Apparatus and Method for Substrate Electroless Plating

Abstract

A substrate is secured on a chuck that maintains a top surface of the substrate in a substantially level orientation. The chuck is positioned within a cavity of a vessel such that a body portion of the chuck is maintained in a spaced apart relationship with a surface of the cavity. An electroless plating solution is disposed in a region between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity such that an upper surface of the electroless plating solution is at a level lower than the substrate. The chuck is lowered within the cavity to cause the electroless plating solution to be displaced upward and flow over the top surface of the substrate in a substantially uniform manner from a periphery of the substrate to a center of the substrate. The chuck is then raised such that the electroless plating solution flows off of the substrate.

1 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate, comprising:
 securing a substrate to be plated on a chuck, wherein the chuck maintains a top surface of the substrate in a substantially level orientation;   positioning the chuck within a cavity of a vessel such that a body portion of the chuck is maintained in a spaced apart relationship with a surface of the cavity;   disposing an electroless plating solution in a region between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity such that an upper surface of the electroless plating solution is at a level lower than the substrate; and   lowering the chuck within the cavity to cause the electroless plating solution to be displaced upward and flow over the top surface of the substrate in a substantially uniform manner from a periphery of the substrate to a center of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 raising the chuck following exposure of the top surface of the substrate to the electroless plating solution for a controlled period of time, wherein the raising causes the electroless plating solution to flow off of the top surface of the substrate into the region between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity.   
     
     
         3 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 rinsing the top surface of the substrate in conjunction with raising the chuck.   
     
     
         4 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 transferring vibrational energy to the chuck when rinsing the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         5 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 transferring megasonic energy to the chuck when rinsing the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         6 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 rinsing the region between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity in conjunction with rinsing the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         7 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 tilting the chuck to place the top surface of the substrate in an off-level orientation in conjunction with rinsing the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         8 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 operating a system controller in conjunction with a processor to control positioning of the chuck within the cavity of the vessel, disposing the electroless plating solution in the region between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity, lowering the chuck within the cavity, raising the chuck, and rinsing the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         9 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the system controller is operated in conjunction with sensory feedback signals received from components used to perform the method for electroless plating of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 operating a graphical user interface in communication with the system controller, wherein the graphical user interface is operated to provide status data regarding the method for electroless plating of the substrate.   
     
     
         11 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the graphical user interface is further operated to receive user input for controlling the method for electroless plating of the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling a temperature of the chuck and the vessel within a tolerance of about 1 degree Celsius.   
     
     
         13 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the body portion of the chuck has a complementary shape to the surface of the cavity, whereby the body portion of the chuck at least partially aligns with the surface of the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity have complementary cone shapes. 
     
     
         15 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity are defined to minimize a volume of electroless plating solution required to perform the electroless plating of the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 15 , wherein when the chuck is positioned to maintain the body portion of the chuck in the spaced apart relationship with the surface of the cavity, a volume between the body portion of the chuck and the surface of the cavity is defined to contain a volume of electroless plating solution that is just sufficient to cover the top surface of the substrate when the chuck is lowered within the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring vibrational energy to the chuck when the chuck is lowered within the cavity to cause the electroless plating solution to be displaced upward and flow over the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         18 . A method for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring megasonic energy to the chuck when the chuck is lowered within the cavity to cause the electroless plating solution to be displaced upward and flow over the top surface of the substrate.