Resistor mask, plating apparatus, and plating method

Abstract

The present invention appropriately masks a non-pattern area according to a layout pattern of a wafer on a substrate. A resist mask for being disposed between a substrate and an anode in a plating device and having a pattern area of a cross shape formed by two quadrilaterals overlapping each other, wherein a first mask piece to a fourth mask piece are provided corresponding to each corner portion of one of the two quadrilaterals, and a fifth mask piece and a sixth mask piece are provided respectively with respect to a pair of protruding portions extending outward from each side of two mutually opposite sides of the one quadrilateral.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a resistive element shield for shielding resistive elements used in a plating apparatus, a plating apparatus, and a plating method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, there has been a trend towards larger chip sizes for AI applications. If the size of the chips (quadrilaterals) on a circular wafer increases, the number of chips mounted decreases due to the curvature of the wafer, resulting in a chip configuration that resembles either a cross or a quadrilateral formed by overlapping two quadrilaterals. In such wafers, the electric field tends to concentrate in areas without chips—non-patterned areas—and at the chip boundaries (especially the corners). This raises concerns about potential adverse effects on the in-plane uniformity and other plating quality of the coating film during wafer deposition.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-59561

[0004] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 7014553

[0005] As one solution to the aforementioned problems, the inventors of this application have discovered that shielding non-patterned areas on a wafer from an electric field is effective. Electric field shielding components that shield the electric field in a plating apparatus are described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-59561 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent No. 7014553 (Patent Document 2). Patent Document 1 describes an example of an electromagnetic shielding plate disposed below or above a porous resistive body within a plating bath. Patent Document 2 describes an example of an anode shield disposed near the anode and shielding a portion of the electric field flowing from the anode to the substrate.

[0006] In the electromagnetic shielding shields disclosed in the prior art, including Patent Documents 1 and 2, the shielding area of ​​the electric field shielding component is formed in accordance with the shape of the substrate such as a wafer, and therefore the non-patterned areas are shielded according to the arrangement pattern of the wafers on the wafer. Furthermore, when the outline of the wafer arrangement pattern, such as a cross shape, has unevenness, and this unevenness affects the plating quality, it is desirable to use the electric field shielding component to appropriately shield the non-patterned areas. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention addresses at least a portion of the problems described above.

[0008] One of the objectives of this invention is to appropriately mask non-patterned areas according to the configuration pattern of the wafers on the substrate.

[0009] One of the objectives of this invention is to adjust the exposed area of ​​the patterned region of the resistor according to the configuration pattern and / or unpatterned area of ​​the wafer on the substrate.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a resistive element mask is provided for a resistive element disposed between a substrate and an anode in a plating apparatus and having a cross-shaped patterned area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals, wherein the resistive element comprises: a first mask sheet to a fourth mask sheet disposed corresponding to each corner of one of the two quadrilaterals; and a fifth mask sheet and a sixth mask sheet disposed respectively with respect to a pair of protruding portions extending outward from each of the two opposing sides of the aforementioned quadrilateral. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a top view showing the overall structure of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a plating module involved in one implementation method.

[0014] Figure 4A This is a top view of a resistor element involved in one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4B This is a top view illustrating the shape of the patterned area of ​​the resistive element.

[0016] Figure 4C This is a top view illustrating the shape of the patterned area of ​​the resistive element.

[0017] Figure 4D This is a top view illustrating the shape of the patterned area of ​​the resistive element.

[0018] Figure 4E This is a top view illustrating the shape of the patterned area of ​​the resistive element.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a top view of a resistive element shield according to an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 6A This is an example of a masking pattern based on a resistive element mask.

[0021] Figure 6B This is an example of a masking pattern based on a resistive element mask.

[0022] Figure 6C This is an example of a masking pattern based on a resistive element mask.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a resistor involved in one implementation method.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a top view showing an example of the arrangement of the various shielding plates of the resistive element shield.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of the various shielding plates of the resistive element shield.

[0026] Figure 10A It is along Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the resistor element and resistor element shield of the XX line.

[0027] Figure 10B It is along Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the resistor and its shield after the XX line has been cut.

[0028] Figure 10C It is along Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the resistor and its shield after the XX line has been cut, taken from another angle.

[0029] Figure 11 It is along Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the resistor element and resistor element shield of the XI-XI line.

[0030] Figure 12 This is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the various shielding plates of the resistive element shield.

[0031] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a structural example of a drive mechanism for a resistive element shield. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Hereinafter, the plating apparatus 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic illustrations for ease of understanding of the characteristics of the object, and the dimensions, proportions, etc., of each component are not necessarily the same as the actual dimensions.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the overall structure of the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment. Figure 2 This is a top view showing the overall structure of the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment. (As shown) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the plating apparatus 1000 includes a loading port 100, a handling robot 110, an alignment device 120, a pre-wetting module 200, a pre-immersion module 300, a plating module 400, a cleaning module 500, a rotary rinsing and drying machine 600, a handling device 700, and a control module 800.

[0034] Loading ports 100 are modules used to move wafers (substrates) contained in cassettes such as FOUPs (not shown) into the plating apparatus 1000, or to move substrates from the plating apparatus 1000 into the cassette. In this embodiment, four loading ports 100 are arranged horizontally, but the number and arrangement of loading ports 100 are arbitrary. The transport robot 110 is a robot for transporting substrates, configured to exchange substrates between the loading ports 100, the alignment device 120, the pre-wetting module 200, and the rotary rinse dryer 600. When the transport robot 110 and the transport device 700 exchange substrates, the exchange can be performed via a temporary stage (not shown).

