Claims
- 1. An apparatus for thin-liquid-layer treatment of a surface of an integrated circuit substrate, comprising:
a substrate holder; a treating head proximate to the substrate holder, the treating head including a head surface that forms a thin fluid gap between the head surface and a substrate treatment surface when a substrate is present in the substrate holder; and a liquid inlet tube for flowing liquid into a thin fluid gap.
- 2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the thin-liquid-layer treatment comprises a treatment selected from a group consisting of a chemical liquid reaction treatment and a cleaning treatment.
- 3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the thin-liquid-layer treatment comprises a chemical liquid reaction treatment selected from a group consisting of electroless metal plating, etching, electrolytic plating, electrolytic etching, metal-oxide deposition, and liquid dielectric deposition.
- 4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the treating head comprises a peripheral edge corresponding substantially in shape to an outer edge of an integrated circuit wafer, and wherein the peripheral edge forms a peripheral slit with the outer edge of the integrated circuit wafer when the wafer is in the substrate holder.
- 5. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the peripheral slit comprises a width in a range of about from 0.0 mm to 0.5 mm.
- 6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a thin fluid gap comprises a width substantially in a range of about from 0.1 mm to 4 mm.
- 7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a thin fluid gap comprises a volume in a range of about from 30 microliters per cm2 to 300 microliters per cm2 of substrate treatment surface.
- 8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substrate holder further comprises a plurality of support pins for supporting a substrate in the substrate holder.
- 9. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a rotary head shaft connected to the treating head for rotating the treating head.
- 10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the fluid gap is dynamically variable.
- 11. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a head heater for heating the treating head.
- 12. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a multizone head heater.
- 13. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquid inlet tube is integral with the treating head.
- 14. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
a manifold cavity disposed in the treating head; a manifold inlet for providing fluidic communication between a liquid source and the manifold cavity; and a plurality of liquid inlet tubes integral with the treating head for flowing liquid from the manifold cavity into a fluid gap when a substrate is present in the substrate holder.
- 15. An apparatus as in claim 14, further comprising a manifold recirculation tube between the manifold cavity and the liquid source.
- 16. An apparatus as in claim 14, further comprising a bubble removal tube in fluidic communication with the manifold cavity.
- 17. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
a treating liquid source; a containment chamber containing the substrate holder and having an outlet drain; and a recycling tube between the outlet drain and the treating liquid source.
- 18. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
a containment chamber containing the substrate holder; and a liquid diversion system wherein the liquid diversion system includes a collection trough, and the collection trough is disposed in a containment chamber substantially radially outwards from the substrate holder.
- 19. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a substrate heater integral with the substrate holder for heating a substrate from the backside of the substrate.
- 20. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substrate holder is a differential pressure chuck comprising an annular collar disposed in the containment vessel, the annular collar including an inside collar edge, the inside collar edge forming a narrow flow passage between the inside collar edge and the outer edge of a substrate wafer when a wafer is present in the wafer holder.
- 21. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein the narrow passage has a width in a range of about from 0.2 mm to 7 mm.
- 22. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a liquid heater for heating liquid from a treating liquid source, the liquid heater being disposed upstream from the liquid inlet tube.
- 23. An apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising:
a liquid source tube from a treating liquid source; a recirculation tube for recirculating treating liquid from a liquid source tube back to the treating liquid source; and a liquid cooler for cooling recirculating treating liquid.
- 24. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gas injection ports proximate to the wafer holder for injecting inert gas proximate to a wafer edge when a substrate wafer is present in the substrate holder.
- 25. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of treating liquid sources including a first treating liquid source and a second treating liquid source; and a liquid mixer, the mixer being located proximate to the treating head, for mixing a first treating liquid from the first treating liquid source and a second treating liquid from the second treating liquid source.
- 26. An apparatus as in claim 23 wherein a first liquid source comprises an activation liquid source, and a second liquid source comprises a plating solution source.
- 27. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a head array, the head array including a plurality of treating heads.
- 28. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the head surface has a shape that is substantially flat.
- 29. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic source located in the treating head for creating a magnetic field in a thin fluid gap to clean a liquid in the gap.
- 30. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:
a magnetic source for creating a magnetic field in a thin fluid gap; and a magnetic sensor for detecting an amount of metal present on a substrate present in the substrate holder.
