Described herein are apparatus and methods for the continuous application of nanolaminated materials by electrodeposition.

Described herein are apparatus and methods for the continuous application of nanolaminated materials by electrodeposition.

An electrochemical device comprises a fluidic cell having an internal volume able to be filled with a fluid and at least one first and one second electrode making contact with the internal volume, wherein at least the first electrode comprises a thin layer made of a conductive material that is optically absorbent at at least one wavelength in the visible, near-infrared or near-ultraviolet spectrum, the thin layer being arranged on or in an internal surface of a wall of the fluidic cell which is at least partially transparent to said wavelength . An electrochemical apparatus comprises such an electrochemical device and an optical microscope arranged to illuminate the first electrode through the wall at at least said wavelength and also to observe it through the wall.

The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. In many cases the material is a metal and the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, though the embodiments are no so limited. Typically, the embodiments herein utilize a channeled plate positioned near the substrate, creating a cross flow manifold defined on the bottom by the channeled plate, on the top by the substrate, and on the sides by a cross flow confinement ring. During plating, fluid enters the cross flow manifold both upward through the channels in the channeled plate, and laterally through a cross flow side inlet positioned on one side of the cross flow confinement ring. The flow paths combine in the cross flow manifold and exit at the cross flow exit, which is positioned opposite the cross flow inlet. These combined flow paths result in improved plating uniformity.

A liquid storage device includes a tank body including multiple working cycle drain ports for supplying solution to multiple work chambers and a thermal cycle liquid injection port for introducing heated solution into the tank body. The working cycle drain ports are located on opposing side walls of the tank body. A side wall connecting the two side walls has the thermal cycle liquid injection port positioned near or at the middle of the length of the side wall. The liquid storage device further includes a guide element located inside the tank body. The guide element is connected to the thermal cycle liquid injection port, allowing the solution entering from the thermal cycle liquid injection port to flow through the guide element into the tank body and toward each of the working cycle drain ports.

A liquid storage device includes a tank body including multiple working cycle drain ports for supplying solution to multiple work chambers and a thermal cycle liquid injection port for introducing heated solution into the tank body. The working cycle drain ports are located on opposing side walls of the tank body. A side wall connecting the two side walls has the thermal cycle liquid injection port positioned near or at the middle of the length of the side wall. The liquid storage device further includes a guide element located inside the tank body. The guide element is connected to the thermal cycle liquid injection port, allowing the solution entering from the thermal cycle liquid injection port to flow through the guide element into the tank body and toward each of the working cycle drain ports.

An electrochemical-deposition apparatus that includes a printhead, an electric-power supply circuit, a controller. The controller is configured to sequentially direct the electric-power supply circuit to establish a first electric current through an electrolytic solution, an initial electrode, and at least one of a plurality of individually addressable transitional electrodes of the printhead, direct the electric-power supply circuit to terminate the first electric current, and direct the electric-power supply circuit to either establish a second electric current through the electrolytic solution, at least the one of the plurality of individually addressable transitional electrodes, and a target electrode, or establish a third electric current through a second electrolytic solution, at least the one of the plurality of individually addressable transitional electrodes, and the target electrode.

Disclosed in the present invention is a method for cleaning an electroplating device. When the electroplating device is cleaned, a partition is used for replacing an ionic membrane framework to separate a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, such that the cathode chamber and the anode chamber are independently cleaned. After an electroplating chamber is cleaned, an exhaust pipe is used for emptying the cleaning solution remaining in the anode chamber and in the liquid inlet channel arranged in a sidewall of the anode chamber, such that no cleaning solution remains after the electroplating chamber is cleaned, thereby eliminating the effect of the residual cleaning solution on the ionic concentration ratio of an electroplating solution in electroplating solution preparation procedures.

There is provided a method of adjusting a plating module, wherein the plating module comprises a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, an anode placed to be opposed to the substrate holder, and a plate placed between the substrate holder and the anode to serve as an ionically resistive element. The method comprises: providing a plating module of initial setting, which is initially set in such a state that a porosity in an outer circumferential portion of the plate is adjusted to reduce a plating film thickness in an outer circumferential portion of the substrate to be smaller than a film thickness in another portion; and adjusting a distance between the substrate holder and the plate so as to flatten a distribution of plating film thickness of the entire substrate by adjustment of the distance between the substrate holder and the plate such as to increase a film thickness in the outer circumferential portion of the substrate according to a film thickness distribution of the substrate that is plated in the plating module.

The embodiments herein relate to apparatuses and methods for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. Embodiments herein utilize a cross flow conduit in the electroplating cell to divert flow of fluid from a region between a substrate and a channeled ionically resistive plate positioned near the substrate down to a level lower than level of fluid in a fluid containment unit for collecting overflow fluid from the plating system for recirculation. The cross flow conduit can include channels cut into components of the plating cell to allow diverted flow, or can include an attachable diversion device mountable to an existing plating cell to divert flow downwards to the fluid containment unit. Embodiments also include a flow restrictor which may be a plate or a pressure relief valve for modulating flow of fluid in the cross flow conduit during plating.