Removal of electroplating bath additives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10711366-B2
Application number	US-201815894643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

In one example, an electroplating system comprising a bath reservoir having a first inlet for feeding fresh electrolyte solution into the bath reservoir and a first outlet for bleeding used electrolyte solution out of the bath reservoir, a second inlet for receiving recycled electrolyte solution into the bath reservoir, and a second outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the bath reservoir. A plating cell is providing for electroplating an object, the plating cell has an inlet in direct or indirect fluid communication with the bath reservoir, and an outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the plating cell. An extraction column extracts by-products generated by the plating cell and has an inlet in direct or indirect fluid communication with the outlet of the plating cell, and an outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the extraction column. A first particle filter is disposed in a fluid pathway between the second outlet of the bath reservoir and the inlet of the plating cell, and a second particle filter is disposed in a fluid pathway between the outlet of the extraction column and the second inlet of the bath reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electroplating system comprising:
a bath reservoir having a first inlet for feeding fresh electrolyte solution into the bath reservoir and a first outlet for bleeding used electrolyte solution out of the bath reservoir, a second inlet for receiving recycled electrolyte solution into the bath reservoir, and a second outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the bath reservoir;
a plating cell for electroplating an object, the plating cell having an inlet in direct or indirect fluid communication with the bath reservoir, and an outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the plating cell;
an extraction column for extracting by-products generated by the plating cell, the extraction column having an inlet in direct or indirect fluid communication with the outlet of the plating cell, and an outlet for discharge of electrolyte solution from the extraction column;
a first particle filter disposed in a fluid pathway between the second outlet of the bath reservoir and the inlet of the plating cell;
a second particle filter disposed in a fluid pathway between the outlet of the extraction column and the second inlet of the bath reservoir; and
flow control means disposed between the plating cell and the bath reservoir, wherein the flow control means is in fluid communication with the outlet of the plating cell; the flow control means selectively returning a portion of the electrolyte solution to the bath reservoir without passing the returned portion through the first or second filter.

2. The electroplating system of claim 1 ,
wherein the flow control means, in fluid communication with the outlet of the plating cell, is further operable to selectively divert a portion of the electrolyte solution discharged by the plating cell to the extraction column.

3. The electroplating system of claim 2 , wherein a diversion of electrolyte solution by the flow control means to the extraction column is based on a monitored level of by-product or additive in the plating cell.

4. The electroplating system of claim 3 , further comprising:
an external recycling loop comprising an extraction reservoir for receiving electrolyte solution diverted by the flow control means;
the inlet of the extraction column being in fluid communication with the extraction reservoir; and
the second particle filter having an inlet in fluid communication with the extraction column and an outlet in fluid communication with the bath reservoir.

5. The electroplating system of claim 4 , wherein the external particle filter is constituted by or includes the second particle filter removed from the fluid pathway between the outlet of the extraction column and the second inlet of the bath reservoir.

6. The electroplating system of claim 5 , further comprising:
flow control means, in fluid communication with the outlet of the plating cell, for selectively diverting a portion of electrolyte solution discharged by the plating cell to the external recycling loop or returning a portion of the electrolyte solution to the bath reservoir.

7. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the extraction column includes a solids extraction matrix including an extraction material for capturing the byproduct generated by the plating cell.

8. The electroplating system of claim 7 , wherein the extraction material includes one or more of:
an 18-carbon chain (C18), 8-carbon chain (C8), phenyl, cyanopropyl, and styrene-divinyl benzene.

9. The electroplating system of claim 7 , wherein the extraction material includes one or more of:
Si—OH, Si—NH2, silica gel, and alumina.

10. The electroplating system of claim 7 , wherein the extraction material includes one or more of:
amino propyl, carboxylic acid, quaternary amine, and sulfonic acid.

11. The electroplating system of claim 7 , wherein the extraction material includes one or more of:
packed silica or polymer heads.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Spurlin Tighe A
• Reid Jonathan D

Classifications

• B01D36/00

  Filter circuits or combinations of filters with other separating devices · CPC title

• C25D3/38

  of copper · CPC title

• C25D3/12

  of nickel or cobalt · CPC title

• B01D15/10

  characterised by constructional or operational features · CPC title

• C25D7/12

  Semiconductors · CPC title