Current Monitoring for Plating

Abstract

Various implementations of a method include receiving a measurement of an electrical current provided to a component undergoing electroplating, analyzing the current measurement, and adjusting the current based at least on the analyzing. The receiving, analyzing, and adjusting may be performed on a substantially continuous ongoing basis throughout the electroplating, and/or without interrupting the electroplating. In various implementations, the method includes measuring a current through a neck portion of a hangar to which the component is affixed. The adjusting may regulate the current based on a variety of conditions and target factors. Various implementations of a system include a connector and a current sensor. The connector electrically and mechanically couples a plating target to a current bus during an electroplating operation. The sensor monitors a current supplied to the plating target throughout a substantial portion of the electroplating operation.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a current measurement, wherein the current measurement represents a current provided to a component, while the component undergoes electroplating;   analyzing the current measurement; and   adjusting the current based at least on the analyzing the current measurement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving, the analyzing the current measurement, and the adjusting are performed without interrupting the electroplating. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
 coupling the semiconductor substrate to a hanger element;   hanging the hanger element on a supply line;   immersing at least a portion of the semiconductor substrate into an electrolyte solution; and   providing the current from the supply line, via the hanger element, to the semiconductor substrate.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the coupling the component to the hanger element comprises:
 mounting the component on a jig; and   mounting the jig on the hanger element.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting the current measurement from the hanger element to a data collection unit, wherein the current measurement is based at least on a Hall-effect measurement of a current flow through a current-throttled region of the hanger element.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
 changing a magnitude of the current to reduce large variations in the magnitude of the current over a time segment of the electroplating.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
 maintaining a magnitude of the current within a predetermined amperage range.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
 maintaining a magnitude of the current within a predetermined profile, wherein the predetermined profile is tailored to promote a substantially uniform plating thickness on the component.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined profile comprises time-dependent parameters that vary over a time span of the electroplating. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electroplating comprises one or more of:
 a copper plating procedure; or   a tin plating procedure.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 substantially simultaneously with the receiving the current measurement,
 receiving a second current measurement, wherein the second current measurement represents a second current provided to a second component, while the second component undergoes electroplating; and 
   analyzing the second current measurement, wherein the adjusting the current is further based on the analyzing the second current measurement.   
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a connector, configured to electrically and mechanically couple a plating target to a current bus during an electroplating operation; and   a current sensor mounted on the connector, wherein
 the current sensor is configured to make measurements representative of a current supplied to the plating target throughout a substantial portion of the electroplating operation. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the current sensor is configured to make the measurements representative of the current supplied to the plating target substantially continuously during at least 25% of a time duration of the electroplating operation. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a transmitter coupled to the current sensor and configured to transmit a value indicative of the current supplied to the plating target.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the transmitter is a wireless transmitter;   the plating target comprises a semiconductor wafer;   the connector comprises a hanger configured to detachably couple to the current bus;   the connector comprises a jig configured to detachably couple to the hanger and configured to hold the semiconductor wafer in an electrolyte solution during the electroplating operation; and   the current sensor is mounted on a neck portion of the hangar.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a feedback control unit configured to
 receive the measurements representative of the current supplied to the plating target, and 
 adjust a current provided to the current bus, based at least upon the measurements representative of the current supplied to the plating target. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a feedback control unit configured to adjust a current provided to the current bus, based at least upon
 the measurements representative of the current supplied to the plating target; and 
 additional measurements representative of currents supplied to additional plating targets. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a feedback control unit configured to adjust a current provided to a plurality of plating targets, based at least upon
 the measurements representative of the current supplied to the plating target. 
   
     
     
         20 . A control system comprising:
 an input configured to receive measurement data indicative of at least one current supplied to an element undergoing an electroplating operation;   a memory comprising reference data representing target current ranges for the electroplating operation; and   a processor configured to perform a comparison of the measurement data to the reference data and to adjust an electrical supply unit based at least on the comparison.   
     
     
         21 . The control system of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to adjust the electrical supply unit based at least on a history of the measurement data during the electroplating operation.