Methods and apparatus for wetting pretreatment for through resist metal plating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016281255-A1
Application number	US-201615181150-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2009
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are pre-wetting apparatus designs and methods. In some embodiments, a pre-wetting apparatus includes a degasser, a process chamber, and a controller. The process chamber includes a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer substrate, a vacuum port configured to allow formation of a subatmospheric pressure in the process chamber, and a fluid inlet coupled to the degasser and configured to deliver a degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate at a velocity of at least about 7 meters per second whereby particles on the wafer substrate are dislodged and at a flow rate whereby dislodged particles are removed from the wafer substrate. The controller includes program instructions for forming a wetting layer on the wafer substrate in the process chamber by contacting the wafer substrate with the degassed pre-wetting fluid admitted through the fluid inlet at a flow rate of at least about 0.4 liters per minute.

First claim

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . An apparatus comprising:
a degasser configured to remove one or more dissolved gasses from a pre-wetting fluid to produce a degassed pre-wetting fluid; a process chamber including:
a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer substrate,
a vacuum port configured to allow formation of a subatmospheric pressure in the process chamber, and
a fluid inlet coupled to the degasser and configured to deliver the degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate, wherein the fluid inlet includes at least one nozzle configured to deliver the degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate; and
a controller programmed to:
admit the degassed pre-wetting fluid through the fluid inlet at a flow rate of at least about 0.4 liters per minute, and deliver the degassed pre-wetting fluid from the at least one nozzle onto the wafer substrate at a velocity of at least about 7 meters per second to form a wetting layer on the wafer substrate at the sub-atmospheric pressure in the process chamber, wherein the degassed pre-wetting fluid is in a liquid state.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the at least one nozzle includes a fan nozzle configured to deliver the degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate such that the degassed pre-wetting fluid that impinges the wafer substrate has a shape of a line.

22 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the process chamber includes a cover and a body, wherein the cover remains stationary and the body is configured to move in a substantially vertical manner to bring the body into contact with the cover and to form a vacuum seal, and wherein the at least one nozzle is attached to the cover.

23 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the at least one nozzle is configured to deliver the degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate from an edge of the wafer substrate to substantially the center of the wafer substrate.

24 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the wafer holder is configured to hold the wafer substrate in a substantially face-up orientation.

25 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the degasser includes a membrane contactor degasser.

26 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the degasser is configured to produce degassed pre-wetting fluid for contacting the wafer substrate having about 0.5 ppm or less dissolved atmospheric gas.

27 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the pre-wetting fluid is at least one of deionized water and a chemical solution that aids in dislodging and removing particles from the wafer substrate.

28 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the vacuum port is located below the wafer holder.

29 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the process chamber is configured to maintain the subatmospheric pressure of less than about 50 Torr during forming the wetting layer on the wafer substrate.

30 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
after forming the wetting layer on the wafer substrate, stop delivery of the degassed pre-wetting fluid, and after stopping the delivery of the degassed pre-wetting fluid, rotate the wafer substrate to remove excess surface entrained degassed pre-wetting fluid from the wafer substrate.

31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
increase pressure in the process chamber to atmospheric pressure or to above atmospheric pressure after stopping the delivery of the degassed pre-wetting fluid and prior to removal of the excess surface entrained pre-wetting fluid.

32 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
reduce pressure in the process chamber to the subatmospheric pressure prior to forming the wetting layer on the wafer substrate.

33 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
initiate forming the wetting layer on the wafer substrate when a pressure in the process chamber is reduced to less than about 50 Torr.

34 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
contact the wafer substrate with the degassed pre-wetting fluid for about 10 seconds to 120 seconds.

35 . A system comprising the apparatus of claim 20 and a stepper.

Assignees

• Novellus Systems Inc

Inventors

• Buckalew Bryan L
• Mayer Steven T
• Ponnuswamy Thomas A
• Rash Robert
• Blackman Brian Paul
• Higley Doug

Classifications

• H10W20/0261

  characterised by the filling method or the material of the conductive fill · CPC title

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10P72/0444

  Apparatus for wiring semiconductor or solid-state device · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

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

• H10P14/6508

  by exposure to a liquid · CPC title