Method and apparatus for electroplating a metal onto a substrate

1. A method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P), wherein said substrate (P) is a flat substrate having opposing first and second substrate surfaces (P 1 , P 2 ), said method comprising:

(a) providing said substrate (P), an electroplating apparatus ( 100 , 200 ) comprising at least one counter electrode ( 120 , 130 ; 220 , 230 ), and an electroplating liquid (L);

(b) bringing said substrate (P) with said opposing first and second substrate surfaces (P 1 , P 2 ) and said at least one counter electrode ( 120 , 130 ; 220 , 230 ) into contact with said electroplating liquid (L);

(c) electrically polarizing said first and second substrate surfaces (P 1 , P 2 ) of said substrate (P) to effect metal deposition onto said first and second substrate surfaces (P 1 , P 2 ) by feeding at least one first forward-reverse pulse current sequence each one being composed of successive first forward-reverse pulse periods to said first substrate surface (P 1 ) and at least one second forward-reverse pulse current sequence each one being composed of successive second forward-reverse pulse periods to said second substrate surface (P 2 );

(d) each one of said at least one first forward-reverse pulse current sequence at least comprising, in each one of first consecutive forward-reverse pulse periods, a first forward pulse generating a first cathodic current during a first forward pulse duration (t f1 ) at said first substrate surface (P 1 ), said first forward pulse having a first forward pulse peak current (i f1 ), and a first reverse pulse generating a first anodic current during a first reverse pulse duration (t r1 ) at said first substrate surface (P 1 ), said first reverse pulse having a first reverse pulse peak current (i r1 ); and

each one of said at least one second forward-reverse pulse current sequence at least comprising, in each one of consecutive second forward-reverse pulse periods, a second forward pulse generating a second cathodic current during a second forward pulse duration (t f2 ) at the second substrate surface (P 2 ), said second forward pulse having a second forward pulse peak current (i f2 ), and a second reverse pulse generating a second anodic current during a second reverse pulse duration (t r2 ) at the second substrate surface, said second reverse pulse having a second reverse pulse peak current (i r2 );

(e) wherein said first and second forward pulses are further superposed with a respective first or second superposing cathodic pulse having a respective first or second superposing cathodic pulse duration (t c1 , t c2 ) which is shorter than said respective first or second forward pulse duration (t f1 , t f2 ); and

wherein a phase shift φ r , between said first reverse pulse of said at least one first forward-reverse current sequence and said second superposing cathodic pulse of said at least one second forward-reverse current sequence is set to 0°±30°.

2. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences are offset to each other by a phase shift (φs) of about 180°.

3. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein the durations (t r1 , t r2 ) of said first and second reverse pulses equal the respective durations (t c1 , t c2 ) of said first and second superposing cathodic pulses.

4. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein said first reverse pulse and said second superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously and wherein said second reverse pulse and said first superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously.

5. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, subsequent to performing said at least one first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences in accordance with method steps (d) and (e) in a first method section period, applying at least one further first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences, each one comprising a plurality of consecutive first or second forward-reverse pulse periods, respectively, wherein each one of said consecutive first and second forward-reverse pulse periods comprises a respective first or second forward pulse generating a cathodic current during a respective first or second forward pulse duration (t f1 , t f2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said respective first or second forward pulse having a respective first or second forward pulse peak current (i f1 ,i f2 ), and a respective first or second reverse pulse generating a respective first or second anodic current during a respective first or second reverse pulse duration (t r1 , t r2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said first and second reverse pulses having a respective first or second reverse pulse peak current (i r1 ,i r2 ), without superposing said respective first or second forward pulses with a respective first or second superposing cathodic pulse, in a second method section period.

6. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 5 , wherein, in said second method section period, said first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences are offset to each other by a phase shift (φs) of about 180°.

7. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 5 , wherein none of said at least one first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences, either in one of said first and second method section periods or in both method section periods, comprise any method section period wherein current applied to said substrate (P) is set to zero.

8. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein said metal is copper.

9. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein the first forward-reverse pulse current sequences and the second forward-reverse pulse current sequences have the same frequency and same pulse train.

10. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one first counter electrode is arranged opposite the first substrate surface and wherein at least one second counter electrode is arranged opposite the second substrate surface.

11. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 9 , wherein at least one first counter electrode is arranged opposite the first substrate surface and wherein at least one second counter electrode is arranged opposite the second substrate surface.

12. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 9 , wherein the durations (t r1 , t r2 ) of said first and second reverse pulses equal the respective durations (t c1 , t c2 ) of said first and second superposing cathodic pulses.

13. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 10 , wherein the durations (t r1 , t r2 ) of said first and second reverse pulses equal the respective durations (t c1 , t c2 e) of said first and second superposing cathodic pulses.

14. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 9 , wherein said first reverse pulse and said second superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously and wherein said second reverse pulse and said first superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously.

15. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 10 , wherein said first reverse pulse and said second superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously and wherein said second reverse pulse and said first superposing cathodic pulse are applied simultaneously.

16. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises, subsequent to performing said at least one first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences in accordance with method steps (d) and (e) in a first method section period, applying at least one further first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences, each one comprising a plurality of consecutive first or second forward-reverse pulse periods, respectively, wherein each one of said consecutive first and second forward-reverse pulse periods comprises a respective first or second forward pulse generating a cathodic current during a respective first or second forward pulse duration (t f1 , t f2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said respective first or second forward pulse having a respective first or second forward pulse peak current (i f1 , i f2 ), and a respective first or second reverse pulse generating a respective first or second anodic current during a respective first or second reverse pulse duration (t r1 , t r2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said first and second reverse pulses having a respective first or second reverse pulse peak current (i r1 ,i r2 ) without superposing said respective first or second forward pulses with a respective first or second superposing cathodic pulse, in a second method section period.

17. The method for electroplating a metal onto a substrate (P) according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, subsequent to performing said at least one first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences in accordance with method steps (d) and (e) in a first method section period, applying at least one further first and second forward-reverse pulse current sequences, each one comprising a plurality of consecutive first or second forward-reverse pulse periods, respectively, wherein each one of said consecutive first and second forward-reverse pulse periods comprises a respective first or second forward pulse generating a cathodic current during a respective first or second forward pulse duration (t f1 , t f2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said respective first or second forward pulse having a respective first or second forward pulse peak current (i f1 , i f2 ), and a respective first or second reverse pulse generating a respective first or second anodic current during a respective first or second reverse pulse duration (t r1 , t r2 ) at the respective first or second substrate surface (P 1 , P 2 ), said first and second reverse pulses having a respective first or second reverse pulse peak current (i r1 , i r2 ), without superposing said respective first or second forward pulses with a respective first or second superposing cathodic pulse, in a second method section period.