[0035] Aligner 120 is a module used to align the orientation plane, notch, and other positions of the substrate in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, two alignment devices 120 are arranged in the horizontal direction, but the number and arrangement of the alignment devices 120 are arbitrary. Pre-wetting module 200 replaces the air inside the pattern formed on the substrate surface with the processing liquid by wetting the substrate surface to be plated before plating with a processing liquid such as pure water or degassed water. Pre-wetting module 200 is configured to perform a pre-wetting process that easily supplies plating liquid to the inside of the pattern by replacing the processing liquid inside the pattern with plating liquid during plating. In this embodiment, two pre-wetting modules 200 are arranged in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the pre-wetting modules 200 are arbitrary.

[0036] The pre-impregnation module 300 is configured to perform a pre-impregnation process, for example, using a treatment solution such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to etch away oxide films with high resistance, such as those present on the seed layer surface of the substrate to be plated before the plating process, to clean or activate the surface of the substrate to be plated. In this embodiment, two pre-impregnation modules 300 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the pre-impregnation modules 300 are arbitrary. The plating module 400 performs the plating process on the substrate. In this embodiment, there are two units with 12 plating modules 400 arranged, three vertically and four horizontally, for a total of 24 plating modules 400, but the number and arrangement of the plating modules 400 are arbitrary.

[0037] The cleaning module 500 is configured to clean the substrate to remove residual plating solution or the like from the substrate after plating. In this embodiment, two cleaning modules 500 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the cleaning modules 500 are arbitrary. The rotary rinse-dryer 600 is a module used to dry the cleaned substrate by rotating it at high speed. In this embodiment, two rotary rinse-dryers 600 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the rotary rinse-dryers 600 are arbitrary. The conveying device 700 is a device for conveying the substrate between multiple modules within the plating apparatus 1000. The control module 800 is configured to control multiple modules of the plating apparatus 1000, and can be, for example, a general-purpose computer or a dedicated computer with an input / output interface for the operator.

[0038] An example of a series of plating processes performed on the plating apparatus 1000 will be described. First, a substrate housed in a cassette is loaded into the loading port 100. Next, a transport robot 110 removes the substrate from the cassette in the loading port 100 and transports it to the aligner 120. The aligner 120 aligns the orientation plane, notches, and other positions of the substrate in a predetermined direction. The transport robot 110 then delivers the substrate, aligned by the aligner 120, to the pre-wetting module 200.

[0039] The pre-humidification module 200 performs a pre-humidification treatment on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the pre-humidified substrate to the pre-impregnation module 300. The pre-impregnation module 300 performs a pre-impregnation treatment on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the pre-impregnation treated substrate to the plating module 400. The plating module 400 performs a plating treatment on the substrate.

[0040] The transport device 700 transports the plated substrate to the cleaning module 500. The cleaning module 500 cleans the substrate. The transport device 700 then transports the cleaned substrate to the rotary rinse-dryer 600. The rotary rinse-dryer 600 dries the substrate. The transport robot 110 receives the substrate from the rotary rinse-dryer 600 and transports the dried substrate to the cassette in the loading port 100. Finally, the cassette containing the substrate is removed from the loading port 100.

[0041] In addition, Figure 1 , Figure 2 The structure of the plating apparatus 1000 described herein is merely an example, and the structure of the plating apparatus 1000 is not limited to this. Figure 1 , Figure 2 The structure.

[0042] The control module 800 can be configured as having a memory (not shown) storing various setting data such as machine parameters and various programs, and a CPU (not shown) executing the programs in the memory. The control module 800 may also have input / output interfaces including output devices such as a display and input devices such as a keyboard and mouse. The storage medium constituting the memory can include any volatile storage medium and / or any non-volatile storage medium. The storage medium can include, for example, one or more of any storage media such as ROM, RAM, hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and floppy disk. Some or all of the functions of the control module 800 can be implemented by hardware such as an ASIC. Some or all of the functions of the control module 800 can also be implemented by a PLC, programmable controller, etc. Some or all of the control module 800 can be configured inside and / or outside the frame of the plating apparatus 1000. Some or all of the control module 800 can be communicatively connected to various parts of the plating apparatus via wired and / or wireless means.

[0043] [Platinum Module]

[0044] Next, the plating module 400 will be described. Furthermore, since the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment has multiple plating modules 400 with the same structure, only one plating module 400 will be described.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a plating module according to one embodiment. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the plating apparatus 1000 (plating module 400) involved in this embodiment is a plating apparatus (plating module) of the type called face-down type, cup type, horizontal type, etc., that holds the substrate Wf horizontally for plating. Here, the case of a wafer with a circular substrate Wf will be described as an example.

[0046] The plating module 400 according to this embodiment mainly includes: a plating tank 401; a substrate holder 403, also called a plating head, for holding the substrate Wf; a drive mechanism 411 including a rotation mechanism, a tilting mechanism, and a lifting mechanism for rotating, tilting, and lifting the substrate holder 403; and an anode 410 disposed below the substrate Wf and opposite to the substrate Wf. Additionally, an overflow channel 408 is provided on the outside of the plating tank 401 to receive plating liquid overflowing from the plating tank 401. Furthermore, a diaphragm (not shown) dividing the plating tank 401 into a cathode chamber and an anode chamber may also be included. The tilting mechanism may also be omitted.

[0047] In the plating module 400 of this embodiment, the anode 410 and the substrate Wf (cathode) are electrically connected to the power supply 409. For example, the substrate Wf is electrically connected to the low-potential side of the power supply 409, and the anode 410 is connected to the high-potential side of the power supply 409. The power supply 409 can be a DC power supply, a pulse power supply, or a combination thereof. In the plating module 400 of this embodiment, a voltage from the power supply 409 is applied between the anode 410 and the substrate Wf, thereby causing a plating current to flow between the anode 410 and the substrate Wf, resulting in the deposition of metal ions from the plating solution onto the substrate Wf as a metal film.