- 31. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said treating head comprises a megasonic cleaning head.
- 32. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a gas inlet tube for injecting wafer release gas into a space selected from a group consisting of a manifold cavity and a thin fluid gap.
- 33. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquid inlet tube is suitable for injecting wafer release gas into a thin fluid gap.
- 34. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a gas release tube in fluidic communication with the liquid inlet tube to release gas located in a thin fluid gap.
- 35. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
a light source; and an optical sensor for measuring an optical property related to an amount of material deposited on a substrate treatment surface.
- 36. An apparatus as in claim-35 wherein said optical property is selected from a group consisting of optical reflectivity, optical transmittance, and optical spectrum.
- 37. A method of liquid treatment of a surface of an integrated circuit substrate, comprising:
placing an integrated circuit substrate having a treatment surface in a substrate holder; disposing a treating head having a head surface proximate to the treatment surface, the head surface and the treatment surface thereby defining a thin fluid gap; and flowing liquid into the thin fluid gap to form a thin liquid layer.
- 38. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the thin fluid gap comprises dynamically varying a property of the liquid.
- 39. A method as in claim 37 wherein disposing the treating head proximate to the treatment surface comprises forming a peripheral slit between a peripheral edge of the treating head and an outer edge of the substrate.
- 40. A method as in claim 39 wherein forming a peripheral slit comprises forming a slit having a width in a range of about from 0.0 mm to 0.5 mm.
- 41. A method as in claim 39, further comprising dynamically varying the peripheral slit.
- 42. A method as in claim 37 wherein disposing the treating head proximate to the treatment surface comprises defining a thin fluid gap having a volume in a range of about from 30 microliters per cm2 to 300 microliters per cm2 of substrate treatment surface.
- 43. A method as in claim 42, further comprising dynamically varying the volume of the thin fluid gap.
- 44. A method as in claim 37 wherein the liquid treatment comprises a treatment selected from a group consisting of: electroless metal plating, electroless chemical etching, electrolytic plating, electrolytic etching, metal-oxide deposition, and liquid dielectric deposition.
- 45. A method as in claim 37, further comprising rotating the substrate.
- 46. A method as in claim 45, further comprising dynamically varying a rotational speed of the substrate.
- 47. A method as in claim 37, further comprising rotating the treating head.
- 48. A method as in claim 47, further comprising dynamically varying a rotational speed of the treating head.
- 49. A method as in claim 37, further comprising heating the treating head.
- 50. A method as in claim 49, further comprising dynamically varying the heating of the treating head.
- 51. A method as in claim 49 wherein heating the treating head comprises creating a nonuniform temperature profile in the treating head.
- 52. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises:
flowing liquid into the fluid gap during a first period of time; and then substantially ceasing flowing liquid into the fluid gap during a second period of time.
- 53. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing liquid into the fluid gap at a flowrate in a range of about from 0 ml/min. to 2000 ml/min.
- 54. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises dynamically varying a flow rate of liquid into the fluid gap.
- 55. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises dynamically varying a composition of the liquid.
- 56. A method as in claim 37, further comprising:
flowing a first treating liquid into a mixer; flowing a second treating liquid into the mixer to form a mixed liquid with the first treating liquid; and then flowing the mixed liquid into the fluid gap.
- 57. A method as in claim 56, further comprising:
varying a property of the mixed liquid upstream of the fluid gap to form a second mixed liquid; and then flowing the second mixed liquid into the fluid gap.
- 58. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing liquid through a showerhead-type manifold.
- 59. A method as in claim 37, further comprising recycling liquid from a containment space to a treating liquid source.
- 60. A method as in claim 37, further comprising diverting treatment liquid from a containment space using a liquid diversion system.
- 61. A method as in claim 60 wherein diverting treatment liquid comprises collecting liquid in a collection trough disposed substantially radially outwards from the substrate.
- 62. A method as in claim 37, further comprising recirculating a portion of liquid to a liquid source instead of flowing the portion of liquid into the fluid gap.
- 63. A method as in claim 37, further comprising heating the liquid before flowing the liquid into the fluid gap.
