Wafer electroplating device and integrated wafer electroplating method

Through the integrated design of wafer plating device, the integrated plating chamber and working medium switching flow path is solved, and the problem of low transfer efficiency between wafer plating equipment in the prior art is achieved, and an efficient and low-cost electroplating process is achieved.

WO2025091632A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-05-08XIAMEN UNIV

Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2023/137820
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-11-03
Filing Date
2023-12-11
Publication Date
2025-05-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing wafer plating technology, multiple transfers are required between pre-processing, electroplating and post-processing equipment, resulting in low production efficiency, poor manufacturing reliability and large equipment space, which increases manufacturing costs.

Method used

Design an integrated wafer plating device, integrate the plating chamber and the working medium switching flow path, and realize the continuous process of vacuum immersion, plating and cleaning by switching valves and liquid pumps, avoiding multiple transfers of wafers between different equipment.

Benefits of technology

The continuous process of vacuum impregnation, electroplating and cleaning is realized, which improves production efficiency, reduces equipment footprint, reduces manufacturing costs, and improves manufacturing reliability.

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Abstract

A wafer electroplating device, comprising an integrated electroplating chamber and a working medium switching flow path, wherein the integrated electroplating chamber is provided with a reaction cavity and a placement groove configured to place a wafer therein, an alignment hole in communication with the reaction cavity is provided at the groove bottom of the placement groove, and the integrated electroplating chamber further comprises a chamber liquid inlet and a chamber liquid outlet, which are in communication with the reaction cavity; and the working medium switching flow path can switch working mediums acting on the reaction cavity, so as to allow access to a vacuum pump to perform vacuumizing, access to an infiltration liquid to perform infiltration, access to a plating liquid to perform electroplating and access to a cleaning liquid to perform cleaning. The wafer electroplating device integrates three chambers, i.e., a vacuum infiltration chamber, an electroplating chamber and a cleaning chamber, such that the wafer electroplating device occupies a small space and is high in terms of efficiency and low in terms of manufacturing cost, thereby overcoming the defects of a traditional discrete wafer electroplating device occupying a large space and being low in terms of efficiency and high in terms of manufacturing cost. Further disclosed in the present application is an integrated wafer electroplating method, which also has the above technical effects.
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Description

Wafer electroplating device and integrated wafer electroplating method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 3, 2023, with application number 202311458613.5 and invention name “A wafer electroplating device and integrated wafer electroplating method”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of wafer preparation technology, and more specifically, to a wafer electroplating device and an integrated wafer electroplating method. Background Art

[0003] Wafer electroplating involves three key processes: pre-treatment, plating, and post-treatment. Pre-treatment wafer wetting is crucial for ensuring that all areas of the wafer to be plated are fully exposed to the plating solution during plating, preventing the formation of a coating due to bubbles adsorbed onto the wafer. Vacuum pre-wetting removes air from the plating holes on the wafer under negative pressure, allowing the wetting solution to enter the holes smoothly.

[0004] Post-processing involves cleaning residual plating solution components from the wafer coating. For copper layers, rapid and effective cleaning prevents oxidation, which can reduce wafer electroplating yield, increase defects, and increase wafer-level electroplating process costs.

[0005] Conventional wafer electroplating methods in traditional technology require the installation of a wafer vacuum impregnation device and a cleaning device separate from the electroplating chamber. The wafer first enters the wafer vacuum impregnation device for pre-treatment. After vacuum impregnation, it needs to be transferred to the electroplating chamber for electroplating. After electroplating is completed, it needs to be transferred again to the cleaning device for cleaning. The wafer processing steps are many, the manufacturing reliability is low, and the transfer of each device involves multiple disassembly and assembly of the wafer from the wafer fixture, resulting in low production efficiency. In addition, multiple separate chambers occupy more equipment space, and the cost also increases accordingly.

[0006] In summary, how to effectively solve the problem of low production efficiency caused by the need to transfer wafer electroplating between pre-processing equipment, electroplating equipment and post-processing equipment is a problem that technical personnel in this field need to solve.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a wafer electroplating device and an integrated wafer electroplating method, which effectively solve the problem of low production efficiency caused by the need to transfer wafer electroplating between pre-processing equipment, electroplating equipment and post-processing equipment.

[0009] According to various embodiments of the present application, the present application provides:

[0010] A wafer electroplating device, comprising:

[0011] An integrated electroplating chamber having a sealably connected reaction chamber and a placement slot for accommodating wafers, wherein the bottom of the placement slot is provided with an alignment hole communicating with the reaction chamber, and the integrated electroplating chamber further comprises a chamber liquid inlet and a chamber liquid outlet communicating with the reaction chamber;

[0012] A working medium switching flow path is used to transport the working medium to the integrated electroplating chamber; the working medium includes an immersion liquid, a plating liquid and a cleaning liquid; the working medium switching flow path includes a first switching valve, a second switching valve, a first liquid pump and a second liquid pump, the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the first liquid pump, the second interface of the first switching valve is used to access the immersion liquid, the third interface of the first switching valve is used to access the plating liquid, the fourth interface of the first switching valve is used to access the cleaning liquid, and the first interface of the first switching valve can be switched with the second interface of the first switching valve, the third interface of the first switching valve or the fourth interface of the first switching valve The first liquid pump is used to drive the working medium from the first interface of the first switching valve into the reaction chamber or to flow back from the reaction chamber to the first interface of the first switching valve; the second liquid pump is connected between the chamber liquid inlet and the first liquid pump, and is used to drive the working medium from the chamber liquid inlet into the reaction chamber; the first interface of the second switching valve is used to communicate with the vacuum pump, the second interface of the second switching valve is connected with the first liquid pump, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected with the chamber liquid outlet, and the third interface of the second switching valve can be switched and connected with the first interface of the second switching valve or the second interface of the second switching valve.

