US 11,697,888 B2
Methods of reducing or eliminating deposits after electrochemical plating in an electroplating processor
Eric J. Bergman, Kalispell, MT (US); Stuart Crane, Kalispell, MT (US); Tricia A. Youngbull, Whitefish, MT (US); and Timothy G. Stolt, Kalispell, MT (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on May 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/750,733.
Application 17/750,733 is a continuation of application No. 16/449,358, filed on Jun. 22, 2019, granted, now 11,371,159.
Prior Publication US 2022/0282394 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B08B 17/02 (2006.01); B08B 3/08 (2006.01); C25D 21/08 (2006.01)
CPC C25D 21/08 (2013.01) [B08B 3/08 (2013.01); B08B 17/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, the method comprising:
removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH;
contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate, wherein the rinse agent is an organic acid; and
removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.