/cm. Reverse electrical current conducted through the deplating bath non-uniformly. electro-etches or deplates the metal film.

Growing community of inventors

Whitefish, MT, United States of America

Charles Sharbono