[0013] The details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are presented in the following drawings and descriptions. The wafer electroplating device provided by the present application is provided with an integrated electroplating chamber and a working medium switching flow path. The working medium switching flow path can switch the working medium acting on the reaction chamber, such as connecting a vacuum pump for vacuuming, connecting an immersion liquid for infiltration, connecting a plating solution for electroplating, and connecting a cleaning solution for cleaning. And in the above-mentioned electroplating process, the wafer does not need to be transferred after being loaded, that is, the wafer does not need to be transferred during the vacuum infiltration, electroplating, and cleaning processes. In summary, the wafer electroplating device provided by the present application integrates three chambers of vacuum infiltration, electroplating, and cleaning into one, occupies a small space, has high efficiency, and has low manufacturing cost, which improves the shortcomings of traditional discrete wafer electroplating devices, such as large space occupation, low efficiency, and high manufacturing cost. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

[0014] According to various embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides an integrated wafer electroplating method, using any of the above-mentioned wafer electroplating devices, including:

[0015] During the vacuuming stage, the first interface of the second switching valve is connected to the third interface of the second switching valve, and the vacuum pump is turned on to evacuate the reaction chamber to a specified pressure;

[0016] During the pre-infiltration stage, the vacuum pump is turned off, the third port of the second switching valve is connected to the second port of the second switching valve, and the second port of the first switching valve is connected to the infiltration liquid to enter the reaction chamber. After the infiltration is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump drive the infiltration liquid in reverse directions to reflux;

[0017] During the electroplating stage, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve, and the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve. The first liquid pump pumps the plating solution connected to the third interface of the first switching valve into the reaction chamber. The second liquid pump drives the plating solution to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet, the reaction chamber, and the chamber liquid outlet. After the electroplating is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump drive the plating solution to reflux in reverse.

[0018] During the cleaning stage, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve, the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve, the first liquid pump pumps the cleaning liquid connected to the fourth interface of the first switching valve into the reaction chamber, and the second liquid pump drives the cleaning liquid to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet, the reaction chamber and the chamber liquid outlet. After cleaning is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump reversely drive the cleaning liquid to reflux.

[0019] Since the above-mentioned wafer electroplating device has the above-mentioned technical effects, the integrated wafer electroplating method having the wafer electroplating device should also have corresponding technical effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the conventional technology, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the conventional technology descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer electroplating device provided in the present application;

[0022] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of another wafer electroplating device provided by the present application;

[0023] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of another wafer electroplating device provided by the present application;

[0024] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of an integrated electroplating chamber provided by the present application;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of an integrated electroplating chamber provided by the present application;

[0026] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a mounting slot provided in the present application;

[0027] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a cathode mainboard and wafer assembly provided by the present application;

[0028] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a reaction chamber provided in the present application.

[0029] The following are marked in the figure: integrated electroplating chamber 100, working medium switching flow path 200, wafer 300; reaction chamber 101, placement groove 102, alignment hole 103, chamber liquid outlet 104, chamber liquid inlet 105, vacuum adsorption opening 106, mounting groove 107, sealing ring 108, anode main board 110, cathode main board 120, flexible chamber 130, anode cover 140, cathode cover 150, screw cover body 151, wafer carrier back plate 152, external thread 153, internal thread 121, conductive ring 160, conductive block 170, conductive column 180, pressure sensor 190; First switching valve 201, second switching valve 202, first liquid pump 203, second liquid pump 204, vacuum pump 205, immersion liquid container 206, plating liquid container 207, cleaning liquid container 208, first two-way valve 209, second two-way valve 210, third two-way valve 211, first filter device 212, second filter device 213, intermediate liquid storage tank 214, one-way valve 215, temperature control device 216, fourth two-way valve 217, PID pneumatic control valve 218, retention bottle 219, vacuum pressure gauge 220, PID control valve 221, flow meter 222; wafer body 301, conductive layer 302. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The embodiments of the present application disclose a wafer electroplating device and an integrated wafer electroplating method to improve wafer electroplating efficiency.

[0031] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] This application's intensive design enables vacuum infiltration pre-treatment, plating, and post-cleaning within a single, sealed, flow-operated reaction chamber, resulting in a compact footprint, high process efficiency, and low manufacturing costs. The plating chamber features a unique sealed plating tank structure and wafer-fixing components, enabling wafer infiltration under vacuum and controlled switching of working media through the plating system.

[0033] Please refer to FIG1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer electroplating device according to a specific embodiment of the present application.

