Semitool, Inc.

John M Pedersen

Kyle Moran Hanson

Daniel J Woodruff

Thomas H Oberlitner

LinLin Chen

Vladimir Zila

John Lee Klocke

Robert W Batz, Jr

Linlin Chen

James J Erickson

Gregory J Wilson

Raymon F Thompson

Gary L Curtis

Robert W Berner

Steve L Eudy

Blaine G Wright

Stephen P Culliton

Darryl S Byle

Jeremy Alan Willey

Jurek K Koziol

Michal A Zmaj

The invention provides an improved contact ring and an improved workpiece support, each of which is useful alone or jointly with the other in a workpiece holder for electrochemically treating microelectronic workpieces. Several embodiments of the invention provide a composite contact ring having a dielectric base carrying a conductor which delivers electric power to a microelectronic workpiece. The dielectric base may be rigid and define a plurality of rigid fingers, each of which carries a separate electrical contact of the conductor. Such a contact ring is expected to have a long service life and enhance uniformity of electrochemical treatment. Several embodiments of the invention provide a workpiece support which induces a control the flexure of a microelectronic workpiece without damaging the workpiece. This controlled flexure can ensure more uniform contact between the workpiece and a contact assembly despite variations in the workpiece and/or the contact assembly.

Microelectronic workpiece holders and contact assemblies for use therewith

A method and apparatus for transmitting electrical signals and fluids to and/or from a microelectronic workpiece. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a shaft rotatable about a shaft axis and having a first end with a first electrical contact portion toward the first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an internal channel along the shaft axis between the first and second ends. The shaft can further have at least one first hole toward the first end with the first hole extending radially from the channel to an external surface of the shaft. The shaft can still further have at least one second hole toward the second end with the second hole extending from the channel to the external surface. A housing rotatably receives the shaft and has an aperture coupleable to a fluid source and/or fluid sink. The housing further has a fluid passage positioned adjacent to at least one of the first holes of the shaft and in fluid communication with the aperture when the shaft rotates relative to the housing. The housing also has a second electrical contact portion engaged with the first electrical contact portion to transmit electrical signals between the first and second electrical contact portions while the shaft rotates relative to the housing.

Apparatus for providing electrical and fluid communication to a rotating microelectronic workpiece during electrochemical processing

Method for providing electrical and fluid communication to a rotating microelectronic workpiece during electrochemical processing

Contact assemblies, electroplating machines with contact assemblies, and methods for making contact assemblies that are used in the fabrication of microelectronic workpieces. The contact assemblies can be wet-contact assemblies or dry-contact assemblies. A contact assembly for use in an electroplating system can comprise a support member and a contact system coupled to the support member. The support member, for example, can be a ring or another structure that has an inner wall defining an opening configured to allow the workpiece to move through the support member along an access path. In one embodiment, the support member is a conductive ring having a plurality of posts depending from the ring that are spaced apart from one another by gaps. The contact system can be coupled to the posts of the support member. The contact system can have a plurality of contact members projecting inwardly into the opening relative to the support member and transversely with respect to the access path. The contact members can comprise electrically conductive biasing elements, such as fingers, that have a contact site and a dielectric coating covering at least a portion of the biasing elements. The contact members can also have a raised feature configured to engage the seed-layer on the workpiece for conducting the current to the seed-layer.

Contact assemblies, methods for making contact assemblies, and plating machines with contact assemblies for plating microelectronic workpieces

Contact assemblies for electrochemical processing of microelectronic workpieces. The contact assemblies can comprise a support member that includes an inner wall which defines an opening configured to receive the workpiece and a plurality of contacts. The individual contacts include a conductor and a cover. The conductor can comprise a proximal section projecting inwardly into the opening relative to the support member, a distal section extending from the proximal section, and an inert exterior at least at the distal section. The cover comprises a dielectric element that covers at least the proximal section of the conductor, but does not cover at least a portion of the distal section of the core. The exposed portion of the distal section of the core, accordingly, defines a conductive contact site for contacting a conductive layer (e.g., a seed layer) on the workpiece.

Contact assemblies, methods for making contact assemblies, and machines with contact assemblies for electrochemical processing of microelectronic workpieces

A reactor for plating a metal onto a surface of a workpiece is set forth. The reactor comprises a reactor bowl including an electroplating solution disposed therein and an anode disposed in the reactor bowl in contact with the electroplating solution. A contact assembly is spaced from the anode within the reactor bowl. The contact assembly includes a plurality of contacts disposed to contact a peripheral edge of the surface of the workpiece to provide electroplating power to the surface of the workpiece. The contacts execute a wiping action against the surface of the workpiece as the workpiece is brought into engagement therewith The contact assembly also including a barrier disposed interior of the plurality of contacts. The barrier includes a member disposed to engage the surface of the workpiece to assist in isolating the plurality of contacts from the electroplating solution.

Methods and apparatus for processing the surface of a microelectronic workpiece

Contact assemblies, electroplating machines with contact assemblies, and methods for making contact assemblies that are used in the fabrication of microelectronic workpieces. The contact assemblies can be dry-contact assemblies. A contact assembly for use in an electroplating system can comprise a support member and a contact system carried by the support member. The support member, for example, can be a ring or another structure that has an opening configured to receive the workpiece. In one embodiment, the support member is a conductive ring. The contact system can have a plurality of contact members projecting inwardly into the opening relative to the support member. The contact members can comprise electrically conductive biasing elements that have contact sites and the contact members can also have a dielectric coating covering at least a portion of the biasing elements. The contact system can also have a shield carried by the support member and a seal on the lip of the shield. The shield and seal are configured to prevent electroplating solution from engaging the contact members.

Dry contact assemblies and plating machines with dry contact assemblies for plating microelectronic workpieces

A reactor for plating a metal onto a surface of a workpiece is set forth. The reactor comprises a reactor bowl including an electroplating solution disposed therein and an anode disposed in the reactor bowl in contact with the electroplating solution. A contact assembly is spaced from the anode within the reactor bowl. The contact assembly includes a plurality of contacts disposed to contact a peripheral edge of the surface of the workpiece to provide electroplating power to the surface of the workpiece. The contacts execute a wiping action against the surface of the workpiece as the workpiece is brought into engagement therewith The contact assembly also including a barrier disposed interior of the plurality of contacts. The barrier includes a member disposed to engage the surface of the workpiece to assist in isolating the plurality of contacts from the electroplating solution. In one embodiment, the plurality of contacts are in the form of discrete flexures while in another embodiment the plurality of contacts are in the form of a Belleville ring contact. A flow path may be provided in the contact assembly for providing a purging gas to the plurality of contacts and the peripheral edge of the workpiece. The purging gas may be used to assist in the formation of the barrier of the contact assembly. A combined electroplating/electroless plating tool and method are also set forth.

Apparatus for processing the surface of a microelectronic workpiece

An apparatus is set forth for providing access to individual workpiece positions in a microelectronic workpiece cassette. The assembly comprises a workpiece cassette inventory assembly having a plurality of cassette inventory cassette supports, which are selectively aligned with the staging cassette supports of a workpiece staging assembly. This allows a plurality of cassettes to be separately indexed, thereby enabling the workpiece staging assembly to access multiple cassettes and process a larger number of microelectronic workpieces between loading/unloading cycles that require user activity.

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Kalispell, MT, United States of America

John M Pedersen