Method and device for plating a recess in a substrate

1. A method for plating a recess in a substrate ( 10 ), comprising the following steps:

providing a substrate ( 10 ) with a substrate surface ( 11 ) comprising at least one recess,

applying a replacement gas ( 30 ) to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas ( 20 ) in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas ( 20 ), wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) is continuously circulated without any application of sub-atmospheric pressure or vacuum,

applying a processing fluid ( 40 ) to the recess, wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) dissolves in the processing fluid ( 40 ) to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas ( 30 ), and

plating the recess in the substrate ( 10 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein applying the processing fluid ( 40 ) comprises the replacement gas ( 30 ) and the processing fluid ( 40 ) removing any gaseous barrier in the recess before plating the recess.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) has at a processing temperature a higher solubility in the processing fluid ( 40 ) than the ambient gas ( 20 ).

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the ambient gas is air and the Henry's law solubility constant H cp of the replacement gas ( 30 ) in the processing fluid ( 40 ) at room temperature is larger than 6.4×10 −6 mol Pa −1 , or equal to or larger than 1.2×10 −5 mol m −3 Pa −1 or equal to or larger than 3.3×10 −4 mol Pa −3 Pa −1 .

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) comprises CO 2 and the processing fluid ( 40 ) is water.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the plating is an at least partial filling of the recess with an alloy or a metal.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the processing fluid ( 40 ) is a plating fluid ( 40 a ) and the substrate ( 10 ) is immersed in the plating fluid ( 40 a ).

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the plating fluid ( 40 a ) is an electrolyte of an electrochemical deposition system.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) comprises SO 2 and the processing fluid ( 40 ) comprises H 2 SO 4 .

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing fluid ( 40 ) is a rinsing fluid ( 40 b ) and the recess is rinsed by the rinsing fluid ( 40 b ).

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) dissolved in the processing fluid ( 40 ) forms a chemically reactive modification fluid, which modifies a surface of the recess.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the chemically reactive modification fluid is an acid or a base for cleaning or etching the surface of the recess.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) comprises NH 3 , SO 2 , NO 2 , HCl and/or HF and the processing fluid ( 40 ) is water or a solvent.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the replacement gas ( 30 ) has a lower solubility in the processing fluid ( 40 ) than the ambient gas ( 20 ) and the replacement gas ( 30 ) and/or the processing fluid ( 40 ) comprises an initiating agent to initiate a chemical reaction between the replacement gas ( 30 ) and the processing fluid ( 40 ) for clearing the recess of any remaining replacement gas ( 30 ).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the chemical reaction between the replacement gas ( 30 ) and the processing fluid ( 40 ) consumes the remaining replacement gas ( 30 ).

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the ambient gas ( 20 ) is air.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the substrate surface ( 11 ) comprises a plurality of recesses.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a replacement gas unit ( 51 ) is directly above a processing fluid unit ( 52 ) and a plating unit ( 59 ).