[0034] In a specific embodiment, the wafer electroplating device provided by the present application includes an integrated electroplating chamber 100 and a working medium switching flow path 200. Among them, the integrated electroplating chamber 100 has a reaction chamber 101 that can be sealed and connected and a placement groove 102 for placing the wafer 300, and the bottom of the placement groove 102 is provided with an alignment hole 103 connected to the reaction chamber 101, and the integrated electroplating chamber 100 also includes a chamber liquid inlet 105 and a chamber liquid outlet 104 connected to the reaction chamber 101. It can be understood that when the wafer 300 is installed, the side to be electroplated is placed facing the bottom of the placement groove 102 and is sealed with the placement groove 102, the area to be electroplated is exposed by the alignment hole 103, and the alignment hole 103 and part of the reaction chamber 101 are isolated from the space on the side of the groove of the placement groove 102 due to the sealing of the wafer 300 and the placement groove 102. Wafer 300 specifically includes a wafer body 301 and a conductive layer 302 disposed on the surface of wafer body 301. The chamber liquid inlet 105 and chamber liquid outlet 104 are each connected to the reaction chamber 101. Their specific locations can be set as needed and are not specifically limited here. It is understood that to facilitate the circulation of the working medium within the reaction chamber 101, the chamber liquid inlet 105 and chamber liquid outlet 104 are positioned as far apart as possible, such as at opposite ends of the reaction chamber 101.

[0035] The working medium switching flow path 200 is used to transmit the working medium to the integrated electroplating chamber 100, wherein the working medium includes an immersion liquid, a plating liquid, and a cleaning liquid. The working medium switching flow path 200 includes a first switching valve 201, a second switching valve 202, a first liquid pump 203, and a second liquid pump 204. The first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the first liquid pump 203, the second interface of the first switching valve 201 is used to receive the immersion liquid, the third interface of the first switching valve 201 is used to receive the plating liquid, and the fourth interface of the first switching valve 201 is used to receive the cleaning liquid. The first interface of the first switching valve 201 can be switched to communicate with the second interface of the first switching valve 201, the third interface of the first switching valve 201, or the fourth interface of the first switching valve 201. The first liquid pump 203 is used to drive the working medium from the first interface of the first switching valve 201 into the reaction chamber 101 or from the reaction chamber 101 back to the first interface of the first switching valve 201. The second liquid pump 204 is connected between the chamber liquid inlet 105 and the first liquid pump 203, for driving the working medium to enter the reaction chamber 101 through the chamber liquid inlet 105. And the second liquid pump 204 is connected between the chamber liquid outlet 104 and the chamber liquid inlet 105, and can drive the working medium to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101 and the chamber liquid outlet 104. That is, a circulation loop is formed between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101, the chamber liquid outlet 104 and the second liquid pump 204, and the working medium can circulate in the circulation loop under the action of the second liquid pump 204. It is understandable that the working medium can be the immersion liquid connected by the first interface of the first switching valve 201, or the plating solution connected by the second interface of the first switching valve 201, or the tilting liquid connected by the third interface of the first switching valve 201. The first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 are both bidirectional pumps. The first port of the second switching valve 202 is used to communicate with the vacuum pump 205, the second port of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the first liquid pump 203, and the third port of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the chamber liquid outlet 104. The third port of the second switching valve 202 can be switched to communicate with the first port of the second switching valve 202 or the second port of the second switching valve 202. The working medium flow path can be specifically provided on the electroplating machine to facilitate operation by relevant personnel, thereby achieving efficient connection between electroplating and post-processing cleaning of the wafer 300.

[0036] When the wafer electroplating device provided in the present application is used for electroplating treatment, vacuum is first drawn, the first interface of the second switching valve 202 and the third interface of the second switching valve 202 are connected, and the vacuum pump 205 is turned on to evacuate the reaction chamber 101 until the vacuum pressure reaches the specified pressure; then pre-infiltration is performed, the vacuum pump 205 is closed, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 and the second interface of the first switching valve 201 are connected, and the infiltration liquid connected by the second interface of the first switching valve 201 enters the reaction chamber 101. After the infiltration is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 reversely drive the infiltration liquid to reflux; then electroplating is performed, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected, and the first interface of the first switching valve 201 and the third interface of the first switching valve 201 are connected The first liquid pump 203 pumps the plating liquid connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201 to the reaction chamber 101, and the second liquid pump 204 drives the plating liquid to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101 and the chamber liquid outlet 104. After the electroplating is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 reversely drive the plating liquid to reflux; finally, cleaning is performed, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201, the first liquid pump 203 pumps the cleaning liquid connected to the fourth interface of the first switching valve 201 to the reaction chamber 101, and the second liquid pump 204 drives the cleaning liquid to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101 and the chamber liquid outlet 104. After the cleaning is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 reversely drive the cleaning liquid to reflux.

[0037] In summary, the wafer electroplating device can switch the working medium acting on the reaction chamber 101 through the working medium switching flow path 200, such as connecting the vacuum pump 205 for vacuuming, connecting the infiltration liquid for infiltration, connecting the plating liquid for electroplating, and connecting the cleaning liquid for cleaning. And in the above-mentioned electroplating process, the wafer 300 does not need to be transferred after being loaded, that is, the wafer 300 does not need to be transferred during the vacuum infiltration, electroplating, and cleaning processes. The wafer electroplating device integrates three chambers of vacuum infiltration, electroplating, and cleaning into one, with a small footprint, high efficiency, and low manufacturing cost, which improves the shortcomings of traditional discrete wafer electroplating devices, such as large footprint, low efficiency, and high manufacturing cost.