[0048] The plating tank 401 according to this embodiment is a bottomed container with an opening at the top. The plating tank 401 forms an internal space with a generally cylindrical shape for storing the plating solution. As the plating solution, any solution containing ions of the metal element constituting the plating film is acceptable, and there are no particular limitations on specific examples. In this embodiment, as an example of plating treatment, copper plating is used, and as an example of plating solution, copper sulfate solution is used. The plating solution may also contain prescribed additives.

[0049] Plating solution is supplied to plating tank 401 via circulation line 407. Plating solution overflowing into overflow tank 408 is discharged via circulation line 407. Plating solution discharged from overflow tank 408 is transported to storage tank 404 via circulation line 407. After adjusting the composition of plating solution in storage tank 404 as needed, it is returned to plating tank 401 via pump 405 and filter 406.

[0050] Inside the plating tank 401, near the substrate Wf, a blade 412 may be disposed. The blade 412 reciprocates in a direction substantially parallel to the plating surface of the substrate Wf to generate a strong flow of plating solution on the surface of the substrate Wf. As a result, the ions in the plating solution near the surface of the substrate Wf are homogenized, thereby improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film formed on the surface of the substrate Wf.

[0051] Inside the plating tank 401, below the paddle, is a porous resistive element 10, also known as an ion resistive element. Specifically, the resistive element 10 is composed of a porous plate component having multiple pores (micropores). The plating solution below the resistive element 10 can flow through the resistive element 10 to the upper side of the resistive element 10. This resistive element 10 is a component provided to achieve uniformity of the electric field formed between the anode 410 and the substrate Wf. By distributing such a resistive element 10 in the plating tank 401, uniformity of the film thickness of the plating film (plating layer) formed on the substrate Wf can be achieved.

[0052] As will be described later, the resistor 10 may, for example, adopt the following structure: a patterned region 11 comprising a plurality of holes (micro-holes) and a non-patterned region 12 without holes. Figure 7The resistive element 10 is formed, for example, of an electrical insulator. In one example, the resistive element 10 is formed of resins such as PVC, PEEK, and PTFE. The resistive element 10 can be manufactured by machining the resin or by resin molding.

[0053] In the plating module 400 of this embodiment, a resistive element mask 900 is disposed near the resistive element 10 to shield the non-patterned area 12 of the resistive element 10. Figure 3 The resistive element shield 900 will be described below.

[0054] [Resistor shield]

[0055] Figure 4A This is a top view of the resistor 10 adjusted by a resistor shield 900 according to one embodiment. Figures 4B to 4E This is a top view illustrating the shape of the patterned region 11 of the resistor 10. Figure 5 This is a top view of a resistive element shield 900 according to one embodiment.

[0056] like Figure 4A As shown, the resistor 10 includes, for example, a patterned region 11 with a plurality of holes (micro-holes) and a non-patterned region 12 without holes. In this embodiment, the resistor 10 has a cross-shaped patterned region 11. Figure 4B As shown, in a top view, the patterned region 11 has a shape formed by overlapping quadrilaterals 11A and 11B. The patterned region 11 consists of two opposing sides 11A1 and 11A2 (part of quadrilateral 11B) extending from quadrilateral 11A along the X-axis direction. Figure 4C The shape of 11C is a pair of protruding parts (quadrilateral) with each side pointing outwards to both sides. Figure 4A , Figure 4B ).

[0057] like Figure 4C As shown, quadrilateral 11A has mutually opposing sides 11A-1 and 11A-2 extending along the X-axis and mutually opposing sides 11A-3 and 11A-4 extending along the Y-axis. Figure 4D As shown, quadrilateral 11B has mutually opposing sides 11B-1 and 11B-2 extending along the X-axis and mutually opposing sides 11B-3 and 11B-4 extending along the Y-axis. Figure 4E As shown, each of the pair of protrusions 11C has opposing sides 11C-1 and 11C-2 extending along the X-axis and opposing sides 11C-3 and 11C-4 extending along the Y-axis.

[0058] Quadrilaterals 11A to 11C are shapes used to illustrate the shape of the cross-shaped pattern area 11 when viewed from above, and it is not mentioned whether they are integral or separate. In other words, all or any part of the cross-shaped pattern area 11 can be integral or separate.

[0059] The resistive element shield 900 is an electromagnetic shielding component that adjusts the exposed area of ​​the patterned region 11 of the resistive element 10, such as... Figure 5 As shown, it has a first mask 910 composed of masking sheets 910A to 910D and a second mask 920 composed of a pair of masking sheets 920A and 920B.

[0060] The first mask 910's masking plates 910A to 910D and quadrilateral 11A ( Figures 4A to 4C Each corner of the shield 910A to 910D is correspondingly provided. Each of the shields 910A to 910D has: an inner contour 911-1 extending linearly along the X-axis; an inner contour 911-2 extending linearly along the Y-axis from one end of the inner contour 911-1; an inner contour 911-3 extending linearly along the Y-axis with the other end of the inner contour 911-1 as one end; and an inner contour 911-4 extending linearly along the X-axis from the other end of the inner contour 911-3. The vertex where the inner contours 911-1 and 911-2 intersect protrudes toward the inside of the quadrilateral 11A (resistor pattern 11) (see also...). Figure 8 Adjust the size of the shading area at each corner of the quadrilateral 11A using masking sheets 910A to 910D, and adjust the exposed area of ​​the quadrilateral 11A.

