Method and System for Combinatorial Electroplating and Characterization

Abstract

The embodiments describe a system for combinatorial processing of a substrate. In one embodiment, electrodeposition processing techniques are combinatorially evaluated. The system is capable of providing a localized electrical connection to each region of a substrate being combinatorially processed. The localized electrical contacts allow for varying a voltage delivered to each region of a substrate whether processing the regions in serial or parallel. Accordingly, from a single substrate, a variety of materials, process conditions, and process sequences may be evaluated for desired electrodeposition results.

1 . A substrate for electrochemical processing, comprising:
 multiple isolatable reaction regions defined on the substrate, the reaction regions having a local uniformity within each region, wherein each of the multiple reaction regions is provided a customizable electrical potential during parallel electrochemical processing operations performed on the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein a source coupled to the substrate supplies a single voltage output for the customizable electrical potentials. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple reaction regions are defined on a copper seed layer disposed over a top surface of the substrate and wherein each of the multiple reaction regions are electrically isolated from each other. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein one of the multiple reaction regions includes multiple structures defined thereon, the multiple structures having different aspect ratios. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 a localized contact accessible from a top surface of the substrate, the localized contact proximate to and outside of a corresponding one of the multiple reaction regions,   wherein a different voltage is applied to the multiple reaction regions through corresponding localized contacts.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate of  claim 1  wherein a conductive film is disposed over a surface of the substrate, the conductive film having openings defined therethrough, the openings substantially aligned with the reaction regions, the conductive film electrically shorting each of the multiple reaction regions. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 a localized contact accessible from a top surface of the substrate, the localized contact disposed within a corresponding one of the multiple reaction regions, wherein a different voltage is applied to the multiple reaction regions through corresponding localized contacts.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple reaction regions is surrounded by a contact area, each contact area electrically isolated from each other contact area, the customizable electric potential delivered to the reaction region through the contact area. 
     
     
         9 . A system for performing an electrochemical process, comprising;
 a reaction chamber having a plurality of reaction cells defined therein, the reaction chamber configured to be disposed over a substrate to be processed, a bottom surface of each of the reaction cells configured to provide a seal for a corresponding reaction region on the substrate, each of the reaction cells having a sidewall with an electrically conducting trace proximate to the sidewall and defined over a length of the sidewall, wherein the electrically conducting trace provides a voltage for the electrochemical process in a corresponding reaction cell.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the electrically conducting trace is configured to make contact with a contact at a surface of the substrate, the contact in electrical communication with a reaction region defined on the surface of the substrate, the reaction region surrounded by the seal and wherein at least two different voltages are contemporaneously applied to corresponding reaction regions. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the reaction cell is a flow cell configured to be inserted into the reaction chamber, the flow cell having an inlet extending therethrough for providing a reaction fluid into the reaction chamber, the flow cell including a reference electrode and a counter electrode extending into the reaction chamber, and wherein the reaction chamber is a monolithic block. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow cell includes an agitator extending from the bottom surface of the flow cell and an outlet extending through the flow cell from the bottom surface to a top surface. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the counter electrode is integrated into each reaction region and wherein the reaction region functions as a working electrode, 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a power supply configured to supply varying voltages to reaction regions through corresponding reaction cells; and   a resonator configured to transfer acoustic energy to provide agitation during the electrochemical process.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an interconnect structure providing independent electrical access to each reaction region and wherein a path length for each independent electrical access is substantially similar.