[0038] Specifically, the wafer electroplating device includes an immersion liquid container 206, a plating liquid container 207, and a cleaning liquid container 208. The first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the immersion liquid container 206, the second interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the plating liquid container 207, and the third interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the cleaning liquid container 208. The first liquid pump 203 can pump the immersion liquid in the immersion liquid container 206, the plating liquid in the plating liquid container 207, or the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid container 208 into the reaction chamber 101, or the reaction chamber 101 can pump the working medium back to the corresponding container. In other embodiments, the immersion liquid container 206, the plating liquid container 207, and the cleaning liquid container 208 can also be omitted. In this case, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 can be connected to the immersion liquid source, the plating liquid source, and the cleaning liquid source respectively.

[0039] In some embodiments, a first two-way valve 209 is provided between the third interface of the second switching valve 202 and the chamber liquid outlet 104, and a second two-way valve 210 is provided between the chamber liquid inlet 105 and the second liquid pump 204. The first two-way valve 209 can control the on-off connection between the third interface of the second switching valve 202 and the chamber liquid outlet 104, while the second two-way valve 210 can control the on-off connection between the chamber liquid inlet 105 and the second liquid pump 204, thereby facilitating different channel control at different stages of electroplating.

[0040] In some embodiments, a third two-way valve 211 is provided between the second interface of the second switching valve 202 and the second liquid pump 204. The third two-way valve 211 can control the on-off between the second interface of the second switching valve 202 and the second liquid pump 204, so as to perform different channel control at different stages of electroplating.

[0041] In some embodiments, a first filter device 212 is provided between the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204. The working medium input through the first port of the first switching valve 201 is filtered by the first filter device 212 before entering the reaction chamber 101. The first filter device 212 filters particulate matter and unwanted organic matter from the working medium, ensuring the performance of the working medium. In other embodiments, if the input working medium itself can meet the working requirements, the first filter device 212 may not be provided.

[0042] In some embodiments, a second filter device 213 is provided between the second liquid pump 204 and the second interface of the second switching valve 202. When the second liquid pump 204 drives the working medium to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101, and the chamber liquid outlet 104, the working medium flows through the second filter device 213 and is further filtered by the second filter device 213, thereby improving the performance stability of the working medium during the process of circulating and acting on the wafer 300.

[0043] In some embodiments, an intermediate liquid storage tank 214 is provided between the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204. A one-way valve 215 is provided between the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 and the first liquid pump 203 to allow the working medium to flow from the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 to the first liquid pump 203. The intermediate liquid storage tank 214 can serve as a temporary storage for the working medium, ensuring that the amount of working medium circulating in the reaction chamber 101 meets the corresponding processing requirements. For example, when the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201, the first liquid pump 203 can pump the plating solution from the third interface of the first switching valve 201 into the intermediate liquid storage tank 214. Subsequently, when the second liquid pump 204 is activated, the plating solution in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 can be pumped into the reaction chamber 101, where it circulates between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101, and the chamber liquid outlet 104 for electroplating. After the electroplating is completed, the second liquid pump 204 reversely pumps the plating liquid from the reaction chamber 101 back to the intermediate liquid storage tank 214, adjusts the first interface and the third interface of the first switching valve 201 to be connected, starts the first liquid pump 203 reversely pumps the plating liquid in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 back to the first interface through the one-way valve 215, and finally pumps it back to the plating liquid container 207 or the plating liquid source for recovery.

[0044] In some embodiments, referring to FIG2 , a temperature control device 216 is further included for heating the working medium in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 for temperature control. The structure of the temperature control device 216 can adopt conventional settings in traditional technology and will not be described in detail here. By providing the temperature control device 216, the working medium in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214, such as the plating solution, can be heated to the process temperature required for the work, further improving the wafer electroplating effect. The temperature control device 216 can specifically be a constant temperature heating device. In the case where there is no requirement for the temperature of the working medium, or an external working medium is used to reach the process temperature, the temperature control device 216 may not be provided.

[0045] In some embodiments, the integrated electroplating chamber 100 is provided with a vacuum adsorption opening 106, which is connected to the placement tank 102. The second switching valve 202 also includes a fourth port connected to the vacuum adsorption opening 106, and the first port of the second switching valve 202 is switched and connected to the fourth port of the second switching valve 202. By providing the vacuum adsorption opening 106, during vacuum adsorption, the first port of the second switching valve 202, the fourth port of the second switching valve 202, and the third port of the second switching valve 202 are all connected, and the reaction chamber 101 and the placement tank 102 are evacuated by the vacuum pump 205.