[0061] In this embodiment, each of the masking sheets 910A to 910D is arranged such that its inner contour 911-3 overlaps with the side 11A-3 (side 11A-4) of quadrilateral 11A extending along the Y-axis direction, or is located outside the side 11A-3 (side 11A-4), with the inner contour 911-4 located outside the pattern area 11. Each of the masking sheets 910A to 910D moves along the Y-axis direction. Each of the masking sheets 910A to 910D is configured such that the inner contour 911-1 is used to adjust the Y-axis dimension of the masking area at each corner of quadrilateral 11A in the pattern area 11 based on the masking sheet, and the inner contour 911-2 is used to adjust the X-axis dimension of the masking area at each corner of quadrilateral 11A in the pattern area 11 based on the masking sheet.

[0062] In this structure, the inner contours 911-3 and 911-4 do not contribute to the occlusion of the pattern area 11, and therefore the quadrilateral portion with the inner contours 911-3 and 911-4 as adjacent sides can also be omitted.

[0063] The second mask 920 includes a pair of mask plates 920A and 920B. Mask plates 920A and 920B are positioned relative to the protruding portions 11C that project towards both sides of the quadrilateral 11A, and each has an inner contour 921 extending linearly along the X-axis. The inner contours 921 of the mask plates 920A to 920B define the protruding portions 11C. Figure 4A The mask 920A and 920B are masks used to adjust the Y-axis dimension of the exposed area (masked area) of the protruding portion 11C, and have dimensions that cover the entire area of ​​the protruding portion 11C. The mask 920A and 920B have dimensions that are larger than the X-axis dimension of the protruding portion 11C. Figure 4E The length of side 11C-1 is larger in the X-axis direction and has a larger Y-axis direction dimension than the protruding part 11C. Figure 4E The length of sides 11C-3 and 11-C4) is the largest dimension in the Y-axis direction.

[0064] [Case Study of Occlusion Diagram]

[0065] Figures 6A to 6C An example of a masking pattern based on a resistive mask 900 is shown. Figures 6A to 6C This is a diagram obtained by viewing the resistor mask 900 and the resistor 10 from above, with the substrate Wf (including the wafer configuration patterns D1 to D3) superimposed.

[0066] exist Figure 6A In this figure, the wafers on the substrate Wf are denoted by D1. The wafers D1 are arranged in four layers along the X-axis. If the X-axis direction is referred to as the first to fourth layers from positive to negative, then three wafers D1 are arranged in the first layer, five wafers D1 are arranged in the second and third layers respectively, and three wafers D1 are arranged in the fourth layer. The exposed area of ​​the patterned region 11 is adjusted using resistive element masks 900 (910A-910B, 920A-920B) so that the exposed area of ​​the patterned region 11 of the resistive element 10 matches the cross-shaped arrangement pattern of these wafers D1. In this example, mask 910A and mask 910B are separated from each other, and mask 910C and mask 910D are separated from each other. Furthermore, masks 920A-920B are arranged with a wide spacing to expose the entire area of ​​the protruding portion 11C.

[0067] exist Figure 6BIn the figure, the wafer on the substrate Wf is represented by D2. The size (Y-axis dimension) of wafer D2 is larger than the size (Y-axis dimension) of wafer D1. In this figure, wafers D2 are arranged in 4 layers along the X-axis direction, with one wafer D2 arranged in the first layer, three wafers D2 arranged in the second and third layers respectively, and one wafer D2 arranged in the fourth layer. The exposed area of ​​the patterned area 11 is adjusted by resistive mask 900 (910A~910D, 920A~920B) so that the exposed area of ​​the patterned area 11 of the resistive body 10 matches the cross-shaped arrangement pattern of such wafers D2. In this example, mask 910A and mask 910B are on the inner side ( Figure 5 The inner contour 911-4) contacts, and the mask 910C and the mask 910D are on the inner side ( Figure 5 The inner contour 911-4) contacts the quadrilateral 11A, and the exposed area is minimal. In addition, the masking sheets 920A to 920B are arranged at wide intervals so as to expose the entire area of ​​the protruding part 11C.

[0068] exist Figure 6C In the figure, the wafer on the substrate Wf is represented by D3. The dimensions (X-axis and Y-axis dimensions) of wafer D3 are larger than the dimensions (X-axis and Y-axis dimensions) of wafer D2. In this figure, wafers D3 are arranged in three layers, with one wafer D3 arranged in each of the first to third layers. The arrangement pattern of wafers D3 is quadrilateral. The exposed area of ​​the patterned region 11 is adjusted using resistor masks 900 (910A-910B, 920A-920B) so that the exposed area of ​​the patterned region 11 of the resistor 10 matches the quadrilateral arrangement pattern of such wafer D3. In this example, in order to expose the entire area of ​​quadrilateral 11A, mask 910A and mask 910B are separated from each other, and mask 910C and mask 910D are separated from each other. In addition, mask 920A-920B are arranged with narrow intervals to cover the entire area of ​​the protruding portion 11C.

[0069] [Detailed structure of the resistor element and its shield]

[0070] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the resistor 10 according to one embodiment. Figure 8 This is a top view showing an example of the arrangement of the various shielding pieces of the resistive element shield (an example of a shielding pattern). Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of the various shielding plates of the resistive element shield. Figure 10A It is along Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the resistor element and resistor element shield of the XX line. Figure 10B It is along Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the resistor and its shield after the XX line has been cut. Figure 10C It is along Figure 9A three-dimensional view of the resistor and its shield after the XX line has been cut, taken from another angle.

