Microelectronic substrate electro processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298255-A1
Application number	US-201615190370-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a processing system for electroplating semiconductor wafers and similar substrates, the contact ring of the electroplating processor is removed from the rotor of the processor and replaced with a previously deplated contact ring. This allows the contact ring to be deplated in ring service module of the system, while the processor continues to operate. Wafer throughput is improved. The contact ring may be attached to a chuck for moving the contact ring between the processors and the ring service module, with the chuck quickly attachable and releasable to the rotor.

First claim

1 . A method for processing a wafer, comprising:
clamping a first wafer between a first chuck and a first contact ring; attaching the first chuck to a rotor of a processor; processing the wafer by contacting the first wafer with an electrolyte while passing electrical current through the electrolyte; removing the first chuck from the rotor; unclamping and removing the first wafer from the first chuck; and deplating the first contact ring.

2 . The method of claim 1 further including clamping a second wafer between a second chuck and a second contact ring;
attaching the second chuck to the rotor of the processor;
processing the second wafer by contacting the second wafer with an electrolyte while passing electrical current through the electrolyte, while deplating the first contact ring.

3 . The method of claim 1 further including contacting the first wafer with an electrolyte by positioning the rotor at an angle to the surface of the electrolyte, and lowering the wafer into contact with the electrolyte.

4 . The method of claim 1 further including aligning the rotor with the first chuck by rotating the rotor to position alignment pins on the rotor over alignment openings in the first chuck.

5 . The method of claim 1 further including sealing a top surface of the first chuck against the rotor.

6 . The method of claim 1 further including attaching the first chuck to the rotor via a clamp rod engaging the first chuck and pulling the first chuck into engagement with the first rotor.

7 . The method of claim 6 further including using spring force to urge the clamp rod in a first direction.

8 . The method of claim 7 further including momentarily pushing the clamp rod in a second direction, opposite from the first direction, to compress the spring and release the chuck from the rotor.

9 . The method of claim 1 comprising deplating the first contact ring in a ring module separate from the processor.

10 . A method for processing a wafer, comprising:
placing a first wafer into a first chuck with a first contact ring in the first chuck touching the first wafer; attaching the first chuck to a first processor; processing the wafer by contacting the first wafer with a first electrolyte while passing electrical current through the first electrolyte; removing the first chuck from the first processor; and removing the first wafer from the first chuck.

11 . The method of claim 10 further including placing a second wafer into a second chuck and with a second contact ring in the second chuck touching the second wafer; attaching the second chuck to a second processor; and processing the second wafer by contacting the second wafer with a second electrolyte while passing electrical current through the second electrolyte.

12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising processing the first wafer in the first processor simultaneously with processing the second wafer in the second processor.

13 . The method of claim 10 further including attaching the first chuck to a first processor by attaching the first chuck to a rotor of the first processor, and by aligning the rotor with the first chuck by rotating the rotor to position alignment pins on the rotor over alignment openings in the first chuck.

14 . The method of claim 10 further comprising clamping the first wafer in the first chuck via a clamping force pulling the first contact ring against the first wafer.

15 . The method of claim 14 with the clamping force applied via magnets.

16 . The method of claim 10 further comprising removing the second chuck from the second processor; removing the second wafer from the second chuck; and
simultaneously deplating the first chuck away from the first processor and deplating the second chuck away from the second processor.

17 . The method of claim 16 with a single chuck robot removing the first and second chucks from the first and second processors, respectively.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising moving the first and second chucks to a ring module via the single chuck robot.

19 . The method of claim 10 further comprising sealing the first contact ring against the first wafer.

20 . A method for processing a wafer, comprising:
moving a first contact ring into contact with a first wafer; moving the first contact ring and the first wafer to a first processor; attaching the first contact ring to a first rotor of the first processor; processing the first wafer in the first processor; removing the first contact ring with the first wafer from the first processor via a chuck robot; moving the first contact ring with the first wafer to a ring module; and removing separating first wafer from the first contact ring at the ring module.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Moore Robert B
• Silvetti David
• Wirth Paul
• Harris Randy

Classifications

• H10P72/7618

  characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel · CPC title

• H10P72/7606

  characterised by edge clamping, e.g. clamping ring · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10W20/057

  by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating · CPC title

• C25D17/001 Primary

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