Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 an electroplating bath accommodating an electroplating solution, the electroplating bath includes a membrane dividing the electroplating bath into an anode region and a cathode region, an anode electrode is arranged in the anode region and a reverse potential electrode is arranged adjacent to the membrane in the cathode region;   a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer to be immersed in the cathode region of the electroplating bath and configured to receive a first cathode potential when an electroplating process is performed on the wafer;   the reverse potential electrode is configured to receive a second cathode potential when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and is configured to receive a reverse cathode potential when a rinsing process is performed on the wafer; and   a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential to the contact ring, apply the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and apply an anode potential to the anode electrode when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode and apply a reverse anode potential to the anode electrode when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer.   
     
     
         2 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane includes an ion-selective membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reverse potential electrode has a ring shape and is spaced apart from an inner wall of the electroplating bath. 
     
     
         4 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reverse potential electrode is arranged to surround the wafer in a plan view. 
     
     
         5 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply unit includes a first power supply, a second power supply, and a power supply controller,
 wherein, when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the first cathode potential to the contact ring and applies the anode potential to the anode electrode, and the second power supply of the power supply unit applies the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and   wherein, when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the reverse anode potential to the anode electrode and applies the reverse cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode.   
     
     
         6 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first cathode potential and the second cathode potential are negative potentials, the anode potential is a positive potential, the reverse anode potential is a negative potential, and the reverse cathode potential is a positive potential. 
     
     
         7 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an electroplating process unit and a rinsing process unit,
 wherein the electroplating process unit includes the electroplating bath, the head unit, the reverse potential electrode, and the power supply unit.   
     
     
         8 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer after the wafer is removed from the electroplating bath, the reverse potential electrode is configured to receive the reverse cathode potential and the contact ring is configured to receive a reference potential that is a positive potential. 
     
     
         9 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 an electroplating bath accommodating an electroplating solution, the electroplating bath includes a membrane dividing the electroplating bath into an anode region and a cathode region, an anode electrode is arranged in the anode region and a reverse potential electrode is arranged adjacent to the membrane in the cathode region;   a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer to be immersed in the cathode region of the electroplating bath and configured to receive a first cathode potential that is a negative potential when an electroplating process is performed on the wafer;   the reverse potential electrode is configured to receive a second cathode potential that is a negative potential when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and is configured to receive a reverse cathode potential that is a positive potential when a rinsing process is performed on the wafer; and   a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential to the contact ring, apply the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and apply an anode potential that is a positive potential to the anode electrode when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential is a positive potential to the reverse potential electrode and apply a reverse anode potential that is a negative potential to the anode electrode when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer.   
     
     
         10 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the membrane includes an ion-selective membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the reverse potential electrode has a ring shape and is spaced apart from an inner wall of the electroplating bath, and the reverse potential electrode is arranged to surround the wafer in a plan view. 
     
     
         12 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the power supply unit includes a first power supply, a second power supply, and a power supply controller,
 wherein, when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the first cathode potential to the contact ring and applies the anode potential to the anode electrode, and the second power supply of the power supply unit applies the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and   wherein, when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the reverse anode potential to the anode electrode and applies the reverse cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode.   
     
     
         13 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an electroplating process unit and a rinsing process unit,
 wherein the electroplating process unit includes the electroplating bath, the head unit, the reverse potential electrode, and the power supply unit.   
     
     
         14 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer after the wafer is removed from the electroplating bath, the reverse potential electrode is configured to receive the reverse cathode potential and the contact ring is configured to receive a reference potential that is a positive potential. 
     
     
         15 . An electroplating apparatus comprising:
 an electroplating bath accommodating an electroplating solution, the electroplating bath includes a membrane dividing the electroplating bath into an anode region and a cathode region, an anode electrode is arranged in the anode region and a reverse potential electrode is arranged adjacent to the membrane in the cathode region;   a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer to be immersed in the cathode region of the electroplating bath and configured to receive a first cathode potential that is a negative potential when an electroplating process is performed on the wafer;   the reverse potential electrode is configured to receive a second cathode potential that is a negative potential when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and is configured to receive a reverse cathode potential that is a positive potential when a rinsing process is performed on the wafer while the wafer is removed from the electroplating bath; and   a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential to the contact ring, apply the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and apply an anode potential that is a positive potential to the anode electrode when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential is a positive potential to the reverse potential electrode and apply a reverse anode potential that is a negative potential to the anode electrode when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer.   
     
     
         16 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the membrane includes an ion-selective membrane. 
     
     
         17 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the reverse potential electrode has a ring shape and is spaced apart from an inner wall of the electroplating bath. 
     
     
         18 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the reverse potential electrode is arranged to surround the wafer in a plan view. 
     
     
         19 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the power supply unit includes a first power supply, a second power supply, and a power supply controller,
 wherein, when the electroplating process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the first cathode potential to the contact ring and applies the anode potential to the anode electrode, and the second power supply of the power supply unit applies the second cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode, and   wherein, when the rinsing process is performed on the wafer, the first power supply of the power supply unit applies the reverse anode potential to the anode electrode and applies the reverse cathode potential to the reverse potential electrode.   
     
     
         20 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an electroplating process unit and a rinsing process unit,
 wherein the electroplating process unit includes the electroplating bath, the head unit, the reverse potential electrode, and the power supply unit.