Apparatus for Applying a Plating Solution for Electroless Deposition

Abstract

An electroless plating chamber is provided. The electroless plating chamber includes a chuck configured to support a substrate and a bowl surrounding a base and a sidewall of the chuck. The base has an annular channel defined along an inner diameter of the base. The chamber includes a drain connected to the annular channel. The drain is capable of removing fluid collected from the chuck. A proximity head capable of cleaning and substantially drying the substrate is included in the chamber. A method for performing an electroless plating operation is also provided.

1 . A method for performing an electroless plating operation within a single chamber, comprising method operations of;
 depositing a plating solution onto a surface of a substrate, the substrate resting on a chuck;   plating a layer onto the surface of the substrate;   rinsing a top surface of the substrate to remove the plating solution; and   drying the top surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operation of rinsing and drying a top surface of the substrate includes rotating the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operation of rinsing a top surface of the substrate to remove the plating solution includes,
 collecting fluid draining from the top surface of the substrate into a bowl surrounding the chuck.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operation of plating a layer onto the surface of the substrate includes,
 depositing an electroless copper plating solution consisting essentially of an aqueous copper salt component, an aqueous cobalt salt component, a polyamine-based complexing agent, a chemical brightener component, and a pH-modifying substance in an amount sufficient to make the electroless copper plating solution have a pH of less than about 8.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operation of plating a layer onto the surface of the substrate includes,
 depositing an electroless cobalt plating solution onto the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the electroless cobalt plating solution is selected from a group consisting of CoWB, CoWP, or CoWBP. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 evacuating a chamber in which the electroless plating operation occurs;   pulsing an inert gas into the chamber;   repeating the evacuating and the pulsing to remove any non-inert gases from the chamber prior to depositing the plating solution.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the electroless copper plating solution includes a halide component. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the halide component is selected from a group consisting of potassium bromide, lithium chloride, potassium iodide, chlorine fluoride, ammonium chloride, ammonium bromide, ammonium fluoride and ammonium iodide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  where the environment within the single chamber is substantially oxygen free.