Multi-contact lipseals and associated electroplating methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018363162-A1
Application number	US-201816112166-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Aug 15, 2011
Publication date	Dec 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are lipseal assemblies for use in an electroplating clamshell for engaging and supplying electrical current to a semiconductor substrate during electroplating, which include an elastomeric lipseal for engaging the semiconductor substrate during electroplating, and wherein upon engagement the elastomeric lipseal forms multiple radially-separated sealing contact surfaces with the substrate which substantially exclude plating solution from a peripheral region of the substrate. Said lipseal assemblies may also include one or more electrical contact elements for supplying electrical current to the semiconductor substrate during electroplating.

First claim

1 . A lipseal, comprising:
an elastomeric support edge comprising a protruding portion that extends upward, the protruding portion comprising multiple ring-shaped protrusions, wherein the protruding portion is deformable upon compression and uppermost tips of at least two of the ring-shaped protrusions are displaced from each other relative to a direction perpendicular to a radial direction of the ring-shaped protrusions absent deformation.

2 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost tips of the multiple ring-shaped protrusions are radially separated from one another by at least about 0.005 inches.

3 . The lipseal of claim 2 , wherein the uppermost tips of the multiple ring-shaped protrusions are radially separated from one another by at least about 0.01 inches.

4 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost tips of the multiple ring-shaped protrusions are displaced from each other relative to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the ring-shaped protrusions by a distance between about 0.001 inches and about 0.004 inches.

5 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric support edge comprises a substantially flat portion radially inward of the protruding portion.

6 . The lipseal of claim 5 , wherein a top surface of the substantially flat portion is configured to receive an electrical contact element that contacts a substrate in a peripheral region of the substrate when the protruding portion is compressed by the substrate so that the electrical contact element is in electrical connection with the substrate.

7 . The lipseal of claim 6 , wherein the electrical contact element is structurally integrated with at least the substantially flat portion of the elastomeric support edge and comprises a first exposed portion which contacts the peripheral region of the substrate upon compression by the substrate.

8 . The lipseal of claim 6 , wherein the electrical contact element includes a conductive elastomeric material.

9 . The lipseal of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elastomeric upper portion positioned above the elastomeric support edge and radially inward of the protruding portion.

10 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the multiple ring-shaped protrusions form multiple radially-separated sealing contact surfaces with a substrate upon compression by the substrate.

11 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion defines a peripheral region of a substrate from which plating solution is excluded upon compression by the substrate.

12 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the multiple ring-shaped protrusions define one or more gaps between the multiple ring-shaped protrusions.

13 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric support edge comprises silicone.

14 . The lipseal of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost tips of at least three of the ring-shaped protrusions are displaced from each other relative to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the ring-shaped protrusions absent deformation.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Ostrowski John Floyd
• Rash Robert

Classifications

• C25D17/001

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

• C25D17/005

  Contacting devices · CPC title

• C25D17/004 Primary

  Sealing devices · CPC title

• C25D7/12

  Semiconductors · CPC title

• C25D7/126

  for solar cells · CPC title