Full sequence metal and barrier layer electrochemical mechanical processing

1. A method for electroprocessing a substrate, comprising:

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between an exposed layer of barrier material on the substrate and an electrode;

pressing the substrate against a processing pad assembly with a force less than about 2 psi;

providing motion between the substrate and pad assembly in contact therewith;

detecting an endpoint of a first electrochemical processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of the exposed layer of barrier material;

electrochemically processing the exposed layer of barrier material in a second electrochemical processing step in the barrier processing station;

detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step; and

electrochemically removing a portion of the exposed layer during the electrochemical processing steps in a barrier processing station.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing a conductive path further comprises:

flowing electrolyte from below the electrode through the processing pad assembly into contact with the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electrochemical processing step further comprises:

detecting a first endpoint;

electroprocessing the substrate at a slower rate; and

detecting a second endpoint indicative of residual barrier material being cleared from the substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second electrochemical processing step further comprises:

overpolishing the substrate after detection of the second endpoint.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of detecting the first endpoint further comprises:

detecting a first discontinuity in a current passing between the substrate and the electrode.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of detecting the second endpoint further comprises:

detecting a second discontinuity in the current passing between the substrate and the electrode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing motion between the substrate and pad assembly further comprises:

rotating the pad assembly at a rate less than about 50 revolutions per minute.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing motion between the substrate and pad assembly further comprises:

rotating the substrate at a rate less than 50 revolutions per minute.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte further comprises a catalyst and at least one of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, amino acid, organic amine, phthalic acid, organic carbolic acid, or picolinic acid or its derivatives.

10. A method for electroprocessing a substrate, comprising:

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between an exposed layer of barrier material on the substrate and an electrode;

pressing the substrate against a processing pad assembly with a force less than about 2 psi;

providing motion between the substrate and pad assembly in contact therewith;

electrochemically removing a portion of the exposed layer during a first electrochemical processing step in a barrier processing station disposed within an enclosure of a processing system; and

removing, within the processing system, a conductive layer disposed over the barrier layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of removing further comprises:

electrochemically processing the conductive layer.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transferring the substrate between a first electrochemical processing station to the barrier processing station.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the conductive layer is tungsten.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the conductive layer is cooper.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier material is at least one of ruthenium, titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum and tantalum nitride.

16. A method of electrochemically processing a substrate having an exposed conductive layer and an underlying barrier layer, comprising:

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between the exposed layer of conductive material on the substrate and an electrode;

electrochemically removing a portion of the exposed layer during a first electrochemical processing step in a first processing station;

transferring the substrate to a barrier removal station;

pressing the substrate against a processing pad assembly disposed in the barrier removal station with a force less than about 2 psi;

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between the barrier layer and an electrode; and

electrochemically processing the barrier layer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

detecting an endpoint of the first electrochemical processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of the exposed layer of conductive material;

electrochemically processing the exposed layer of conductive material in a second electrochemical processing step; and

detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second electrochemical processing step is performed in a second processing station.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the barrier processing step further comprises:

detecting an endpoint of a first electrochemical processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of the exposed layer of barrier material;

electrochemically processing the exposed layer of barrier material in a second electrochemical processing step in the barrier processing station; and

detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of establishing a conductive path in the barrier station further comprises:

flowing electrolyte from below the electrode through the processing pad assembly into contact with the substrate.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second electrochemical processing step further comprises:

overpolishing the substrate after detection of the second endpoint.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of detecting the first endpoint further comprises:

detecting a first discontinuity in a current passing between the substrate and the electrode.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of detecting the second endpoint further comprises:

detecting a second discontinuity in the current passing between the substrate and the electrode.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

rotating the pad assembly in the barrier removal station at a rate less than about 50 revolutions per minute.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

rotating the substrate in contact with the pad assembly in the barrier removal station at a rate less than 50 revolutions per minute.

26. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte in the barrier removal station further comprises a catalyst and at least one of sulfuric or phosphoric acid.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the electrolyte in the barrier removal station has a different composition than the electrolyte in the first processing station.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the electrolyte in the barrier removal station includes abrasives.

29. A method of electrochemically processing a substrate having an exposed conductive layer and an underlying barrier layer comprising:

disposing the substrate on a processing pad assembly in a first processing station of a processing system;

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between the exposed layer of conductive material on the substrate and an electrode;

providing a polishing motion between the processing pad assembly and the substrate in contact therewith;

electrochemically removing a portion of the exposed layer during a first electrochemical processing step in the first processing station;

detecting an endpoint of the first electrochemical processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of the exposed layer of conductive material;

electrochemically processing the exposed layer of conductive material in a second electrochemical processing step;

detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step;

transferring the substrate to a barrier removal station;

pressing the substrate against the processing pad assembly in the barrier removal station with a force less than 2 psi;

establishing an electrically-conductive path through an electrolyte between the barrier layer and an electrode disposed in the barrier removal station;

electrochemically removing a portion of the barrier layer during a first electrochemical barrier processing step in a barrier processing station;

detecting an endpoint of the first electrochemical barrier processing step at or just prior to breakthrough of barrier material;

electrochemically processing the barrier material in a second electrochemical barrier processing step in the barrier processing station; and

detecting an endpoint of the second electrochemical processing step.