[0046] In some embodiments, the vacuum adsorption opening 106 and the reaction chamber 101 are located on both sides of the wafer 300. It is understood that when the wafer 300 is mounted in the placement tank 102, the vacuum adsorption opening 106 and the reaction chamber 101 are located on both sides of the wafer 300, with the side of the wafer 300 facing the reaction chamber 101 to be electroplated. During vacuum adsorption, the first interface of the second switching valve 202 and the fourth interface of the second switching valve 202 and the third interface of the second switching valve 202 are both connected. Then, under the action of the vacuum pump 205, the reaction chamber 101 and the placement tank 102 cavity are evacuated. Both the front and back sides of the wafer 300 can be connected to the vacuum pump 205, and the air pressure on both sides is balanced to prevent deformation of the wafer 300 due to the air pressure difference when only one side of the wafer 300 is evacuated and the other side is exposed to the atmosphere. In other embodiments, the vacuum adsorption opening 106 can also be opened on opposite sides of the integrated electroplating chamber 100.

[0047] In some embodiments, referring to FIG3 , a fourth two-way valve 217 is provided between the fourth port of the second switching valve 202 and the vacuum adsorption opening 106. The fourth two-way valve 217 can control the on / off connection between the fourth port of the second switching valve 202 and the vacuum adsorption opening 106, thereby facilitating different channel control at different stages of electroplating.

[0048] In some embodiments, a PID pneumatic control valve 218 is further provided between the vacuum pump 205 and the first interface of the second switching valve 202 to adjust the flow rate of the pumped gas. In some embodiments, a retention bottle 219 is further provided between the vacuum pump 205 and the first interface of the second switching valve 202 to perform a gas-liquid separation function, ensuring that the gas is pumped away by the vacuum pump 205 while the liquid is retained by the retention bottle 219. In some embodiments, a vacuum pressure gauge 220 is further provided between the vacuum pump 205 and the first interface of the second switching valve 202 to detect the vacuum pressure.

[0049] In some embodiments, a PID control valve 221 is further provided between the second liquid pump 204 and the chamber liquid outlet 104 to control the flow rate of the working medium in the circulation loop. In some embodiments, a flow meter 222 is further provided between the second liquid pump 204 and the chamber liquid outlet 104 to detect the flow rate of the working medium in the circulation loop.

[0050] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 6, the integrated electroplating chamber 100 includes an electroplating body and a cover. The electroplating body includes a placement groove 102 and a reaction chamber 101 that are stacked and connected. The bottom of the placement groove 102 is provided with a mounting groove 107 on the surface facing the wafer 300. A sealing ring 108 is provided in the mounting groove 107. The sealing ring 108 is dispersed at multiple points around the alignment hole or arranged in a full circle. The electroplating body is provided with a chamber liquid inlet 105 and a chamber liquid outlet 104 that are connected to the reaction chamber 101; the cover is detachably and sealedly connected to the electroplating body, and is used to seal the wafer 300 in the placement groove 102. It can be understood that the electroplating body and the cover are split structures and are connected in a detachable manner to facilitate the placement and removal of the wafer 300. By arranging a sealing ring 108 at the bottom of the placement groove 102, when the wafer 300 is placed in the placement groove 102 and the cover body is sealed and connected to the electroplating body, the wafer 300 is pressed against the sealing ring 108, thereby forming a reliable seal to prevent the working medium of the reaction chamber 101 from affecting the other side of the wafer 300. The integrated electroplating chamber 100 is arranged as above, with a simple structure and small space occupation. In other embodiments, a socket can also be provided on the electroplating body for inserting the wafer 300. In the case where a vacuum adsorption opening 106 is provided, the vacuum adsorption opening 106 is correspondingly opened in the cover body and communicated with the placement groove 102.

[0051] In some embodiments, the cover and the electroplating body are locked together by a threaded structure. For example, an external thread 153 is provided on the cover, and a corresponding internal thread 121 is provided on the electroplating body. The threaded connection is easy to operate and can achieve an effective seal.

[0052] In some embodiments, the cover body includes a screw cap body 151 and a crystal receiving back plate 152. The screw cap body 151 is used for threaded connection of the electroplated main body, and the crystal receiving back plate 152 is pressed between the placement groove 102 and the screw cap body 151. The crystal receiving back plate 152 is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the wafer 300.

[0053] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5 , the width of the alignment hole 103 gradually increases along the direction from the wafer 300 to the reaction chamber 101 . The alignment hole 103 adopts the above-mentioned shape to define the reaction area and improve the fluid flow pattern.

[0054] In some embodiments, the alignment hole 103 is a wedge-shaped structure, which is formed by processing the chamber frame. In other embodiments, the opening of a specific shape can also be integrated with the forming part or assembled.

[0055] In some embodiments, the longitudinal thickness of the sealing ring 108 is greater than the longitudinal depth of the mounting groove 107 , so as to ensure a reliable seal when the cover seals the wafer 300 in the placement groove 102 .

[0056] In some embodiments, referring to FIG6 , the lateral width of the mounting groove 107 is smaller than the maximum lateral width of the sealing ring 108. The mounting groove 107 is designed in a horseshoe shape. Once installed in the mounting groove 107, the sealing ring 108 will not fall out of the mounting groove 107 during installation and removal of the wafer 300, thus preventing the seal from becoming loose during repeated use.