[0071] As described above, the resistor 10 has a patterned region 11 with multiple holes (micro-holes) and a non-patterned region 12 without holes. The patterned region 11 is the area through which the plating solution passes, while the non-patterned region 12 is the area through which the plating solution does not pass. The patterned region 11 has a cross-shaped pattern formed by the overlapping of two quadrilaterals 11A and 11B, as described above, that is, a cross-shaped pattern including quadrilateral 11A and protruding portions (quadrilaterals) 11C protruding to both sides of quadrilateral 11A.

[0072] like Figures 10A to 10C As shown, the upper surface of the quadrilateral 11A portion protrudes a predetermined thickness T1 from the upper surface 10A of the resistor 10 (the upper surface 10A of the non-patterned region 12), and the lower surface of the quadrilateral 11A portion is coplanar (having the same surface) with the lower surface 10B of the resistor 10 (the lower surface 10B of the non-patterned region 12). Furthermore, as... Figures 10A to 10C As shown, the upper surface of the protruding portion 11C is coplanar (having the same surface) with the upper surface 10A of the resistor 10 (the upper surface 10A of the non-patterned region 12), and the lower surface of the protruding portion 11C has a thickness of a predetermined thickness T1 extending downward from the lower surface 10B of the resistor 10 (the lower surface 10B of the non-patterned region 12). As a result, the patterned region 11 has the same thickness throughout the region, resulting in a uniform ionic resistance value.

[0073] In this way, by offsetting the portions of quadrilateral 11A and quadrilateral 11B relative to each other in the vertical (thickness) direction, the first mask 910 (mask pieces 910A to 910D) and the second mask 920 (mask pieces 920A to 920B) can be overlapped (see reference). Figure 12 This allows for a reduction in the height of the structure comprised of the resistor 10 and the resistor shield 900.

[0074] In another embodiment, the patterned area 11 may also be flat throughout the entire area. In this case, in order to enable the first mask 910 (mask pieces 910A to 910D) and the second mask 920 (mask pieces 920A to 920B) to overlap, it is preferable to provide a gap between the resistive mask 900 (first mask 910, second mask 920) and the resistive element 10 (patterned area 11).

[0075] exist Figures 8-11In the example shown, each of the masking pieces 910A to 910D is positioned either with its inner contour 911-3 overlapping the Y-axis-extending side 11A-3 (side 11A-4) of quadrilateral 11A, or outside the side 11A-3 (side 11A-4), with the inner contour 911-4 positioned outside the pattern area 11. In this example, each of the masking pieces 910A to 910D moves along the Y-axis. Each of the masking pieces 910A to 910D is configured such that the inner contour 911-1 is used to adjust the Y-axis dimension of the masking area at each corner of quadrilateral 11A in the pattern area 11, and the inner contour 911-2 is used to adjust the X-axis dimension of the masking area at each corner of quadrilateral 11A in the pattern area 11, thereby adjusting the exposed area of ​​quadrilateral 11.

[0076] Additionally, the protruding portion 11C is adjusted using the inner contour 921 of the masking sheets 920A to 920B. Figure 4A The Y-axis dimension of the exposed area.

[0077] In this structure, the inner contours 911-3 and 911-4 do not contribute to the occlusion of the pattern area 11, and therefore the quadrilateral portion with the inner contours 911-3 and 911-4 as adjacent sides can also be omitted.

[0078] Figures 8-11 The state shown is one in which the resistive element shields 900 (shield plates 910A-910D, 920A-920B) maximally shield the patterned area 11 of the resistive element 10. Shield plates 910A and 910B are maximally close together along the Y-axis, with their inner contours 911-4 abutting against each other. Shield plates 910C and 910D are also maximally close together along the Y-axis, with their inner contours 911-4 abutting against each other. Furthermore, shield plates 920A-920B are separated (e.g., maximally separated) along the Y-axis, and the entire area of ​​the protruding portion 11C is shielded.

[0079] In this structure, by moving the masking sheets 910A to 910D along the Y-axis, the Y-axis dimension of the masked area at each corner of the quadrilateral 11A of the pattern area 11 based on the masking sheet can be adjusted using the inner contour 911-1, and the X-axis dimension of the masked area at each corner of the quadrilateral 11A of the pattern area 11 based on the masking sheet can be adjusted using the inner contour 911-2, thereby adjusting the exposed area of ​​the quadrilateral 11A.

[0080] By moving the masking plates 920A to 920B along the Y-axis, the size of the protruding portion 11C of the pattern area 11 in the Y-axis direction based on the masking area of ​​the masking plates can be adjusted using the inner contour 921, thereby adjusting the exposed area of ​​the protruding portion 11C. For example, by moving the masking plates 920A to 920B away from each other, a portion of the protruding portion 11C is exposed. Figure 6A , Figure 6B Furthermore, by moving the masking sheets 920A to 920B closer together, the Y-axis dimension of the exposed area of ​​the protruding portion 11C can be reduced.

[0081] As described above, the exposed areas of the quadrilateral 11A and the protruding portion 11C of the pattern area 11 can be adjusted independently.

[0082] like Figures 10A-10C and Figure 11 As shown, masking plates 910A to 910D are disposed above quadrilateral 11A of patterned region 11 with a predetermined gap. Additionally, masking plates 920A to 920B are disposed above the protrusion 11C (upper surface 10A of resistor 10) of patterned region 11 with a predetermined gap, and are disposed below masking plates 910A to 910D. The upper surfaces of masking plates 920A to 920B may also be substantially coplanar with the upper surface of quadrilateral 11A of patterned region 11. In this example, as... Figures 9-11 As shown, the inner contour 921 of the masking sheets 920A to 920B respectively connects to the two sides 11A1 and 11A-2 of the quadrilateral 11A of the patterned area 11 extending along the X-axis direction. Figure 4C ) abuts, in other words, abuts against the step between the part of quadrilateral 11A and the protrusion 11C.

