Applied Materials, Inc.

Vincent E Burkhart

Steven Victor Sansoni

Harald Herchen

Allen Flanigan

Anantha K Subramani

Keith A Miller

Tza-Jing Gung

Michael N Sugarman

Hong Sheng Yang

Maurice E Ewert

Deepak Manaoharlal

Stefanie E Harvey

Dmitry Lubomirsky

Michael Xiaoxuan Yang

Vijay D Parkhe

Girish Anant Dixit

Arthur Keigler

Howard E Grunes

Allen L D'Ambra

Craig L Brodeur

Yeuk-Fai Edwin Mok

Son Trinh

Joseph Yahalom

Peter V Kimball

Anthony Ct Chan

Quinwei Wu

A continuously variable multi-position magnetron that is rotated about a central axis in back of a sputtering target at a freely selected radius. The position is dynamically controlled from the outside, for example, through a hydraulic actuator connected between a pivoting arm supporting the magnetron and an arm fixed to the shaft, by two coaxial shafts independent controllable from the outside and supporting the magnetron through a frog-leg mechanism, or a cable connected between the pivoting arms and moved by an external slider. The magnetron can be rotated at two, three, or more discrete radii or be moved in a continuous spiral pattern.

Mechanism for continuously varying radial position of a magnetron

Magnetron having continuously variable radial position

Embodiments of the invention may further provide a contact ring for an electrochemical plating system. The contact generally includes a substrate receiving member having a substrate support surface formed thereon, a plurality of electrical contact pins extending from the substrate support surface, a first seal positioned on the substrate support surface radially inward of the plurality of electrical contacts, and a second seal positioned radially outward of the plurality of electrical contacts. Additionally, the contact ring generally includes a fluid inlet configured to supply a fluid to a volume between the first seal and the second seal.

Liquid isolation of contact rings

An apparatus for securing a substrate in an electrochemical deposition system is provided. The apparatus generally includes a substrate support member adapted to receive the substrate and a thrust plate assembly adapted to exert a downward force on the substrate. For some embodiments, a first sealing member adapted to engage a plating surface of the substrate may be attached to the substrate support member. The apparatus may also include a second sealing member adapted to engage a non-plating surface of the substrate or a surface of the substrate support member to prevent the flow of plating fluid to a non-plating surface of the substrate. The apparatus may also include electrical contacts to electrically contact the plating or non-plating surface of the substrate.

Method and apparatus for sealing electrical contacts during an electrochemical deposition process

A dual-position magnetron that is rotated about a central axis in back of a sputtering target, particularly for sputtering an edge of a target of a barrier material onto a wafer and cleaning material redeposited at a center of the target. During target cleaning, wafer bias is reduced. In one embodiment, an arc-shaped magnetron is supported on a pivot arm pivoting on the end of a bracket fixed to the rotary shaft. A spring biases the pivot arm such that the magnetron is urged towards and overlies the target center. Centrifugal force at increased rotation rate overcomes the spring bias and shift the magnetron to an outer position with the long magnetron dimension aligned with the target edge. Mechanical stops prevent excessive movement in either direction. Other mechanisms include linear slides and actuators.

Selectable dual position magnetron

A method for cleaning the electrical contact areas or substrate contact areas of an electrochemical plating contact ring is provided. Embodiments of the method include positioning a substrate on a substrate support member having one or more electrical contacts, chemically plating a metal layer on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, removing the processed substrate from the support member, and cleaning the one or more electrical contacts with a vapor mixture comprising an alcohol. In another aspect, the method includes spraying the vapor mixture on the electrical contacts while rotating the substrate support member.

Method for removing electrolyte from electrical contacts and wafer touching areas

Embodiments of the invention generally provide an electrochemical plating cell having an electrolyte container assembly configured to hold a plating solution therein, a head assembly positioned above the electrolyte container, the head assembly being configured to support a substrate during an electrochemical plating process, and an anode assembly positioned in a lower portion of the electrolyte container. The anode assembly generally includes a copper member having a substantially planar upper surface, at least one groove formed into the substantially planar upper surface, each of the at least one grooves originating in a central portion of the substantially planar anode surface and terminating at a position proximate a perimeter of the substantially planar upper surface, and at least one fluid outlet positioned at a perimeter of the substantially planar upper anode surface.

Anode impedance control through electrolyte flow control

Anode slime reduction method while maintaining low current

A substrate support and method for reducing the migration of a conductive material is provided. In one embodiment, a support includes a chuck body having a support side and a backside. A guard electrode is disposed within the chuck body proximate the backside of the chuck body. In another aspect, a method for reducing the migration of a conductive material is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of disposing a guard electrode proximate a backside of the substrate support and applying a voltage to the guard electrode.

Method and apparatus for reducing migration of conductive material on a component

A method and apparatus for reducing the thermal gradients within substrate support such as a ceramic wafer support pedestal. Specifically, the present invention is a heater controller that limits the amount of power that is applied to a resistive heater embedded within a ceramic pedestal. The heater controller comprises the necessary circuitry for limiting the amount of power applied to one or more zones with respect to a single other zone. Said heater controller also contains the necessary circuitry to detect faulty or misconnected wires between heater controller and the zones to be heated.

Method and apparatus for reducing thermal gradients within a substrate support

An apparatus and a method for detecting the presence and position of a wafer upon a semiconductor wafer support pedestal surface. Specifically, a wafer detector comprising a plurality of electrodes on a surface of the wafer support pedestal. The electrodes are coupled to a capacitance measurement circuit that measures the capacitance between the electrodes and generates a signal corresponding to a wafer's presence, location and chucking condition. The wafer's presence completes an electrical circuit between the electrodes, increasing the capacitance between the electrodes. As such, the presence of a wafer, the position of the wafer, and the condition of the wafer, i.e., wafer damage, can be detected upon a wafer support pedestal during wafer processing.

Method and apparatus for wafer detection

An apparatus which includes a laminated ceramic body with multilayer electrodes and a method of fabricating this apparatus are disclosed. The laminated ceramic body is formed by layers of ceramic material, with portions of certain layers being silk screened with an intermediate layer of electrically conductive material. Subsequent sintering results in the formation of a solid ceramic body with multilayer electrodes made up of the electrically conductive material layers. The apparatus further comprises an electrical connector extending partially into the ceramic body and intersecting at least one of these electrodes.

Laminated ceramic with multilayer electrodes and method of fabrication

A conductive feed-through providing a conductive path through a dielectric body while maintaining differences in pressure between volumes separated by the dielectric body. A conductive feed-through of the present invention employs a hollow conductive tube created by first drilling a bore through the dielectric material. A first electrode is used to cover one end of the bore, and a vacuum-tight seal is formed around this first electrode. A second electrode is attached to the dielectric body at the other end of the bore. The inside surface of the bore is then coated with an electrically conductive material, and the coating provides a conductive path between the first electrode and the second electrode. In an alternative embodiment, the electrically conductive material coating is deposited such that it extends over the surface of the dielectric body so as to function as an electrode as well.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Vincent E Burkhart