[0057] In some embodiments, referring to FIG7 , a conductive ring 160 is provided at the bottom of the placement tank 102 for contacting the wafer 300 to evenly distribute the charge of the conductive layer 302 on the surface of the wafer 300. A conductive block 170 is provided on the electroplating body in contact with the conductive ring 160. The conductive block 170 is connected to a conductive column 180. The conductive column 180 is used to connect to the negative electrode of the power supply, thereby connecting the wafer 300 to the negative electrode. An anode connected to the positive electrode of the power supply is provided in the reaction chamber 101. The anode is in contact with the plating solution to achieve electroplating. The specific principles of electroplating the wafer 300 can be referred to conventional technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0058] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 , a pressure sensor 190 is disposed at the bottom of the placement groove 102, proximal to the wafer 300. Along the direction of movement of the wafer 300 within the placement groove 102, the orthographic projection of the wafer 300's periphery on the bottom of the placement groove 102 at least partially overlaps with the pressure sensor 190. Specifically, the pressure sensor 190 can be a thin, annular pressure sensor. By providing the pressure sensor 190 to detect the pressure at the bottom of the placement groove 102, the sealing and pressing condition of the wafer 300 and the chamber body can be monitored.

[0059] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4 , the electroplating body includes an anode main plate 110, a reaction chamber 101, and a cathode main plate 120, which are stacked and sealed. The cathode main plate 120 is provided with a placement slot 102. The anode main plate 110 is used to mount the anode, and both the anode main plate 110 and the cathode main plate 120 are provided with a chamber liquid inlet 105 and a chamber liquid outlet 104. The cover includes an anode cover 140 and a cathode cover 150, which cooperate with the anode main plate 110 and the cathode main plate 120, respectively. The connection relationship between the chamber liquid inlet 105 and the chamber liquid outlet 104 of the anode main plate 110 and the cathode main plate 120 and the working medium switching flow path 200 is the same. For details, please refer to the above embodiments and will not be repeated here. Specifically, the two chamber liquid inlets 105 of the electroplating body are arranged opposite each other, and the two chamber liquid outlets 104 of the electroplating body are arranged opposite each other. The electroplating body and the cover adopt the above-mentioned arrangement, which has a simple structure and can form two flow channels connecting the reaction chamber 101, which is conducive to improving electroplating efficiency.

[0060] In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 101 is made of a flexible material, or a flexible seal is provided between the reaction chamber 101 and the anode main board 110 and the cathode main board 120. Specifically, the flexible material is a silicone ring. For example, two flexible cavities 130 are provided between the anode main board 110 and the cathode main board 120 to enclose the reaction chamber 101. Please refer to Figure 8. The hollow portion of the flexible cavity 130 encloses the reaction chamber 101. Specifically, a fixing hole 131 can be provided on the flexible cavity 130 to be fixedly connected to the anode main board 110 and / or the cathode main board 120 by screws or the like. Specifically, the inner diameter width of the reaction chamber 101 is slightly larger than the alignment hole 103, and the depth is about 1-30 mm, preferably 5 to 10 mm.

[0061] In some embodiments, an overpressure warning and overpressure relief device is provided in the reaction chamber 101 to enhance safety.

[0062] The valves in the above embodiments of the present application can specifically be electrically controlled valves to facilitate efficient control, i.e., automatic control.

[0063] Based on the wafer electroplating apparatus provided in the above embodiments, the present application further provides an integrated wafer electroplating method. The integrated wafer electroplating method adopts any one of the wafer electroplating apparatuses in the above embodiments, and the integrated wafer electroplating method includes:

[0064] During the vacuuming stage, the first interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the third interface of the second switching valve 202, and the vacuum pump 205 is turned on to evacuate the reaction chamber 101 to a specified pressure;

[0065] During the pre-infiltration stage, the vacuum pump 205 is turned off, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve 202, and the infiltration liquid connected to the second interface of the first switching valve 201 enters the reaction chamber 101. After the infiltration is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 drive the infiltration liquid in reverse directions to reflux;

[0066] During the electroplating stage, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve 202, and the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201. The first liquid pump 203 pumps the plating solution connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201 into the reaction chamber 101, and the second liquid pump 204 drives the plating solution to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101, and the chamber liquid outlet 104. After the electroplating is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 drive the plating solution in reverse directions to reflux;

[0067] During the cleaning stage, the third interface of the second switching valve 202 is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve 202, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201, the first liquid pump 203 pumps the cleaning liquid connected to the fourth interface of the first switching valve 201 to the reaction chamber 101, and the second liquid pump 204 drives the cleaning liquid to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet 105, the reaction chamber 101 and the chamber liquid outlet 104. After cleaning is completed, the first liquid pump 203 and the second liquid pump 204 reversely drive the cleaning liquid to reflux.

[0068] Since the integrated wafer electroplating method adopts the wafer electroplating device in the above embodiment, please refer to the above embodiment for the beneficial effects of the integrated wafer electroplating method.

