An electrochemical deposition system for depositing metal onto a workpiece, comprises a deposition chamber adapted to receive plating solution, a workpiece holder for holding a workpiece in a first plane, a shield holder for holding a shield in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, an agitation plate having a profiled surface to agitate plating solution, wherein the workpiece holder, shield holder and agitation plate are all adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, and further comprising an actuator operable to change a relative distance between the workpiece holder and shield holder, in a direction normal to the first and second planes, while they are located within the deposition chamber.

An electrochemical deposition system for depositing metal onto a workpiece, comprises a deposition chamber adapted to receive plating solution, a workpiece holder for holding a workpiece in a first plane, a shield holder for holding a shield in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, an agitation plate having a profiled surface to agitate plating solution, wherein the workpiece holder, shield holder and agitation plate are all adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, and further comprising an actuator operable to change a relative distance between the workpiece holder and shield holder, in a direction normal to the first and second planes, while they are located within the deposition chamber.

The plating machine 1 comprises a plurality of treatment units 14 and a conveying means 13 that conveys a wafer W to the plurality of treatment units 14, wherein the conveying means 13 includes an arm 31 that is provided, on one end side, with a plating tool 32 that holds the wafer W, and an arm rotation drive unit 33 that rotates the arm 31 around another end side of the arm 31, and the plurality of treatment units 14 is arranged at predetermined intervals on a rotation trajectory of the plating tool 32.

The plating machine 1 comprises a plurality of treatment units 14 and a conveying means 13 that conveys a wafer W to the plurality of treatment units 14, wherein the conveying means 13 includes an arm 31 that is provided, on one end side, with a plating tool 32 that holds the wafer W, and an arm rotation drive unit 33 that rotates the arm 31 around another end side of the arm 31, and the plurality of treatment units 14 is arranged at predetermined intervals on a rotation trajectory of the plating tool 32.

In one example, an electroplating apparatus is provided for electroplating a wafer. The electroplating apparatus comprises a wafer holder for holding a wafer during an electroplating operation and a plating cell configured to contain an electrolyte during the electroplating operation. An anode chamber is disposed within the plating cell, and a charge plate is disposed within the anode chamber. An anode is positioned above the charge plate within the anode chamber. In some examples, the anode chamber is a membrane-less anode chamber.

An apparatus and method for plating magnetic cores by periodically transferring a plate directly back and forth between a metal plating environment and an insulation deposit environment. This direct metal to insulation to metal plating is enabled by a nano-scale insulation layer that provides an imperfect coverage of the metal layer while still keeping sufficient insulation to prevent eddy current formation—even during high-frequency current applications. Therefore, this invention enables the practical creation of magnetic cores having layers with widths even under one nanometer and can generate cores having a layer scale that can be varied to suit a variety of uses in the microelectronic industry.

An electroplating apparatus includes: an electroplating bath including an anode region, in which an anode electrode is arranged, a cathode region and a membrane; a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer and configured so that a first cathode potential is applied to the contact ring during an electroplating process; a reverse potential electrode arranged adjacent to the membrane and configured so that a second cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during the electroplating process, and a reverse cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during a rinsing process, and a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential and the second cathode potential during the electroplating process, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential and a reverse anode potential to the anode electrode during the rinsing process.

A method for performing an electrochemical plating (ECP) process includes contacting a surface of a substrate with a plating solution comprising ions of a metal to be deposited, electroplating the metal on the surface of the substrate, in situ monitoring a plating current flowing through the plating solution between an anode and the substrate immersed in the plating solution as the ECP process continues, and adjusting a composition of the plating solution in response to the plating current being below a critical plating current such that voids formed in a subset of conductive lines having a highest line-end density among a plurality of conductive lines for a metallization layer over the substrate are prevented.

A method for performing an electrochemical plating (ECP) process includes contacting a surface of a substrate with a plating solution comprising ions of a metal to be deposited, electroplating the metal on the surface of the substrate, in situ monitoring a plating current flowing through the plating solution between an anode and the substrate immersed in the plating solution as the ECP process continues, and adjusting a composition of the plating solution in response to the plating current being below a critical plating current such that voids formed in a subset of conductive lines having a highest line-end density among a plurality of conductive lines for a metallization layer over the substrate are prevented.

A hydrogen evolution assisted electroplating nozzle includes a nozzle tip configured to interface with a portion of a substructure. The nozzle also includes an inner coaxial tube connected to a reservoir containing an electrolyte and an anode, the inner coaxial tube configured to dispense the electrolyte through the nozzle tip onto the portion of the substructure. The nozzle also includes an outer coaxial tube encompassing the inner coaxial tube, the outer coaxial tube configured to extract the electrolyte from the portion of the substructure. The nozzle also includes at least one contact pin configured to make electrical contact with a conductive track on the substrate.