Novellus Systems Incorporated

Wayne Fetters

Evan E Patton

R Marshall Stowell

Edmund Minshall

Kevin Biggs

An apparatus for holding work pieces during electroless plating has certain improved features designed for use at relatively high temperatures (e.g., at least about 50 degrees C.). Cup and cone components of a &ldquo;clamshell&rdquo; apparatus that engage a work piece are made from dimensionally stable materials with relatively low coefficients of thermal expansion. Further, O-rings are removed from positions that come in contact with the work piece. This avoids the difficulty caused by O-rings sticking to work piece surfaces during high temperature processing. In place of the O-ring, a cantilever member is provided on the portion of the cone that contacts the work piece. Still further, the apparatus makes use of a heat transfer system for controlling the temperature of the work piece backside during plating.

Electroless copper deposition apparatus

An apparatus for electroplating a wafer surface includes a cup having a central aperture defined by an inner perimeter, a compliant seal adjacent the inner perimeter, contacts adjacent the compliant seal and a cone attached to a rotatable spindle. The compliant seal forms a seal with the perimeter region of the wafer surface preventing plating solution from contaminating the wafer edge, wafer backside and the contacts. As a further measure to prevent contamination, the region behind the compliant seal is pressurized. By rotating the wafer during electroplating, bubble entrapment on the wafer surface is prevented. Further, the contacts can be arranged into banks of contacts and the resistivity between banks can be tested to detect poor electrical connections between the contacts and the wafer surface.

Apparatus for electroplating copper onto semiconductor wafer

Clamshell apparatus for electrochemically treating semiconductor wafers

A rotary union for use with an electroplating apparatus includes a shaft having a first surface area and an extended surface area, the first surface area having a first aperture therein, the extended surface area having a second aperture therein. The rotary union further includes an outer face seal and an inner face seal. The outer face seal is pressed against, and forms a seal with, the first surface area. The inner face seal is pressed against, and forms a seal with, the extended surface area. A pressure passage coupled to the first aperture passes through the outer face seal and around the outside of the inner face seal. A pressure/vacuum passage coupled to the second aperture passes through the inner face seal.

Growing community of inventors

Canby, OR, United States of America

Wayne Fetters