[0069] In some embodiments, the wafer electroplating apparatus is configured as shown in FIG1 , and the corresponding integrated wafer electroplating method includes the following steps:

[0070] S21: Pre-liquid filling stage, the first interface and the second interface in the first switching valve 201 are controlled to be connected, and the infiltration liquid is transported to the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 through the first liquid pump 203 and the first filtering device 212; then one of the first two-way valves 209 and one of the second two-way valves 210 are opened, and the third two-way valve 211 is opened, and the remaining one of the first two-way valves 209 and the remaining one of the second two-way valves 210 are closed. Specifically, the first two-way valve 209 connected to the chamber liquid inlet 105 on the cathode main board 120 is opened, and the first two-way valve 209 connected to the chamber liquid inlet 105 on the anode main body is closed. At the same time, the second two-way valve 210 connected to the chamber liquid outlet 104 on the anode main board 110 is opened, and the second two-way valve 210 connected to the chamber liquid outlet 104 on the cathode main board 120 is closed, and the second interface and the third interface of the second switching valve 202 are connected to ensure that when the first liquid pump 203 is opened, the pipeline system has a smooth path to prevent excessive hydraulic pressure in the system from causing liquid explosion. The second liquid pump 204 delivers a small amount of liquid from the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 to the reaction chamber 101 , and then adjusts the flow direction of the second liquid pump 204 and the PID control valve 221 to allow the infiltration liquid to flow back to the front of the first two-way valve 209 , so that this part of the pipeline is filled with infiltration liquid.

[0071] S22: In the vacuuming stage, the first interface of the electrically controlled second switching valve 202 is regulated to be connected with the third interface of the second switching valve 202 and the fourth interface of the second switching valve 202 at the same time, the two first two-way valves 209 are opened, the two second two-way valves 210 are closed, the PID pneumatic regulating valve 218 is opened, and under the action of the vacuum pump 205, the reaction chamber 101 is vacuumed until the vacuum pressure gauge 220 reaches the specified pressure.

[0072] S23: In the pre-wetting stage, the first two-way valve 209 is closed and the second two-way valve 210 is opened. The liquid in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 enters the reaction chamber 101 under the negative pressure of the chamber, so that the liquid can penetrate the surface of the wafer 300 including the micropores on the surface of the wafer 300 (such as the blind holes of TSV). After pre-wetting, the second liquid pump 204 is started to pump the immersion liquid in the reverse direction from the reaction chamber 101 back to the intermediate liquid storage tank 214, and then the first interface of the first switching valve 201 and the second interface of the first switching valve 201 are regulated to be connected, the first liquid pump 203 is started and the one-way valve 215 is opened, and the immersion liquid in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 returns to the original immersion liquid container 206.

[0073] S24: During the electroplating stage, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is switched to be connected to the third interface of the first switching valve 201, the first liquid pump 203 is started, and the plating solution is pumped into the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 through the first filtering device 212. The constant temperature heating device 216 is started to heat the plating solution to the required process temperature. The first interface of the second switching valve 202 is switched to be connected to the third interface of the second switching valve 202, the two first two-way valves 209 are opened, the two second two-way valves 210 are closed, and the air extraction volume of the pneumatic regulating valve is adjusted to control the vacuum pressure to the process value. The vacuum time is controlled so that the residual infiltration liquid inside the reaction chamber 101 and the pipeline system is cleaned under vacuum pressure.

[0074] The second interface of the second switching valve 202 is regulated to be connected with the third interface of the second switching valve 202, the two first two-way valves 209, the two second two-way valves 210 and the third two-way valve 211 are opened, the second liquid pump 204 is started, and the plating solution is pumped into the reaction chamber 101 in the positive direction for cyclic electroplating, and the upper liquid flow rate is regulated by controlling the PID control valve 221.

[0075] After the electroplating is completed, the second liquid pump 204 is started to pump the plating solution from the reaction chamber 101 back to the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 in the reverse direction. The first port of the first switching valve 201 is connected to the third port of the first switching valve 201, and the one-way valve 215 is opened. The first liquid pump 203 is started to return the plating solution in the intermediate liquid storage tank 214 to the plating solution container 207.

[0076] S25: During the cleaning phase, the first interface of the first switching valve 201 is regulated to be connected to the fourth interface of the first switching valve 201, the pneumatic first liquid pump 203 is used to load the cleaning liquid into the intermediate liquid storage tank 214, the temperature of the constant temperature heating device 216 is regulated to the cleaning design process temperature, the two first two-way valves 209, the two second two-way valves 210 and the third two-way valve 211 are opened, the second liquid pump 204 is started, the cleaning liquid is circulated and cleaned, and the flow rate of the cleaning liquid is controlled by the PID control valve 221. After cleaning is completed, the second liquid pump 204 is regulated to pump the liquid in the reverse direction to return the cleaning liquid to the intermediate liquid storage tank 214, and the first liquid pump 203 and the one-way valve 215 are started again to pump the cleaning liquid back to the corresponding container.

