US2005274620A1PendingUtilityA1

Copper replenishment system for interconnect applications

49
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 15, 2004Filed: Dec 6, 2004Published: Dec 15, 2005
Est. expiryJun 15, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Nicolay KovarskyJohn O. Dukovic
C25D 3/38C25D 21/12C25D 21/18
49
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Claims

Abstract

In one example, an apparatus for dispensing copper into a plating solution is provided which includes a cartridge containing an inlet and an outlet and comprising a copper metal source therein, a dosing device containing an oxidizing agent in fluid communication with the inlet, a tank for containing the plating solution in fluid communication with the outlet, a pH electrode adapted to contact the plating solution, and a system controller which receives input from the pH electrode and sends output to the dosing device. In another example, a method for replenishing copper in a plating solution is provided which includes flowing the plating solution from a plating cell to a replenishing system comprising a dosing device and a cartridge, dosing an oxidizing agent from the dosing device to the plating solution, exposing the plating solution to a copper metal source contained in the cartridge, enriching the plating solution with copper ions derived from the copper metal source, and flowing the enriched plating solution to the plating cell.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus for dispensing copper into a plating solution comprising: 
 a cartridge containing an inlet and an outlet and comprising a copper metal source therein;    a dosing device containing an oxidizing agent in fluid communication with the inlet;    a tank for containing the plating solution in fluid communication with the outlet;    a pH electrode adapted to contact the plating solution; and    a system controller which receives input from the pH electrode and sends output to the dosing device.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the system controller operates the dosing device to dispense the oxidizing agent when the plating solution is outside a set pH range.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the system controller operates the dosing device to cease dispensing the oxidizing agent when the plating solution is within the set pH range.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plating solution is an anolyte solution.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the copper metal source has a geometry selected from the group consisting of foil, sheet, sphere, bead, powder, granule, wire, spring, mesh and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cartridge comprises a separator and the copper metal source has the geometry of foil.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising an electroplating cell in fluid communication with the tank.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for dispensing metal ions into a plating solution comprising: 
 a cartridge containing an inlet and an outlet and comprising a metal source therein;    a dosing device containing an oxidizing agent in fluid communication with the inlet;    a tank for containing the plating solution in fluid communication with the outlet;    a sensor adapted to contact the plating solution; and    a system controller which receives input from the sensor and sends output to the dosing device.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a pH electrode.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the system controller operates the dosing device to dispense the oxidizing agent when the plating solution is outside a set pH range.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the system controller operates the dosing device to cease dispensing the oxidizing agent when the plating solution is within the set pH range.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plating solution is an anolyte solution.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the metal source is copper.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the copper has a geometry selected from the group consisting of foil, sheet, sphere, bead, powder, granule, wire, spring, mesh and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the cartridge comprises a separator and the copper has the geometry of foil.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an electroplating cell in fluid communication with the tank.  
   
   
       17 . A method for replenishing copper in a plating solution comprising: 
 flowing the plating solution from a plating cell to a replenishing system comprising a dosing device and a cartridge;    dosing an oxidizing agent from the dosing device to the plating solution;    exposing the plating solution to a copper metal source contained in the cartridge;    enriching the plating solution with copper ions derived from the copper metal source; and    flowing the enriched plating solution to the plating cell.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the enriched plating solution is transferred to a tank prior to flowing to the plating cell.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the tank combines the enriched plating solution and the plating solution.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plating solution is an anolyte solution.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein tank comprises a pH electrode in communication with the dosing device and a system controller.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the dosing device administers the oxidizing agent when the plating solution has a first pH of about 2.7 or lower.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the dosing device ceases administering the oxidizing agent when the plating solution has a second pH of about 2.8 or higher.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the plating solution comprises a hydrogen peroxide concentration in a range from about 0.03 vol % to about 3 vol %.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the plating solution comprises copper sulfate.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the plating solution comprises a copper concentration in a range from about 50 mM to about 1.5 M.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the copper concentration is monitored and controlled as a function of the first pH and the second pH.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the copper metal source has a geometry selected from the group consisting of foil, sheet, sphere, bead, powder, granule, wire, spring, mesh and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the cartridge comprises a separator and the copper metal source has the geometry of foil.  
   
   
       31 . A method for monitoring and controlling a pH setting of a plating solution in an electroplating system, comprising: 
 electroplating a substrate with the plating solution within a first pH range;    monitoring the plating solution to determine when the plating solution is within a second pH range;    dosing an oxidizing agent into the plating solution;    exposing a copper metal source to the plating solution to form an enriched plating solution; and    ceasing the doses of the oxidizing agent once the plating solution is within the first pH range.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the enriched plating solution is transferred to a tank prior to flowing to a plating cell.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the tank combines the enriched plating solution and the plating solution.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the plating solution is an anolyte solution.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first pH range is about 2.8 or higher.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the second pH range is about 2.7 or lower.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the plating solution comprises a hydrogen peroxide concentration in a range from about 0.03 vol % to about 3 vol %.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plating solution comprises copper sulfate.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the plating solution comprises a copper concentration in a range from about 50 mM to about 1.5 M.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the copper concentration is monitored and controlled as a function of the first pH and the second pH.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the copper metal source has a geometry selected from the group consisting of foil, sheet, sphere, bead, powder, granule, wire, spring, mesh and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the cartridge comprises a separator and the copper metal source has the geometry of foil.

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