Planarization of substrates using electrochemical mechanical polishing

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for planarizing a material layer on a substrate. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including forming a passivation layer on a substrate surface, polishing the substrate in an electrolyte solution, applying an anodic bias to the substrate surface, and removing material from at least a portion of the substrate surface. In another aspect, an apparatus is provided which includes a partial enclosure, polishing article, a cathode, a power source, a substrate carrier movably disposed above the polishing article, and a computer based controller to position a substrate in an electrolyte solution to form a passivation layer on a substrate surface, to polish the substrate in the electrolyte solution with the polishing article, and to apply an anodic bias to the substrate surface or polishing article to remove material from at least a portion of the substrate surface.

1 . An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising: 
 a partial enclosure defining a processing region and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;    an cathode disposed in the partial enclosure;    polishing article disposed in the partial enclosure;    a substrate carrier movably disposed above the polishing article, the substrate carrier having a substrate mounting surface;    a power source coupled through the partial enclosure to a substrate or to the polishing article disposed therein; and    a computer based controller configured to cause the apparatus to position a substrate in an electrolyte solution to form a passivation layer on a substrate surface, to polish the substrate in the electrolyte solution with the polishing article, and to apply an anodic bias to the substrate surface or polishing article to remove material from at least a portion of the substrate surface.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a ring vertically disposed in the partial enclosure.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a ring horizontally disposed in the partial enclosure.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing article is a polishing pad, a linear web or belt of polishing material, or one or more rollers of polishing article.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more rollers of polishing article are disposed in series to polish a horizontally or vertically disposed substrate.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the polishing article is conductive.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the conductive polishing article comprises conductive elements or materials embedded or formed in polyurethane, wherein the conductive elements are electrically connected to one another and contact a substrate surface when a substrate is in contact with the polishing article.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts disposed about the perimeter of the substrate receiving surface.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer based controller is configured to apply a time varying anodic potential to the substrate surface.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer based controller is configured to apply a voltage between about 0.1 volts and about 15 volts to the substrate surface or polishing article.  
   
   
       11 . An electrochemical deposition system, comprising: 
 a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot;    a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe;    one or more electrochemical processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe;    one or more polishing platens disposed in connection with the mainframe;    an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrochemical processing cells; and    one or more polishing fluid supplies connected to the one or more polishing platens.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a system controller for controlling an electrochemical deposition process, an electrochemical removal process, a polishing process, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station disposed between the loading station and the mainframe.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a thermal anneal chamber disposed in connection with the loading station.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the electrochemical processing cell comprises: 
 a partial enclosure defining a processing region and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;    an cathode disposed in the partial enclosure;    polishing article disposed in the partial enclosure;    a substrate carrier movably disposed above the polishing article, the substrate carrier having a substrate mounting surface;    a power source coupled through the partial enclosure to a substrate or to the polishing article disposed therein; and    a computer based controller configured to cause the apparatus to position a substrate in an electrolyte solution to form a passivation layer on a substrate surface, to polish the substrate in the electrolyte solution with the polishing article, and to apply an anodic bias to the substrate surface or polishing article to remove material from at least a portion of the substrate surface.