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  Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the sameUSPTO Application #: 20060207875Title: Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same Abstract: Provided are an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating method using the electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating bath, an anode, a cathode, and a conductor. An electroplating solution is supplied into the electroplating bath. An electroplating solution entrance and an electroplating solution exit are formed in the electroplating bath. The anode is installed inside the electroplating bath. The cathode is spaced a predetermined gap apart from and opposite to the anode. A layer that is to electroplated is installed on the cathode. The conductor is installed between the anode and the cathode. (end of abstract) Agent: Mills & Onello LLP - Boston, MA, US Inventors: Hyo-jong Lee, Sun-jung Kim USPTO Applicaton #: 20060207875 - Class: 204275100 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical And Wave Energy, Apparatus, Electrolytic, Cells, With Feeding And/or Withdrawal Means The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060207875. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0018795 filed on Mar. 7, 2005 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating method using the same, and more particularly, to an electroplating apparatus and an electroplating method using the same, in which a metal layer is formed on the surface of a layer that is to be electroplated. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Recently, metal interconnections using copper (Cu) having low electric resistance and acceptable electromigration characteristics in place of conventional aluminum (Al) have been introduced in semiconductor fabrication technology. [0006] Copper has increasingly become a metal of choice in metal interconnection due to its several advantages such as secured electric conductivity, acceptable signal characteristic, low manufacturing cost and good electromigration characteristics, compared to conventionally used aluminum. Unlike aluminum, however, copper is hard to dry-etch. Accordingly, a new type of pattern forming method, called a damascene process, is used with copper. In the damascene process, interconnect line trenches and vias are first etched in an insulating layer, and an interconnect material, i.e., copper, is then filled into the trenches and vias. A copper layer is formed through several sequential processes, including a pre-cleaning process, a diffusion barrier forming process, a copper seed layer forming process, and a copper electroplating process. [0007] In the copper electroplating process where copper in an electroplating solution is electroplated onto a structure that is to be electroplated, e.g., a semiconductor substrate, an electroplating apparatus is usually used. [0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional electroplating apparatus. [0009] Referring to FIG. 1, an electroplating apparatus 10 includes an electroplating bath 11, an electroplating solution entrance 12 through which an electroplating solution is supplied into the electroplating bath 11, an anode 13 installed inside the electroplating bath 11, a cathode 15 that is spaced by a predetermined gap from and opposite to the anode 13 and in which a layer that is to be electroplated 14 is installed, and an electroplating solution exit 16 through which an overflowing electroplating solution is exhausted outside the electroplating bath 11. [0010] Once an electroplating solution is supplied to the electroplating bath 11 through the electroplating solution entrance 12 using, for example, a fountain device, it flows toward the cathode 15 under the influence of a magnetic field formed between the anode 13 and the cathode 15. The layer that is to be electroplated 14 is mounted on a surface of the cathode 15 opposite to the anode 13, such that electroplating ions of the electroplating solution flowing from the anode 13 are deposited on the layer 14 that is to be electroplated. At this time, the remaining electroplating solution that is not deposited on the layer 14 is exhausted outside the electroplating bath 11 through the electroplating solution exit 16 and is supplied back to the electroplating bath 11 after undergoing a predetermined cleaning process. [0011] However, when using the electroplating apparatus 10, as shown in FIG. 2, electroplating ions of an electroplating solution cannot form an electroplating layer 30 having a uniform thickness on the surface of the layer 14. Thus, the electroplating ions are deposited thicker in a predetermined portion of the layer 14, in particular, at the peripheral portions of the layer 14, than in the central portion of the layer 14. In addition, in order to form a copper interconnect using a damascene process, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is usually performed after electroplating. A polishing speed in the CMP process is faster in the central portion of a semiconductor substrate than in the peripheral portions of the semiconductor substrate. Thus, when the CMP process is performed on a semiconductor substrate that is electroplated thicker in the peripheral portions than its central portion, the non-uniformity of the thickness of the electroplating layer 30 becomes serious. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The present invention provides an electroplating apparatus which can form an electroplating layer having a uniform thickness on a layer that is to be electroplated. [0013] The present invention provides an electroplating method by which an electroplating layer having a uniform thickness can be formed on a layer that is to be electroplated. [0014] The above stated objects as well as other objects, features and advantages, of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description. [0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating bath, an anode, a cathode, and a conductor. An electroplating solution is supplied into the electroplating bath. An electroplating solution entrance and an electroplating solution exit are formed in the electroplating bath. The anode is installed inside the electroplating bath. The cathode is spaced a predetermined gap apart from and opposite to the anode. A layer that is to be electroplated is installed on the cathode. The conductor is installed between the anode and the cathode. [0016] In one embodiment, at least one hole is formed in the conductor. The outer circumference of the conductor can be tangent to the inner surface of the electroplating bath. [0017] In one embodiment, an insulating layer is formed on a surface of the conductor opposite to and facing the layer that is to be electoplated. The insulating layer can be selectively formed in the peripheral portion of the conductor. The insulating layer can be formed of polymer or metal oxide. [0018] In one embodiment, the conductor is shaped such that it is closer to the layer that is to be electroplated at its central portion than at its peripheral portions. [0019] In one embodiment, a distance from the conductor to the layer that is to be electroplated is smaller than or equal to a distance from the conductor to the cathode. [0020] In one embodiment, the anode is a soluble anode. [0021] In one embodiment, a filter is installed between the anode and the conductor. The filter can be a selective ion exchange filter. The anode can be an insoluble anode. [0022] In one embodiment, an external power source is connected to the conductor to apply a voltage to the conductor. The voltage applied to the conductor can be smaller than a voltage applied to the anode and larger than a voltage applied to the cathode. Continue reading... Full patent description for Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Plating apparatus Next Patent Application: Sputtering target and method for preparation thereof Industry Class: Chemistry: electrical and wave energy ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Electroplating apparatus and electroplating method using the same patent info. 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