[0077] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0078] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A wafer electroplating device, characterized in that: include: An integrated electroplating chamber, comprising a reaction chamber that can be sealed and connected and a placement slot configured to place a wafer, wherein the bottom of the placement slot is provided with an alignment hole communicating with the reaction chamber, and the integrated electroplating chamber further comprises a chamber liquid inlet and a chamber liquid outlet communicating with the reaction chamber; A working medium switching flow path is used to deliver working medium to the integrated electroplating chamber, wherein the working medium includes an immersion liquid, a plating liquid, and a cleaning liquid; The working medium switching flow path includes a first switching valve, a second switching valve, a first liquid pump and a second liquid pump, the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the first liquid pump, the second interface of the first switching valve is configured to access the immersion liquid, the third interface of the first switching valve is configured to access the plating liquid, and the fourth interface of the first switching valve is configured to access the cleaning liquid, and the first interface of the first switching valve can be switched and connected with the second interface of the first switching valve, the third interface of the first switching valve or the fourth interface of the first switching valve, and the first liquid pump is configured to drive the working medium to enter the reaction chamber from the first interface of the first switching valve or to flow back from the reaction chamber to the first interface of the first switching valve; The second liquid pump is connected between the chamber liquid inlet and the first liquid pump, and is configured to drive the working medium into the reaction chamber through the chamber liquid inlet; the first interface of the second switching valve is configured to be connected to a vacuum pump, the second interface of the second switching valve is connected to the first liquid pump, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the chamber liquid outlet, and the third interface of the second switching valve can be switched and connected to the first interface of the second switching valve or the second interface of the second switching valve.

2. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first two-way valve is provided between the third interface of the second switching valve and the liquid outlet of the chamber, and a second two-way valve is provided between the liquid inlet of the chamber and the second liquid pump; A third two-way valve is provided between the second interface of the second switching valve and the second liquid pump.

3. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first filtering device is provided between the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump; And / or, a second filtering device is provided between the second liquid pump and the second interface of the second switching valve.

4. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An intermediate liquid storage tank is provided between the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump, and a one-way valve is provided between the intermediate liquid storage tank and the first liquid pump to allow the working medium to flow from the intermediate liquid storage tank to the first liquid pump.

5. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a temperature control and regulation device, which is configured to perform temperature control and regulation on the working medium in the intermediate liquid storage tank.

6. The wafer electroplating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The integrated electroplating chamber is provided with a vacuum adsorption opening, which is connected to the placement groove. The second switching valve also includes a fourth interface connected to the vacuum adsorption opening. The first interface of the second switching valve is switched and connected to the fourth interface of the second switching valve.

7. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A fourth two-way valve is provided between the fourth interface of the second switching valve and the vacuum adsorption opening.

8. The wafer electroplating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The integrated electroplating chamber comprises: The electroplating body comprises the stacked and through-set placement groove and the reaction chamber, the bottom of the placement groove is provided with a mounting groove on the surface facing the wafer, a sealing ring is provided in the mounting groove, the sealing ring is dispersedly arranged at multiple points around the alignment hole or arranged in a whole circle, and the electroplating body is provided with the chamber liquid inlet and the chamber liquid outlet which are connected with the reaction chamber; The cover body is detachably and hermetically connected to the electroplating body, and is configured to seal the wafer in the placement groove; preferably, the cover body is locked and connected to the electroplating body via a threaded structure.

9. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The longitudinal thickness of the sealing ring is greater than the longitudinal depth of the mounting groove, and / or the transverse width of the notch of the mounting groove is less than the maximum transverse width of the sealing ring.

10. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: Along the direction from the wafer to the reaction chamber, the diameter width of the alignment hole gradually increases.

11. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is provided at the bottom of the placement groove near the wafer. Along the moving direction of the wafer in the placement groove, the orthographic projection of the periphery of the wafer on the groove bottom at least partially overlaps with the pressure sensor.

12. The wafer electroplating device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The electroplating body includes an anode main board, a reaction chamber and a cathode main board which are stacked and sealed, the cathode main board is provided with the placement groove, the anode main board is configured to install the anode, and the anode main board and the cathode main board are both provided with the chamber liquid inlet and the chamber liquid outlet, the cover body includes an anode cover body and a cathode cover body which respectively cooperate with the anode main board and the cathode main board; preferably, the reaction chamber is made of flexible material, or a flexible seal is arranged between the reaction chamber and the anode main board and the cathode main board.

13. An integrated wafer electroplating method, characterized in that: A wafer electroplating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising: In the vacuuming stage, the first interface of the second switching valve is connected to the third interface of the second switching valve, and the vacuum pump is turned on to evacuate the reaction chamber to a specified pressure; In the pre-infiltration stage, the vacuum pump is turned off, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve, and the second interface of the first switching valve is connected to the infiltration liquid to enter the reaction chamber. After the infiltration is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump reversely drive the infiltration liquid to reflux; During the electroplating stage, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve, the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve, the first liquid pump pumps the plating solution connected to the third interface of the first switching valve to the reaction chamber, the second liquid pump drives the plating solution to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet, the reaction chamber and the chamber liquid outlet, and after the electroplating is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump reversely drive the plating solution to reflux; During the cleaning stage, the third interface of the second switching valve is connected to the second interface of the second switching valve, the first interface of the first switching valve is connected to the third interface of the first switching valve, the first liquid pump pumps the cleaning liquid connected to the fourth interface of the first switching valve to the reaction chamber, the second liquid pump drives the cleaning liquid to circulate between the chamber liquid inlet, the reaction chamber and the chamber liquid outlet, and after cleaning is completed, the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump reversely drive the cleaning liquid to reflux.

Citation Information

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