Novellus Systems Incorporated

Other

Jon Reid

Steven T Mayer

Evan E Patton

Robert J Contolini

Eric G Webb

Richard N Hill

Timothy Mark Archer

Jian Zhou

Steve Taatjes

Yuichi Takada

Seyang Park

Alain Harrus

Certain embodiments herein relate to a method of electroplating copper into damascene features using a low copper concentration electrolyte having less than about 10 g/L copper ions and about 2-15 g/L acid. Using the low copper electrolyte produces a relatively high overpotential on the plating substrate surface, allowing for a slow plating process with few fill defects. The low copper electrolyte may have a relatively high cloud point.

Low copper electroplating solutions for fill and defect control

The present invention provides improved methods and devices for electroplating copper on a wafer. Some implementations of the present invention involve the pre-treatment of the wafer with a solution containing accelerator molecules. Preferably, the bath into which the wafer is subsequently placed for electroplating has a reduced concentration of accelerator molecules. The pre-treatment causes a reduction in roughness of the electroplated copper surface, particularly during the initial phases of copper growth.

Deposit morphology of electroplated copper

Methods are provided for electrochemically depositing copper on a work piece. One method includes the step of depositing overlying the work piece a barrier layer having a surface and subjecting the barrier layer surface to a surface treatment adapted to facilitate deposition of copper on the barrier layer. Copper then is electrochemically deposited overlying the barrier layer.

Methods for the electrochemical deposition of copper onto a barrier layer of a work piece

An electrochemical reactor is used to electrofill damascene architecture for integrated circuits. A shield is used to screen the applied field during electroplating operations to compensate for potential drop along the radius of a wafer. The shield establishes an inverse potential drop in the electrolytic fluid to overcome the resistance of a thin film seed layer of copper on the wafer.

Method and apparatus for uniform electroplating of integrated circuits using a variable field shaping element

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Sherwood, OR, United States of America

Jon Reid