- 64. A method as in claim 37, further comprising:
heating treatment liquid upstream of the fluid gap; diverting a recirculation-portion of the treatment liquid instead of flowing the recirculation-portion into the fluid gap; cooling the recirculation-portion of treatment liquid; and then flowing the recirculation-portion of treatment liquid to a treatment liquid source.
- 65. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing a pre-wetting liquid into the thin fluid gap.
- 66. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing a rinsing liquid into the thin fluid gap.
- 67. A method as in claim 37, further comprising injecting wafer release gas into the thin fluid gap.
- 68. A method as in claim 67 wherein injecting wafer release gas comprises injecting gas through a tube selected from a group consisting of a liquid inlet tube and a gas inlet tube.
- 69. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing liquid from a liquid source into a manifold cavity located in the treating head.
- 70. A method as in claim 37, further comprising diverting a recirculation-portion of liquid from the manifold cavity back to the liquid source.
- 71. A method as in claim 37, further comprising heating the substrate from the backside of the substrate.
- 72. A method as in claim 71, further comprising dynamically varying the heating.
- 73. A method as in claim 37, further comprising creating a pressure differential between an upper containment chamber above the substrate and a lower containment chamber below the substrate, wherein the pressure in the upper containment chamber is greater than in the lower containment chamber.
- 74. A method as in claim 73 wherein creating a pressure differential comprises drawing a partial vacuum in the lower containment chamber, thereby drawing gas from the upper containment chamber around the outer edge of the substrate through a narrow passage between the inside collar edge of an annular collar and the outer edge of the substrate.
- 75. A method as in claim 74 wherein the narrow passage has a width in a range of about from 1 mm to 7 mm.
- 76. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing an electroless plating solution into the fluid gap.
- 77. A method as in claim 76 wherein flowing an electroless plating solution into the fluid gap comprises:
flowing a nucleation solution into the fluid gap; and then flowing a growth solution into the fluid gap.
- 78. A method as in claim 77, further comprising flowing an activator solution into the fluid gap before flowing the nucleation solution.
- 79. A method as in claim 37 wherein flowing liquid into the fluid gap comprises flowing an etching solution.
- 80. A method of depositing a foreign-metal layer onto a base-metal material on a treatment surface of an integrated circuit substrate using a thin liquid layer, comprising:
treating the treatment surface with a nucleation-phase reactant liquid containing foreign-metal atoms under nucleation-phase reaction conditions; and thereafter treating the treatment surface by forming a thin liquid layer of a growth-phase reactant liquid containing foreign-metal atoms under growth-phase reaction conditions, the nucleation-phase liquid chemical reaction conditions being different from the growth-phase liquid chemical reaction conditions.
- 81. A method as in claim 80 wherein treating the treatment surface with a nucleation-phase reactant liquid comprises a process selected from the group consisting of: forming a thin liquid layer of the nucleation-phase reacting liquid on the treatment surface, and spraying the treatment surface with nucleation-phase reactant liquid.
- 82. A method as in claim 80, further comprising activating the base-metal material using an activator liquid prior to treating with the nucleation reactant liquid.
- 83. A method as in claim 82 wherein activating the base-metal material comprises forming a thin liquid layer of activator liquid on the treatment surface.
- 84. A method as in claim 83 wherein activating the base-metal material comprises forming a thin liquid layer comprising DMAB.
- 85. A method as in claim 80 wherein the foreign-metal atoms comprise cobalt.
- 86. A method as in claim 80 wherein the base-metal material comprises substantially copper.
- 87. A method of depositing a foreign-metal layer onto a base-metal material on a treatment surface of an integrated circuit substrate, comprising:
treating the treatment surface with a nucleation-phase reactant liquid containing foreign-metal atoms under nucleation-phase reaction conditions; and thereafter treating the treatment surface with a growth-phase reactant liquid containing foreign-metal atoms under growth-phase reaction conditions, the nucleation-phase liquid chemical reaction conditions being different from the growth-phase liquid chemical reaction conditions.
- 88. A method as in claim 87, further comprising activating the base-metal material using an activator liquid prior to treating with the nucleation reactant liquid.
- 89. A method as in claim 87 wherein the foreign-metal atoms comprise cobalt.
- 90. A method as in claim 87 wherein the base-metal material comprises substantially copper.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/392,203, filed Jun. 28, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60392203 |
Jun 2002 |
US |