IP Library › Patent Application 10923478
Patent Application
App. No. 10/923,478

Systems and methods for the electrolytic removal of metals from substrates

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
10/923,478
Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for the electrolytic removal of platinum and/or other of the Group 8-11 metals from substrates.

Claims (47)

1 - 40 . (cancelled)

41 . A method for electrochemically removing a metal from a substrate surface with an electrolyte, the method comprising:

positioning a substrate comprising a metal-containing surface to interface with an electrolyte, wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-11 metal and a combination thereof; and

applying an alternating or bipolar pulsed electrical current between the substrate and the electrolyte.

42 . The method of claim 41 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly.

43 . The method of claim 42 wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

44 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface of the substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-11 metal, and a combination thereof, which is in elemental form or an alloy thereof.

45 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface of the substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-11 second row metal, a Group 8-11 third row metal, and a combination thereof.

46 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface of the substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Ru, Os, Au, and Ag.

47 . The method of claim 46 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises elemental platinum.

48 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal is present in an amount of about 50 atomic percent or more.

49 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a conductive oxide, silicide, or combination thereof.

50 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-10 metal and a combination thereof.

51 . The method of claim 41 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 11 metal and a combination thereof.

52 . The method of claim 41 wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, ammonium hydroxide, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

53 . The method of claim 41 wherein the electrolyte has a concentration within a range of about 0.01 Molar to about 12 Molar.

54 . The method of claim 41 wherein the alternating current has a voltage in a range of about 1 to about 100 volts.

55 . The method of claim 41 wherein the alternating current has a current in a range of about 0.001 to about 40 Amperes.

56 . A method for electrochemically removing a metal from a substrate surface with an electrolyte, the method comprising:

positioning a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly comprising a metal-containing surface to interface with an electrolyte, wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-11 metal and a combination thereof; and

applying an alternating electrical current between the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly and the electrolyte.

57 . The method of claim 56 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-10 metal and a combination thereof.

58 . The method of claim 56 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 11 metal and a combination thereof.

59 . The method of claim 56 wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, ammonium hydroxide, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

60 . The method of claim 56 wherein the electrolyte has a concentration within a range of about 0.01 Molar to about 12 Molar.

61 . The method of claim 56 wherein the alternating current has a voltage in a range of about 1 to about 100 volts.

62 . The method of claim 56 wherein the alternating current has a current in a range of about 0.001 to about 40 Amperes.

63 . A method for electrochemically removing a metal from a substrate surface with an electrolyte, the method comprising:

positioning a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly comprising a metal-containing surface to interface with an electrolyte, wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-11 second row metal, a Group 8-11 third row metal, and a combination thereof; and

applying an alternating or bipolar pulsed electrical current between the semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly and the electrolyte.

64 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal is in elemental form or an alloy thereof.

65 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises elemental platinum.

66 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal is present in an amount of about 50 atomic percent or more.

67 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a conductive oxide, silicide, or combination thereof.

68 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-10 metal and a combination thereof.

69 . The method of claim 63 wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 11 metal and a combination thereof.

70 . The method of claim 63 wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, ammonium hydroxide, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

71 . The method of claim 63 wherein the electrolyte has a concentration within a range of about 0.01 Molar to about 12 Molar.

72 . The method of claim 63 wherein the alternating current has a voltage in a range of about 1 to about 100 volts.

73 . The method of claim 63 wherein the alternating current has a current in a range of about 0.001 to about 40 Amperes.

74 . A method for electrochemically removing a metal from a substrate surface with an electrolyte, the method comprising:

positioning a substrate comprising a metal-containing surface to interface with an electrolyte, wherein the metal-containing surface comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 8-10 second row metal, a Group 8-10 third row metal, and a combination thereof; and

applying an alternating electrical current between the substrate and the electrolyte.

75 . The method of claim 74 wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, ammonium hydroxide, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

76 . The method of claim 74 wherein the electrolyte has a concentration within a range of about 0.01 Molar to about 12 Molar.

77 . The method of claim 74 wherein the alternating current has a voltage in a range of about 1 to about 100 volts.

78 . The method of claim 74 wherein the alternating current has a current in a range of about 0.001 to about 40 Amperes.