[0083] Figure 12 This is a perspective view showing another configuration example (example of a masking pattern) of the masking sheets of the resistor mask. This configuration example (example of a masking pattern) shows the state where the patterned area 11 of the resistor 10 is not masked by the resistor mask 900, i.e., the maximum exposed state. This configuration example (example of a masking pattern) corresponds to the following state: from Figures 8-11 Starting with the arrangement of the masking plates 910A to 910D and 920A to 920B, the masking plates 910A and 910C are moved away from each other, and the masking plates 920A and 920B are moved away from each other, so that each masking plate is moved along the Y-axis to expose the entire area of ​​the patterned region 11 (quadrilateral 11A and protruding portion 11C) of the resistor 10.

[0084] In this example, the inner contours 911-1 to 911-4 of the masking plates 910A to 910D are located outside the corners of quadrilateral 11A, and the masking plates 910A to 910D do not mask the pattern area 11 (quadrilateral 11A). Additionally, the inner contour 921 of the masking plates 920A to 920B is located on the edge 11C-2 extending along the X-axis of the protruding portion 11C. Figure 4E The outer side of the mask 920A-920B (e.g., at the position immediately adjacent to the outer side of edge 11C-2) is the unmasked pattern area 11 (protruding portion 11C).

[0085] Furthermore, the aforementioned resistor mask 900 can also be configured such that each mask sheet 910A-910D, 920A-920B is fixed according to the wafer configuration pattern on the substrate Wf, and can also be configured such that the position of each mask sheet 910A-910D, 920A-920B can be moved or adjusted according to different wafer configuration patterns on the substrate Wf.

[0086] [Drive and control of resistive shield]

[0087] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the drive mechanism for the resistive element shield 900. For example... Figure 13 As shown, actuators 950A-950D and 960A-960B can be configured to drive each of the mask plates 910A-910D and 920A-920B. Actuators 950A-950D adjust the X-axis and Y-axis positions of the mask plates 910A-910D, and actuators 960A-960B adjust the Y-axis position of the mask plates 920A-920B. Actuators 950A-950D and 960A-960B can be known actuators such as motors, cylinders, or hydraulic cylinders. Actuators 950A-950D and 960A-960B can be controlled by the control module 800.

[0088] Furthermore, when the mask plates 910A to 910D are moved only in the Y-axis direction, the actuators 950A to 950D can be configured to have the function and structure to move the mask plates 910A to 910D only in the Y-axis direction.

[0089] When masking plates 910A to 910D move in the X-axis direction in addition to the Y-axis direction, the shape, size, and / or movement range of each masking plate 910A to 910D can be set such that only the inner contours 911-1 and 911-2 of each masking plate 910A to 910D overlap with the pattern area 11 (quadrilateral 11A). In masking plates 910A to 910D, the quadrilateral portion with inner contours 911-3 and 911-4 as adjacent edges can also be omitted.

[0090] Two or more of the shield plates 910A to 910D can also be moved synchronously via a common actuator. Additionally, shield plates 920A to 920B can also be moved synchronously via a common actuator. The mechanism for moving two or more shield plates can employ known power transmission or power distribution mechanisms based on gear, belt, rack and pinion, or similar connections.

[0091] The control module 800 can also acquire the wafer configuration pattern included in the substrate information of the set scheme, and automatically drive the actuators (actuators 950A-950D, 960A-960B) to adjust the position of each mask sheet of the resistor mask 900 according to the wafer configuration pattern. For example, this can be achieved by storing the program that performs the above processing in a memory accessible to the control module 800, such as the CPU, or in an external memory.

[0092] (Other implementation methods)

[0093] (1) In the above, an example is shown in which the resistor shield 900 is disposed directly above the resistor 10. However, the resistor shield 900 may also be disposed above the resistor 10 away from the resistor 10, or disposed below the resistor 10, either directly below or away from the resistor 10.

[0094] (2) In the above embodiment, the resistor shield 900 is disposed on one side of the resistor 10, but the first shield 910 (shield pieces 910A to 910D) and the second shield 920 (920A to 920B) can also be disposed on opposite sides, sandwiching the resistor 10. Alternatively, the shield pieces (shield pieces 910A to 910D, 920A to 920B) of the resistor shield 900 can be distributed in any combination on each side (upper surface 10A, lower surface 10B) of the resistor 10.

[0095] (3) In the above, the quadrilateral 11A portion of the pattern area 11 and the protruding portion 11C portion are offset from each other in the thickness direction, but the pattern area 11 can also be flat throughout the entire area.

[0096] (4) In the above, the resistive body shield 900 that shields the pattern area 11 of the resistive body 10 was used as an example for explanation, but the same shield as the resistive body shield 900 can also be made as an anode shield or an intermediate shield.

[0097] (5) In the above description, the case of a circular wafer with substrate Wf is used as an example, but the various embodiments disclosed in this specification can also be applied when the substrate Wf is a polygonal substrate or any other substrate.

[0098] The present invention can also be described in the following manner.

[0099] [1] According to one method, a resistive element mask is provided for a resistive element disposed between a substrate and an anode in a plating apparatus and having a cross-shaped patterned area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals, wherein the resistive element comprises: a first mask sheet to a fourth mask sheet disposed corresponding to each corner of one of the two quadrilaterals; and a fifth mask sheet and a sixth mask sheet disposed respectively with respect to a pair of protrusions extending outward from each of the two opposing sides of the quadrilateral.

[0100] Each of the protruding portions of a pair corresponds to a portion of another quadrilateral protruding from the aforementioned quadrilateral, and each has the shape of a quadrilateral. The two quadrilaterals and the protruding portions that overlap to form a cross-shaped pattern area are shapes used to illustrate the shape of the cross-shaped pattern area, and it is not mentioned that they are formed integrally or separately. In other words, the entire cross-shaped pattern area or any part thereof can be formed integrally or separately.

