IP Library Granted Patent US 7,115,510
Granted Patent B2
US 7,115,510 · App. 10/996,164 · Granted Oct 3, 2006

Method for electrochemically processing a workpiece

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,115,510
App. No.
10/996,164
Granted
Oct 3, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for forming a near-planar or planar layer of a conducting material, such as copper, on a surface of a workpiece using an ECMPR technique. The process preferably uses at least two separate plating solution chemistries to form a near-planar or planar copper layer on a semiconductor substrate that has features or cavities on its surface.

Claims (13)

1. A method of electrochemically processing a surface of a substrate, the surface being conductive and including cavities, comprising:

forming a conductive layer by depositing a conductive material from a first process solution onto the surface, wherein forming the conductive layer includes electrochemical deposition of the conductive material on the surface and electrochemical mechanical deposition of the conductive material on the surface after the electrochemical deposition, wherein the first process solution comprises a first chemical composition; and

electropolishing the conductive layer using a second process solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second process solution comprises a second chemical composition.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the substrate prior to electropolishing.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the substrate subsequent to electropolishing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the conductive layer is performed in a first process station of a system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein electropolishing is performed in a second process station of the system.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein electropolishing is performed in the first process station after forming the conductive layer.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein electrochemical deposition is performed in an electrochemical deposition station of a system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein electrochemical mechanical deposition is performed in an electrochemical mechanical deposition station of the system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein electropolishing is performed in an electropolishing station of the system.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises copper.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2007
From: ASM NUTOOL, INC.
To: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 019000/0080 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2005
From: BASOL, BULENT M.; TALIEH, HOMAYOUN; UZOH, CYPRIAN E.
To: ASM NUTOOL, INC.
Reel/Frame 016096/0433 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 23, 2005
From: NUTOOL, INC.
To: ASM NUTOOL, INC.
Reel/Frame 015956/0960 →