US2009020437A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and system for controlled material removal by electrochemical polishing

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Feb 23, 2000Filed: Jul 29, 2004Published: Jan 22, 2009
Est. expiryFeb 23, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Bulent M. BasolCyprian Emeka UzohGeorge Xinsheng Guo
H10P 95/04H10P 52/203H10P 14/47H10W 20/425H10W 20/031B24B 37/12B24B 37/046C25F 3/30C25F 7/00
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Claims

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electropolishing a conductive layer on a wafer is provided. The apparatus includes an electrode and a conductive member having openings permitting an electropolishing solution to flow through it. Surface of the conductive member includes a surface profile. During the electropolishing process, the surface of the conductive element is placed across from the conductive layer and a potential difference is applied between the conductive layer and the electrode. The process forms a conductive layer profile of the conductive layer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus for electropolishing a conductive layer on a workpiece using a process solution, comprising:
 a carrier to hold the workpiece;   an electrode; and   a conductive element placed between the electrode and the conductive layer, the conductive element having openings permitting process solution to flow through the conductive element and the conductive element having a surface placed across from the conductive layer, the surface of the conductive element including a surface profile to control the material removal profile of the conductive layer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface profile is a convex surface profile. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface profile is a concave surface profile. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface profile is flat. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a power supply to apply a potential difference between the electrode and the conductive surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the conductive element includes a pad to polish the conductive layer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is configured to vary the distance between the conductive layer and the surface of the conductive layer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the power supply is configured to vary the potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the power supply is configured to apply a potential difference between the conductive element and the electrode to electrochemically clean the conductive element at process intervals. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer is copper. 
     
     
         11 . A method of electropolishing a conductive layer on a wafer using a process solution and an electrode, the method comprising:
 placing a surface of a conductive element across from the conductive layer, the surface of the conductive element having a first surface profile; and   applying a potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode; and   forming a first conductive layer profile of the conductive layer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of forming comprises electropolishing the conductive layer according to a first material removal profile. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of placing comprises placing a surface of another conductive element, the surface having a second surface profile. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 applying a potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode; and   forming a second conductive layer profile of the conductive layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming comprises electropolishing the conductive layer according to a second material removal profile. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising varying the potential difference during the step of applying to vary material removal rate from the conductive layer. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for electropolishing a conductive layer on a workpiece using a process solution, comprising:
 a carrier to hold the workpiece;   an electrode; and   a conductive element placed between the electrode and the conductive layer, the conductive element having openings permitting process solution to flow through the conductive element and the conductive element having a surface placed across from the conductive layer; and   wherein the conductive element is comprised of movable sections to alter the profile of the surface by moving the movable sections to control the material removal profile of the conductive layer.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a power supply to apply a potential difference between the electrode and the conductive surface. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the surface of the conductive element includes a pad to polish the conductive layer. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the carrier is configured to vary the distance between the conductive layer and the surface of the conductive element. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the power supply is configured to vary the potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the power supply is configured to apply a potential difference between the conductive element and the electrode to electrochemically clean the conductive element at process intervals. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the conductive layer is copper. 
     
     
         24 . A method of electropolishing a conductive layer on a wafer using a process solution and an electrode, the method comprising:
 placing a surface of a conductive member across from the conductive layer, the conductive element having openings permitting process solution to flow through the conductive element and the conductive element comprising movable sections;   changing the profile of the surface of the conductive member to a predetermined profile by moving the movable sections;   applying a potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode; and   forming a predetermined conductive layer profile of the conductive layer.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of forming comprises electropolishing the conductive layer according to a predetermined material removal profile. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of changing comprises changing the profile of the surface of the conductive member to another predetermined profile by moving the movable sections. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising:
 applying a potential difference between the conductive layer and the electrode; and   forming another predetermined conductive layer profile of the conductive.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of forming comprises electropolishing the conductive layer according to another predetermined material removal profile. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising varying the potential difference during the step of applying to vary material removal rate from the conductive layer.

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