Methods for increasing the rate of electrochemical deposition

Abstract

A method for electrochemically processing a microfeature workpiece includes contacting the first surface of the microfeature workpiece with a plating electrolyte in a plating chamber, wherein the plating electrolyte includes at least one metal ion, flowing the plating electrolyte from a first plating electrolyte inlet at the first end of the workpiece to a second plating electrolyte outlet at the second end of the workpiece across the center point of the workpiece, and electrochemically depositing the at least one metal ion onto the first surface of the workpiece. Another method for electrochemically processing a microfeature workpiece includes contacting a first surface of the microfeature workpiece with a plating electrolyte having at least one metal ion, heating the second surface of the workpiece using a heating method, and electrochemically depositing the at least one metal ion onto the first surface of the workpiece.

The embodiments of the disclosure in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method for electrochemically processing a microfeature workpiece, the workpiece having a first surface and a second surface and a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
 contacting the first surface of the microfeature workpiece with a plating electrolyte in a plating chamber, wherein the plating electrolyte includes at least one metal ion;   flowing the plating electrolyte from a first plating electrolyte inlet at the first end of the workpiece to a second plating electrolyte outlet at the second end of the workpiece across the center point of the workpiece; and   electrochemically depositing the at least one metal ion onto the first surface of the workpiece.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plating electrolyte is a catholyte and the plating electrolyte chamber is a catholyte chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is pumped to the first plating electrolyte inlet from an electrolyte chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the electrolyte chamber includes a pressurized plenum region. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte has a flow rate greater than 50 mm/sec at the inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte has a flow rate greater than 50 mm/sec at the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte has a substantially unidirectional flow pattern from the first end of the workpiece to the second end of the workpiece. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte impinges the first surface of the workpiece at an angle in the range of about 5° to about 10° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising flowing the plating electrolyte from a plurality of second plating electrolyte inlets to one or more second plating electrolyte outlets in a substantially parallel flow pattern to the flow pattern of the plating electrolyte from the first inlet to the first outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the second surface of the workpiece using a heating method. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heating is in the range of 90° to 200° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heating method is selected from the group consisting of direct conductive heating, convective heating, ionic heating, and irradiation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein direct conductive heating is selected from the group consisting of direct contact with a heated vacuum chuck and direct contact with a heated pad. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein convective heating includes a flow of hot air across the second surface of the workpiece. 
     
     
         15 . A method for electrochemically processing a microfeature workpiece, the workpiece having first and second opposing surfaces, the method comprising:
 contacting a first surface of the microfeature workpiece with a plating electrolyte having at least one metal ion;   heating the second surface of the workpiece using a heating method; and   electrochemically depositing the at least one metal ion onto the first surface of the workpiece.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heating is in the range of 90° to 200° C. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heating method is selected from the group consisting of direct conductive heating, convective heating, ionic heating, and irradiation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein direct conductive heating is selected from the group consisting of direct contact with a heated vacuum chuck and direct contact with a heated pad. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein convective heating includes a flow of hot air across the second surface of the workpiece.