[0101] According to this method, by shielding any area of ​​the resistive element, the thickness of the plating film in areas where the electric field tends to concentrate on the substrate can be suppressed, thereby improving plating quality such as the in-plane uniformity of the plating film thickness on the substrate. In particular, this method is suitable for wafers with large wafers arranged in quadrilaterals, where the wafer configuration pattern tends to be cross-shaped or quadrilateral.

[0102] According to this method, by using different masks to mask each corner of a quadrilateral within the cross-shaped patterned area of ​​the resistor and a pair of protruding portions extending outward from each of the opposite sides of a quadrilateral, the patterned area of ​​the resistor can be precisely matched to the wafer configuration pattern of the substrate, and the non-patterned areas on the substrate can be precisely masked. That is, the non-patterned areas on the substrate can be precisely masked according to the shape of the wafer configuration pattern on the substrate. This improves plating quality, such as the in-plane uniformity of the plating thickness within the wafer.

[0103] Furthermore, the unpatterned areas on the substrate only need to be the unpatterned areas near the areas where the electric field is easily concentrated in the patterned areas on the substrate.

[0104] [2] According to one method, each of the first to fourth masking sheets has a first inner contour extending in a straight line along a first direction and a second inner contour extending in a straight line along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from one end of the first inner contour, the vertex of the intersection of the first inner contour and the second inner contour protruding toward the inside of the quadrilateral, and the fifth and sixth masking sheets respectively have a fifth inner contour and a sixth inner contour extending in a straight line along the first direction.

[0105] According to this method, the size of the masking area at each corner of the quadrilateral can be adjusted using the first and second inner contours of the first to fourth masking sheets. Furthermore, the size of the pair of protruding portions (quadrilaterals) in the second direction can be adjusted using the fifth and sixth inner contours of the fifth and sixth masking sheets. Therefore, non-patterned areas on the substrate can be masked with high precision according to the wafer configuration pattern on the substrate, improving plating quality such as in-plane uniformity of the plating film thickness within the wafer.

[0106] [3] According to one method, each of the first mask sheet to the fourth mask sheet further comprises: a third inner contour extending in a straight line along the second direction with one end of the other end of the first inner contour; and a fourth inner contour extending in a straight line along the first direction from the other end of the third inner contour.

[0107] According to this method, by arranging the first to fourth mask sheets in a manner that overlaps the third and fourth inner contours with the pattern area, the degree of freedom in adjusting the size of the pattern area of ​​the resistive element can be further improved.

[0108] [4] According to one embodiment, a plating apparatus is provided, comprising: a plating tank; an anode, disposed in the plating tank opposite to a substrate holder holding a substrate; a resistor disposed in the plating tank between the substrate holder and the anode, and having a cross-shaped patterned area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals; and a resistor mask as described in any of the embodiments above.

[0109] According to this method, a plating device can achieve the aforementioned effects.

[0110] [5] According to one embodiment, the resistor has a first surface on the substrate holder side and a second surface on the anode side, a quadrilateral portion in the patterned area protruding from the first surface by a predetermined thickness in the thickness direction of the resistor, a pair of protruding portions protruding from the second surface by the predetermined thickness in the thickness direction of the resistor, and the cross-shaped patterned area having the same thickness throughout the area.

[0111] According to this method, a uniform resistance value can be provided throughout the entire pattern area, and the heights of the first to fourth masking plates, configured relative to a quadrilateral pattern, and the fifth to sixth masking plates, configured relative to a pair of protruding portions, are varied to allow the first to fourth masking plates to overlap with the fifth to sixth masking plates. As a result, the overall height of the structure consisting of the resistive element mask and the resistive element can be suppressed.

[0112] [6] According to one method, the first to fourth masking sheets are disposed with a gap relative to the quadrilateral portion in the thickness direction of the resistor, and the fifth and sixth masking sheets are disposed with a gap between the pair of protrusions and the first to fourth masking sheets in the thickness direction of the resistor.

[0113] This method avoids interference between overlapping masking sheets, allowing them to move smoothly.

[0114] [7] In one manner, the first to sixth masking sheets are configured to be movable.

[0115] According to this method, the position of each mask sheet of the resistive element mask can be appropriately adjusted according to the wafer configuration pattern (non-patterned area on the substrate), and the non-patterned area on the substrate can be appropriately masked.

[0116] [8] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises: a first actuator for moving the first to fourth masking sheets in at least one of the first and second directions, for moving the first to fourth masking sheets independently or partially synchronously; and a second actuator for moving the fifth and sixth masking sheets in the second direction, for moving the fifth and sixth masking sheets independently or synchronously.

[0117] According to this method, the position of each masking piece of the resistive element mask can be quickly adjusted by an actuator based on the wafer configuration pattern (non-patterned areas on the substrate), thus appropriately masking the non-patterned areas on the substrate. According to this method, even if the wafer size changes, the position of each masking piece can be adjusted by an actuator, thereby reducing the operation time for replacing resistive elements and / or fixing the mask (resistive element mask that is not moved by an actuator), and enabling rapid response to new solutions.

[0118] [9] According to one embodiment, the device further includes a control device that drives the first actuator and the second actuator according to the configuration pattern of the wafers on the substrate to automatically adjust the positions of the first mask to the sixth mask.

[0119] According to this method, the position of each mask sheet of the resistive element mask can be automatically adjusted according to the wafer configuration pattern on the substrate (the non-patterned area on the substrate), which can reduce the operation time of replacing the resistive element and / or fixing the mask (the resistive element mask that is not moved by the actuator) and can quickly respond to new solutions.

