IP Library Granted Patent US 10,508,358
Granted Patent B2
US 10,508,358 · App. 15/489,089 · Granted Dec 17, 2019

Process for forming a transition zone terminated superconformal filling

Inventors: Daniel Josell (N. Potomac, MD); Thomas P. Moffat (Gaithersburg, MD)
Assignee: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
C25D21/12C25D3/12C25D3/48C25D5/02C25D5/18C25D7/123H01L21/2885
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,508,358
App. No.
15/489,089
Granted
Dec 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Forming a transition zone terminated superconformal filling in a recess includes: providing an electrodeposition composition including: a metal electrolyte including a plurality of metal ions, solvent, and suppressor; providing the article including: a field surface and the recess that includes a distal position and a proximate position; exposing the recess to the electrodeposition composition; potentiodynamically controlling an electric potential of the recess with a potential wave form; bifurcating the recess into an active metal deposition region and a passive region; forming a transition zone; decreasing the electric potential of the recess by the potential wave form; progressively moving the transition zone closer to the field surface and away from the distal position; and reducing the metal ions and depositing the metal in the active metal deposition region and not in the passive region to form the transition zone terminated superconformal filling in the recess of the substrate.

Claims (62)

1. A process for forming a transition zone terminated superconformal filling in a recess of a substrate by electrodepositing metal, the process comprising:

providing an electrodeposition composition comprising:

a metal electrolyte comprising a plurality of metal ions and a solvent; and

a suppressor disposed in the solvent;

providing the substrate comprising:

a field surface; and

the recess disposed in the substrate, the recess comprising a distal position and a proximate position relative to the field surface of the substrate;

exposing the recess to the electrodeposition composition;

potentiodynamically controlling an electric potential of the recess with a potential wave form;

bifurcating the recess into an active metal deposition region and a passive region in response to potentiodynamically controlling the electric potential;

forming, in response to bifurcating the recess, a transition zone at an interface of the active metal deposition region and the passive region;

decreasing the electric potential of the recess by the potential wave form;

progressively moving the transition zone closer to the field surface and away from the distal position in response to decreasing the electric potential; and

reducing the metal ions to form metal and depositing the metal in the active metal deposition region and not in the passive region to form the transition zone terminated superconformal filling in the recess of the substrate, the transition zone terminated superconformal filling being:

void-free,

disposed in the recess in the active metal deposition region from the distal position to the transition zone,

comprising a v-notch, and

absent in the passive region between the proximate position and the transition zone,

wherein the electrodeposition composition has an S-shaped negative differential resistance cyclic voltammogram.

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising wherein the transition zone terminated superconformal filling is absent on the field surface.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

terminating the depositing the metal before completely filling the recess to the field surface.

4. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

terminating depositing the metal after completely filling the recess to the field surface.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the metal ions comprise Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Fe 2+ , Au 3+ , Ag + , Zn 2+ , Sn 2+ , Pb 2+ , or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metal ions.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrodeposition composition further comprises anions for the metal ions, the anions comprising sulfate, chloride, sulfite, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing anions.

7. The process of claim 5 , wherein the metal comprises cobalt, iron, nickel, gold, lead, tin, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the suppressor comprises a polyethyleneimine, a phenolphthalein, a polyether, benzimidazole and its derivatives, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing suppressors.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises water, an alcohol, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing solvents.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the recess comprises:

a depth from the field surface to the distal position that is from 10 nm to 900 μm, and

an aspect ratio from 1 to 50.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the recess comprises a through hole, a blind hole, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing recesses.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the potential wave form comprises a potential-step wave form comprising:

a first potential with a first dwell time; and

a second potential with a second dwell time,

wherein the second potential is more negative than the first potential.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the first dwell time is longer than the second dwell time.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the potential wave form comprises a potential ramp.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the potential ramp comprises a plurality of ramp rates.

16. A process for forming a transition zone terminated superconformal filling in a recess of a substrate by electrodepositing metal, the process comprising:

providing an electrodeposition composition comprising:

a metal electrolyte comprising a plurality of metal ions and a solvent; and

a suppressor disposed in the solvent;

providing the substrate comprising:

a field surface; and

the recess disposed in the substrate, the recess comprising a distal position and a proximate position relative to the field surface of the substrate;

exposing the recess to the electrodeposition composition;

galvanodynamically controlling an electric current between the recess and a counter electrode with a current wave form;

bifurcating the recess into an active metal deposition region and a passive region in response to galvanodynamically controlling the electric current;

forming, in response to bifurcating the recess, a transition zone at an interface of the active metal deposition region and the passive region;

changing the electric current at the recess by the current wave form;

progressively moving the transition zone closer to the field surface and away from the distal position in response to changing the electric current; and

reducing the metal ions to form metal and depositing the metal in the active metal deposition region and not in the passive region to form the transition zone terminated superconformal filling in the recess of the substrate, the transition zone terminated superconformal filling being:

void-free,

disposed in the recess in the active metal deposition region from the distal position to the transition zone,

comprising a v-notch, and

absent in the passive region between the proximate position and the transition zone,

wherein the electrodeposition composition has an S-shaped negative differential resistance cyclic voltammogram.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the metal ions comprise Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Fe 2+ , Au 3+ , Ag + , Sn 2+ , Pb 2+ or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metal ions, and

the metal comprises cobalt, gold, nickel, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

18. The process of claim 16 , wherein the current wave form comprises a current ramp wave form.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2018
From: MOFFAT, THOMAS; JOSELL, DANIEL
To: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
Reel/Frame 044556/0323 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation 15146888 · May 4, 2016
Continuation In Part 14012830 · Aug 28, 2013
Continuation In Part 15489089
Continuation In Part 14812134 · Jul 29, 2015
Provisional Application 62165360 · May 22, 2015
Provisional Application 61701818 · Sep 17, 2012
Provisional Application 62194320 · Jul 20, 2015
Related Publication 20180298514A1 · Oct 18, 2018
Related Publication 20190284714A9 · Sep 19, 2019