Electrochemical Fabrication Process Including Process Monitoring, Making Corrective Action Decisions, and Taking Appropriate Actions

Abstract

Electrochemical fabrication processes and apparatus for producing multi-layer structures include operations or means for providing enhanced monitoring of build operations or detection of the results of build operations, operations or means for build problem recognition, operations or means for evaluation of corrective action options, operations or means for making corrective action decisions, and operations or means for executing actions based on those decisions.

1 . A method for fabricating a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
 I. forming a first layer on a substrate comprising
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the first layer and depositing at least one structural material for the first layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the deposited structural material for the first layer occupy different lateral portions of the first layer; and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the structural material for the first layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the first layer; 
   II. forming each of a plurality of additional layers adjacent to and adhered to a preceding layer, wherein the formatting of each additional layer comprises
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the additional layer and depositing at least one structural material for the additional layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer occupy different lateral portions of the additional layer and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the additional layer; and 
   III. after formation of the additional layers, etching deposited sacrificial material from each of the first layer and the plurality of additional layers to reveal the three-dimensional structure,
 wherein a given layer of the additional layers is formed on and adhered to an immediately preceding layer, wherein during or after the forming of the given layer a determination is made that a failure exists, or may exist, and that the given layer and at least a portion of the immediately preceding layer must be removed, and wherein the method additionally comprises: 
 (a) removing the given layer and at least a portion of the immediately preceding layer via planarization with a planarization level set to a level below a boundary level for the given layer; 
 (b) reforming the removed portion of the immediately preceding layer and the given layer. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein immediately preceding layer is removed entirely and reformed according to a cross-sectional configuration of the immediately preceding layer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein one or more layers below the immediately preceding layer are also removed and reformed. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determination of a failure is based on an analysis of critical features of the structure and wherein step (a) and step (b) provide for improved critical feature location. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the critical features comprise critical layers. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the depositing of at least one of the structural materials or one of the sacrificial materials comprises an electroplating step. 
   
   
       7 . A method for fabricating a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
 I. forming a first layer on a substrate comprising
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the first layer and depositing at least one structural material for the first layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the deposited structural material for the first layer occupy different lateral portions of the first layer; and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the structural material for the first layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the first layer; 
   II. forming each of a plurality of additional layers adjacent to and adhered to a preceding layer, wherein the formatting of each additional layer comprises
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the additional layer and depositing at least one structural material for the additional layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer occupy different lateral portions of the additional layer and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the additional layer; and 
   III. after formation of the additional layers, etching deposited sacrificial material from each of the first layer and the plurality of additional layers to reveal the three-dimensional structure,
 wherein a given layer of the additional layers is formed on and adhered to an immediately preceding layer, wherein during or after the forming of the given layer a determination is made that a failure exists, or may exist, and that the given layer and at least a portion of the immediately preceding layer will be removed, and wherein the method additionally comprises: 
 (a) removing the given layer and only a portion of the immediately preceding layer via planarization with a planarization level set to a level below the boundary level for the immediately preceding layer; 
 (b) reforming both the removed portion of the immediately preceding layer and the removed given layer according to a cross-sectional figuration of the given layer and a height corresponding to the sum of a height of the removed portion of the immediately preceding layer and an original height of the given layer. 
   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the depositing of at least one of the structural materials or one of the sacrificial materials comprises an electroplating step. 
   
   
       9 . A method for fabricating a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
 I. forming a first layer on a substrate comprising
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the first layer and depositing at least one structural material for the first layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the deposited structural material for the first layer occupy different lateral portions of the first layer; and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the structural material for the first layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the first layer; 
   II. forming each of a plurality of additional layers adjacent to and adhered to a preceding layer, wherein the formatting of each additional layer comprises
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the additional layer and depositing at least one structural material for the additional layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer occupy different lateral portions of the additional layer and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the additional layer; and 
   III. after formation of the additional layers, etching deposited sacrificial material from each of the first layer and the plurality of additional layers to reveal the three-dimensional structure,
 wherein a given layer of the additional layers is formed on and adhered to an immediately preceding layer, wherein during the forming of the given layer a determination is made that one or more voids exist, or may exist, and wherein the method additionally comprises: 
 (a) planarizing the first and second materials deposited for the given layer to a level that is above the boundary level of the given layer; 
 (b) depositing material to fill any exposed void in the given layer; and 
 (c) planarizing the first and second materials deposited for the given layer and the material used to fill any exposed void in the given layer to set the boundary level for the given layer. 
   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the depositing of at least one of the structural materials or one of the sacrificial materials comprises an electroplating operation. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the depositing of at least one of the structural materials and the depositing of at least one of the sacrificial materials comprise electroplating steps. 
   
   
       12 . A method for fabricating a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
 I. forming a first layer on a substrate comprising
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the first layer and depositing at least one structural material for the first layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the deposited structural material for the first layer occupy different lateral portions of the first layer; and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the first layer and the structural material for the first layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the first layer; 
   II. forming each of a plurality of additional layers adjacent to and adhered to a preceding layer, wherein the formatting of each additional layer comprises
 (a) depositing at least one sacrificial material for the additional layer and depositing at least one structural material for the additional layer such that the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer occupy different lateral portions of the additional layer and thereafter 
 (b) planarizing the deposited sacrificial material for the additional layer and the deposited structural material for the additional layer to have a common height to set a boundary level for the additional layer; and 
   III. after formation of the additional layers, etching deposited sacrificial material from each of the first layer and the plurality of additional layers to reveal the three-dimensional structure,
 wherein during the forming of a given layer of the additional layers, determining a need to remove and reform at least a portion of the given layer, wherein the method additionally comprises in order: 
 (a) after the determining, performing at least one or more additional depositions; 
 (b) removing the at least portion of the given layer; 
 (c) reforming the removed portion of the given layer. 
   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the removing comprises planarizing. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the determining occurs during deposition of the first material for the given layer and wherein the one or more additional depositions comprises depositing, at least in part, a material which is different from the first material. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the material which is different from the first material is a second material. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the determining occurs during selective deposition of a material for the given layer wherein the one or more additional depositions comprise a blanket deposition. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the determination occurs during deposition of the second deposited material for the given layer and wherein the one or more additional depositions comprise deposition of a material for a next layer. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the removing of the at least portion of the given layer comprises removal of the given layer and a portion of an immediately preceding layer via planarization that sets a planarization level below the boundary level of the immediately preceding layer. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the depositing of at least one of the structural materials or one of the sacrificial materials comprises an electroplating operation. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the determining occurs during deposition of the first material for the given layer and wherein the one or more additional depositions comprises depositing, at least in part, a material which is different from the first material and wherein the removing occurs via planarization.