[0120]

[10] According to one method, the first to sixth masking sheets are disposed on one of the two opposing surfaces of the resistor, or are disposed separately on each of the two surfaces of the resistor.

[0121] When viewed from above, each mask only needs to be able to properly cover the exposed area of ​​the patterned area of ​​the resistor, so it can be arranged on one or both sides of the resistor.

[0122]

[11] According to one method, a plating method is provided, comprising the steps of: preparing a resistor and a resistor mask, the resistor having a cross-shaped patterned area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals, the resistor mask having a first mask sheet to a fourth mask sheet disposed corresponding to each corner of one of the two quadrilaterals, and a fifth mask sheet and a sixth mask sheet disposed respectively with respect to a pair of protruding portions extending outward from each of the opposite sides of the one quadrilateral; adjusting the positions of the first mask sheet to the sixth mask sheet of the resistor mask according to the configuration pattern of the wafer on the substrate, thereby adjusting the exposed area of ​​the patterned area of ​​the resistor; and plating the substrate using the resistor and the adjusted resistor mask.

[0123] According to this method, the same effect as that described in [1] and [7] can be achieved.

[0124] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and the present invention naturally includes its equivalents. Furthermore, within the scope of solving at least a portion of the above-described problems or achieving at least a portion of the effects, any combination of embodiments and modifications is possible, and any combination or omission of the constituent elements described in the specification and the scope of protection claimed in this application is possible.

[0125] The entire disclosure, including the descriptions of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-59561 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Publication No. 7014553 (Patent Document 2), the scope of protection claimed in this application, the drawings and the abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0126] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0127] 10…Resistor; 10A…Upper surface; 10B…Lower surface; 11…Patterned area; 11A…Quadrilateral; 11B…Quadrilateral; 11C…Protruding part (quadrilateral); 12…Non-patterned area; 400…Plating module; 401…Plating tank; 403…Substrate holder; 404…Reservoir; 405…Pump; 406…Filter; 407…Circulation line; 408…Overflow tank; 409 …Power supply; 410…Anode; 411…Drive mechanism; 900…Resistor shield; 910…First shield; 910A~910D…Shielding sheet; 911-1~911-4…Inner contour; 920…Second shield; 921…Inner contour; 920A~920B…Shielding sheet; 950A~950D…Actuator; 960A~960B…Actuator; D1~D3…Chip.

Claims

1. A resistive element mask for use in a plating apparatus for a resistive element disposed between a substrate and an anode, having a cross-shaped patterned area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals, characterized in that, have: First to fourth masking plates are provided corresponding to the corners of one of the two quadrilaterals; and A fifth mask and a sixth mask are respectively provided relative to a pair of protruding portions extending outward from each of the two opposing sides of the quadrilateral.

2. The resistive element shield according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the first to fourth masking sheets has a first inner contour extending in a straight line along a first direction, and a second inner contour extending in a straight line from one end of the first inner contour along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The vertex where the first inner contour and the second inner contour intersect protrudes toward the inside of the quadrilateral. The fifth mask and the sixth mask each have a fifth inner contour and a sixth inner contour that extend in a straight line along the first direction.

3. The resistive element shield according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the first to fourth masking sheets further comprises: A third inner contour extending in a straight line along the second direction, with one end of the first inner contour as the other end; and A fourth inner contour extending in a straight line from the other end of the third inner contour along the first direction.

4. A plating apparatus, characterized in that, have: Plating tank; The anode is positioned opposite the substrate holder holding the substrate and disposed within the plating tank; The resistor is disposed in the plating tank between the substrate holder and the anode, and has a cross-shaped pattern area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals; as well as The resistive element shield according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The plating apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The resistor has a first surface on the substrate holder side and a second surface on the anode side. The quadrilateral portion in the patterned area protrudes a predetermined thickness from the first surface in the thickness direction of the resistive element, and the pair of protruding portions protrude the predetermined thickness from the second surface in the thickness direction of the resistive element, wherein the cross-shaped patterned area has the same thickness throughout the entire area.

6. The plating apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first to fourth masking plates are arranged with gaps relative to the quadrilateral portion in the thickness direction of the resistor. The fifth and sixth masking plates are spaced apart at a height between the pair of protrusions and the first to fourth masking plates in the thickness direction of the resistor.

7. The plating apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first to the sixth masking sheet are configured to be movable.

8. The plating apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also has: The first actuator is used to move the first to the fourth masking sheet in at least one of the first and second directions, and to move the first to the fourth masking sheet independently or partially synchronously. and The second actuator is used to move the fifth and sixth masking plates in the second direction, and to move the fifth and sixth masking plates independently or synchronously, respectively.

9. The plating apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a control device that drives the first actuator and the second actuator according to the configuration pattern of the wafers on the substrate, and automatically adjusts the positions of the first mask to the sixth mask.

10. The plating apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first to the sixth masking plates are disposed on one of the two opposing surfaces of the resistor, or are disposed separately on each of the two surfaces of the resistor.

11. A plating method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Prepare a resistor and a resistor shield. The resistor has a cross-shaped pattern area formed by two overlapping quadrilaterals. The resistor shield has a first to a fourth shield that are provided corresponding to each corner of one of the quadrilaterals, and a fifth and a sixth shield that are provided respectively with respect to a pair of protruding portions that extend outward from each of the two opposing sides of the quadrilateral. The positions of the first to sixth masking plates of the resistive element mask are adjusted according to the configuration pattern of the wafer on the substrate, thereby adjusting the exposed area of ​​the patterned region of the resistive element; and The substrate is plated using the resistor and the adjusted resistor mask.

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