Electroplating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348263-A1
Application number	US-201514721693-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electroplating processor includes a base having a vessel body. A membrane assembly including a membrane housing is attached to a membrane plate. A membrane is provided on a membrane support attached to the membrane housing. An anode assembly includes an anode cup and one or more anodes in the anode cup. An anode plate is attached to the anode cup. Two or more posts on a first side of the anode plate are engageable with post fittings on the membrane plate. Latches on a second side of the anode plate are engageable with and releasable from a latch fitting on the membrane plate. The anode assembly is quickly and easily removable from the processor for maintenance, without disturbing or removing other components of the processor.

First claim

1 . An electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a base having a vessel body; a membrane assembly including a membrane housing attached to a membrane plate, and a membrane on a membrane support attached to the membrane housing; and an anode assembly including an anode cup and one or more anodes in the anode cup, and an anode plate attached to the anode cup, with two or more posts on a first side of the anode plate, with each post engageable with a post fitting on the membrane plate, and at least one latch on a second side of the anode plate engageable with and releasable from a latch fitting on the membrane plate.

2 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anode assembly is removable from the membrane assembly by releasing the at least one latch, pivoting the second side of the anode plate away from the membrane plate, and then disengaging the posts from the post fittings.

3 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 with the vessel body, the membrane assembly and the anode assembly forming a vessel having an upper chamber above the membrane and a lower chamber below the membrane, and further including a paddle in the upper chamber supported by first and second drive arms on a first side of the paddle and by at least one follower arm on a second side of the paddle.

4 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 3 with the anode assembly removable from the membrane assembly without moving the paddle or the membrane.

5 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 with the vessel body, the membrane assembly and the anode assembly forming a vessel having an upper chamber above the membrane and a lower chamber below the membrane, a drain line leading from the upper chamber to a servo valve, and a sensor in the upper chamber for sensing a liquid level in the upper chamber, and an electronic controller electrically connected to the sensor and the servo valve.

6 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 with the vessel body, the membrane assembly and the anode assembly forming a vessel having an upper chamber above the membrane and a lower chamber below the membrane, an anode shield in the lower chamber, a paddle in the upper chamber, a chamber shield in the upper chamber below the paddle, and a wafer shield in the upper chamber above the paddle, with the anode shield, the chamber shield and the wafer shield each comprising a dielectric material.

7 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 further including a rinse rim fixed in position on the vessel body and having an open top, and further including an exhaust line in a sidewall of the rinse rim.

8 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the membrane plate is a flat rigid metal plate, further comprising threaded standoffs on the vessel body extending through holes or slots in the membrane plate.

9 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 1 further including a drain channel in the membrane housing.

10 . An electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a vessel body; a membrane assembly including a membrane housing attached to a membrane plate, and a membrane on a membrane support attached to the membrane housing; an anode assembly including an anode cup and at least one anode in the anode cup, and an anode plate attached to the anode cup; the vessel body, the membrane assembly and the anode assembly forming a vessel having an upper chamber above the membrane and a lower chamber below the membrane; a paddle in the upper chamber; a lift-tilt assembly having a rotor with a wafer chuck on the rotor, with the lift-tilt assembly movable to tilt a wafer in the wafer chuck to an acute angle with a surface of a liquid electrolyte in the vessel, and to lower and lift the wafer into and out of the liquid electrolyte.

11 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 with two or more posts on a first side of the anode plate, with each post engageable with a post fitting on the membrane plate, and two or more latches on a second side of the anode plate engageable with and releasable from latch fittings on the membrane plate.

12 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 further including an anode shield in the lower chamber concentric with the anode.

13 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 12 further including an annular chamber shield in the upper chamber below the paddle.

14 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 12 further including a wafer shield in the upper chamber above the paddle.

15 . The electroplating apparatus of claim 10 further including a membrane ring on a top surface of the membrane housing.

16 . An electroplating apparatus, comprising:
a vessel body; a membrane assembly including a membrane housing attached to a membrane plate, and a membrane on a membrane support attached to the membrane housing; an anode assembly including an anode cup, an anode material in the anode cup, and an anode plate attached to the anode cup; the vessel body, the membrane assembly and the anode assembly forming a vessel having an upper chamber above the membrane and a lower chamber below the membrane; a paddle in the upper chamber supported by first and second drive arms on a first side of the paddle and a follower arm on a second side of the paddle; a drain line leading from the upper chamber to a servo valve, and a sensor in the upper chamber for sensing a liquid level in the upper chamber, and an electronic controller electrically connected to the sensor and the servo valve.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Woodruff Daniel J
• Wilson Gregory J
• Mchugh Paul R

Classifications

• C25D17/001 Primary

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

• C25D21/10

  Agitating of electrolytes; Moving of racks · CPC title

• C25D17/008

  Current shielding devices · CPC title

• C25D7/12

  Semiconductors · CPC title

• C25D17/002

  Cell separation, e.g. membranes, diaphragms · CPC title