US 12,392,047 B2
Byproduct removal from electroplating solutions
Joseph Richardson, Sherwood, OR (US); Jae Shin, Beaverton, OR (US); Jeyavel Velmurugan, Portland, OR (US); Elizabeth Calora, Beaverton, OR (US); Thomas Anand Ponnuswamy, Sherwood, OR (US); and Steven T. Mayer, Aurora, OR (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/596,929
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 23, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/039083
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/263795, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/868,744, filed on Jun. 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307152 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. C25D 7/12 (2006.01); C25D 3/38 (2006.01); C25D 5/56 (2006.01)
CPC C25D 7/12 (2013.01) [C25D 3/38 (2013.01); C25D 5/56 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electroplating system comprising:
an electroplating cell configured to contain an anode and an electroplating solution;
a wafer holder configured to support a wafer within the electroplating cell;
a reservoir configured to contain at least a portion of the electroplating solution;
a recirculation flowpath that fluidically connects the reservoir and the electroplating cell, wherein the recirculation flowpath includes a pump and is configured to circulate the electroplating solution between the reservoir and the electroplating cell;
a frother fluidically connected to one or more of: the electroplating cell, the reservoir, and the recirculation flowpath; and
a container fluidically connected to one or more of: the electroplating cell, the reservoir, or the recirculation flowpath, and configured to receive and hold a first volume of the electroplating solution, wherein:
the frother is configured to:
generate bubbles in the electroplating solution in the container when the electroplating solution is present in the container, interfaced with the frother, and the frother is activated, and
generate a foam in the container which traps a byproduct of electroplating, the container has:
a foam exit port configured to allow the foam in the container to exit the container through the foam exit port, and
a fluid outlet lower in elevation than the foam exit port, and
the electroplating system is configured to remove the foam with the byproduct trapped therein from the electroplating system through the foam exit port in an unaided manner, and
the foam is configured to flow out of the container with the assistance of gravity and/or a pressure of the foam in the container.