Electroplating systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9593431-B2
Application number	US-201313863916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2013
Priority date	Sep 2, 2004
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

Electroplating systems that include a plurality of electrodes, a power supply operably coupled to the plurality of electrodes, a platen for bearing a substrate on which metal features are to be formed, and an electrode support are disclosed. The electrode support may be configured for suspending the electrode assembly over an upper surface of the substrate disposed on the platen in spaced relation to and in alignment with the substrate or for supporting the electrode assembly in a stationary position over the substrate when the voltage is applied across the plurality of electrodes. The electrodes may be adjacent, mutually spaced and electrically isolated and connected in series so as to be oppositely polarized when the voltage is applied thereacross or may be connected so as to have alternating polarities when the voltage is applied thereacross.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electroplating system, comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising electrodes, neighboring electrodes connected to be oppositely polarized when a voltage is applied thereacross, the neighboring electrodes spaced from one another by a dielectric material and each of the neighboring electrodes in direct contact with the dielectric material, each of the electrodes comprising an exposed horizontal surface coplanar with an exposed horizontal surface of the dielectric material;
a power supply operably coupled to the electrode assembly;
a wafer on which metal features are to be formed; and
an electrode support configured to suspend the electrode assembly over the wafer,
wherein ends of the electrodes distal to the wafer comprise exposed horizontal surfaces coplanar with an exposed horizontal surface of the dielectric material and ends of the electrodes proximal to the wafer comprise exposed horizontal surfaces coplanar with an exposed horizontal surface of the dielectric material.

2. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes comprise at least one of carbon, gold, and platinum.

3. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material comprises borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG).

4. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are arranged in a pattern comprising:
a positive electrode adjacent to a negative electrode;
a region of the dielectric material between and in direct contact with the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
another positive electrode adjacent to the negative electrode; and
another region of the dielectric material between and in direct contact with the another positive electrode and the negative electrode.

5. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the exposed horizontal surface of the dielectric material has a length equal to a length of the exposed surface of the electrodes.

6. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein one of the electrodes defines a shape of a bond pad to be formed utilizing the electroplating system.

7. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material comprises an epoxy.

8. The electroplating system of claim 1 , further comprising wiring connecting one electrode to a voltage source, the wiring extending over the one electrode.

9. The electroplating system of claim 8 , further comprising additional wiring connecting another electrode to the voltage source, the additional wiring extending from an edge of the electrode assembly.

10. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the electrode defines a shape of a conductive trace to be formed utilizing the electroplating system.

11. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material comprises a synthetic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polysulfone, polycarbonate, polystyrene, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, fluoroethylene propylene copolymer, cellulose, triacetate, silicone, and rubber.

12. The electroplating system of claim 1 , wherein the exposed horizontal surfaces of the ends of the electrodes proximal to the wafer are parallel to a surface of the wafer.

Assignees

• Micron Technology Inc

Inventors

• Ramarajan Suresh
• Lee Whonchee

Classifications

• H10P14/47

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

• H01L21/2885

  Electricity · mapped topic

• C25D7/123

  Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer · CPC title

• C25D17/10

  Electrodes {, e.g. composition, counter electrode} · CPC title

• C25D17/001

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