Substrate cleaning components and methods in a plating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814744-B2
Application number	US-201916370265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include an electroplating apparatus including a plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may include a rinsing frame extending above the plating bath vessel. The rinsing frame may include a rim extending circumferentially about an upper surface of the plating bath vessel and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may also include a rinsing assembly including a splash guard that is translatable from a recessed first position to a second position extending at least partially across an access to the plating bath vessel. The rinsing assembly may also include a fluid nozzle extending from the rinsing frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electroplating apparatus comprising:
a plating bath vessel;
a head configured to support a substrate;
a rinsing frame extending above the plating bath vessel and defining a central aperture through which the head extends into the rinsing frame to access the plating bath vessel, the rinsing frame comprising:
a rim coupled with and extending circumferentially above an upper surface of the plating bath vessel and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath vessel; and

a rinsing assembly comprising:
a splash guard translatable from a recessed first position to a second position between the rim of the rinsing frame and the plating bath vessel, and
a fluid nozzle coupled with the splash guard, wherein when the splash guard is in the second position, a central axis of the fluid nozzle is positioned below and aligned with a central axis of the head.

2. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the head is rotatable, wherein the fluid nozzle is indirectly coupled with the rinsing frame, and wherein when the splash guard is in the second position, the fluid nozzle is positioned within 10 mm from a center of the head.

3. The electroplating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the head is configured to rotate during rinsing at a velocity configured to sling fluid delivered from the fluid nozzle from a radial edge of a supported substrate into the rinsing channel.

4. The electroplating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the head comprises a seal about the head, wherein the electroplating apparatus further comprises a seal clean nozzle coupled with the rim, and wherein the seal clean nozzle is configured to eject a fluid tangentially across an exterior radial edge of the seal and into the rinsing channel.

5. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the splash guard comprises a sloped or concave surface.

6. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid nozzle is a first fluid nozzle, the electroplating apparatus further comprising a second fluid nozzle adjacent the first fluid nozzle and configured to deliver inert gas to a surface of a substrate.

7. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rinsing assembly further comprises a second fluid nozzle positioned in line with and radially outward of the central axis from the fluid nozzle.

8. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an aspirator coupled with the splash guard.

9. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the splash guard comprises a plurality of components coupled about the rim with a linkage, and wherein when the splash guard is in the second position, the plurality of components are configured to cover greater than 80% of the access to the plating bath vessel.

10. The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the splash guard comprises a floor extendable across the plating bath vessel.

11. The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the floor is characterized by a slope when extended across the plating bath vessel.

12. The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the floor comprises multiple retractable components.

13. The electroplating apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the multiple retractable components comprises a flexible edge material configured to sweep residual fluid from an adjacent retractable component during a retraction operation of the floor.

14. The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the rinsing frame further comprises a track configured to guide the floor across the plating bath vessel.

15. A method of rinsing a substrate at a semiconductor plating chamber, the method comprising:
raising a head from a plating bath, the head comprising a seal and a substrate coupled with the seal, wherein a rinsing frame extends above the plating bath and defines a central aperture through which the head extends into the rinsing frame to access the plating bath, the rinsing frame comprising:
a rim coupled with and extending circumferentially above an upper surface of the plating bath and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath; and
a rinsing assembly comprising:
a splash guard translatable from a recessed first position to a second position between the rim of the rinsing frame and the plating bath;
a fluid nozzle coupled with the splash guard, wherein when the splash guard is in the second position, a central axis of the fluid nozzle is positioned below and aligned with a central axis of the head; and

positioning the splash guard between the plating bath and the substrate;
rotating the head; and
flowing a rinse fluid across the substrate from the fluid nozzle, wherein rotating the head slings the rinse fluid from a radial edge of the substrate to a collection channel defined by the rinse frame extending above and radially outward of the plating bath.

16. The method of rinsing a substrate at a semiconductor plating chamber of claim 15 , wherein a seal clean nozzle is coupled with the rinse frame, the method further comprising:
flowing the rinse fluid from the seal clean nozzle, wherein the seal clean nozzle is positioned to direct the rinse fluid tangentially across the seal and into the collection channel.

17. The method of rinsing a substrate at a semiconductor plating chamber of claim 15 , wherein the fluid nozzle is coupled with the splash guard, and wherein the fluid nozzle is positioned proximate a central location below the substrate during the positioning of the splash guard.

18. The method of rinsing a substrate at a semiconductor plating chamber of claim 15 , wherein a gas nozzle is coupled adjacent the fluid nozzle, the method further comprising:
flowing an inert gas across the substrate to dry residual rinse fluid from a surface of the substrate.

19. An electroplating apparatus comprising:
a plating bath vessel;
a head comprising a seal configured to support a substrate;
a rinsing frame extending above the plating bath vessel, the rinsing frame comprising:
a rim extending circumferentially above an upper surface of the plating bath vessel and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath vessel, and
a housing extending laterally from the rim; and

a rinsing assembly comprising:
a splash guard translatable from a first position recessed within the housing to a second position between the rim of the rinsing frame and the plating bath vessel and located between the plating bath vessel and the head, and
a fluid nozzle coupled with the splash guard, the fluid nozzle extending from the housing along the splash guard, wherein when the splash guard is in the second position, a central axis of the fluid nozzle is positioned below and aligned with a central axis of the head.

20. The electroplating apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the splash guard is characterized by a sloped or curved profile extending from an edge towards a central location proximate the fluid nozzle, and wherein the rinsing assembly further comprises:
a drying nozzle positioned adjacent the fluid nozzle and configured to deliver a gas to dry a substrate subsequent rinsing, and
an aspirator positioned proximate the fluid nozzle and configured to retrieve fluid disposed on the splash guard.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Zimmerman Nolan
• Wilson Gregory J
• Anten Andrew
• Plavidal Richard W
• Bergman Eric J
• Youngbull Tricia
• Stolt Timothy Gale
• Lee Sam

Classifications

• H10P70/27

  during, before or after processing of conductive materials, e.g. polysilicon or amorphous silicon layers · CPC title

• H10P14/47

  Electrolytic deposition, i.e. electroplating; Electroless plating · CPC title

• C25D7/12

  Semiconductors · CPC title

• C25D17/001 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title