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  Electropolish assisted electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20070221495Title: Electropolish assisted electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a substrate in an electrochemical mechanical planarizing system. An apparatus is provided for processing a substrate including a planarizing module, at least one electrochemical mechanical polishing station disposed on the planarizing module, at least one polishing head disposed above the planarizing module and the at least one polishing head adapted to selectively lower a substrate retained in the polishing head to the electrochemical mechanical polishing station, a factory interface disposed adjacent both the planarizing module, a loading robot disposed between the factory interface and the planarizing module, and an electrochemical polishing station disposed on or adjacent the planarizing module, the factory interface, or a combination thereof. The electrochemical polishing station may be disposed on the planarizing module, adjacent the planarizing module, in the factory interface, adjacent the factory interface, or between the planarizing module and the factory interface. (end of abstract) Agent: Patterson & Sheridan, LLP - Houston, TX, US Inventor: ANTOINE P. MANENS USPTO Applicaton #: 20070221495 - Class: 204212 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070221495. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/785,323, filed Mar. 23, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for electrochemical processing of a substrate. [0004]2. Description of the Related Art [0005]Electrochemical mechanical planarizing (Ecmp) is a technique used to remove conductive materials from a substrate surface by electrochemical dissolution while concurrently polishing the substrate with reduced mechanical abrasion compared to conventional planarization processes. Ecmp systems may generally be adapted for deposition of conductive material on the substrate by reversing the polarity of the bias. Electrochemical dissolution is performed by applying a bias between a second electrode and a substrate surface to remove conductive materials from the substrate surface into a surrounding electrolyte. Typically, the bias is applied to the substrate surface by a conductive polishing material on which the substrate is processed. A mechanical component of the polishing process is performed by providing relative motion between the substrate and the conductive polishing material that enhances the removal of the conductive material from the substrate. [0006]In many conventional systems, Ecmp of the conductive film is followed by conventional chemical mechanical processing for barrier removal. This dichotomy of processing (e.g., Ecmp and CMP on a single system) requires divergent utilities and process consumables, resulting in higher cost of ownership. Moreover, as most Ecmp processes utilize lower contact pressure between the substrate being processed and a processing surface, the heads utilized to retain the substrate during processing do not provide robust processing performance when utilized for conventional CMP processes, which typically have high contact pressures, which results in high erosion of conductive material disposed in trenches or other features. As the removal rate of low pressure conventional CMP barrier layer processing is generally less than about 100 .ANG./min, conventional CMP processing of barrier materials using low pressure is not suitable for large scale commercialization. Thus, it would be advantageous for a system to be enabled to remove barrier materials, such as ruthenium, tantalum, tantalum nitride, titanium, titanium nitride and the like, through an electrochemical process. [0007]Thus, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for electrochemical processing of metal and barrier materials. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]Embodiments of the invention as recited in the claims generally provide an apparatus for processing a substrate in an electrochemical mechanical planarizing system. In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for processing a substrate including a planarizing module, at least one electrochemical mechanical polishing station disposed on the planarizing module, at least one polishing head disposed above the planarizing module and the at least one polishing head adapted to selectively lower a substrate retained in the polishing head to the electrochemical mechanical polishing station, a factory interface disposed adjacent the planarizing module, a loading robot disposed adjacent both the factory interface and the planarizing module, and an electrochemical polishing station disposed on or adjacent the planarizing module, the factory interface, or a combination thereof. The electrochemical polishing station may be disposed on the planarizing module, adjacent the planarizing module, in the factory interface, adjacent the factory interface, or between the planarizing module and the factory interface. [0009]In certain embodiments, a method of polishing a substrate comprising feature definitions formed in a dielectric material, a barrier layer deposited conformally over the dielectric layer and in the feature definitions, and a conductive layer disposed on the barrier layer to fill the feature definitions is provided. A system comprising a factory interface, an electrochemical polishing station, and a planarizing module containing three electrochemical mechanical polishing stations is provided. A substrate is introduced to the electrochemical polishing station configured to remove conductive material from a substrate in a mechanical free polishing process by the application of a bias in the presence of a conductive polishing solution to remove conductive material by anodic dissolution. A bulk portion of the conductive layer is removed from the substrate. The substrate is transferred to the first electrochemical mechanical polishing station. The substrate is polished to remove a bulk portion of the conductive layer from the substrate. The substrate is transferred to the second electrochemical mechanical polishing station. Any remaining conductive material is removed from the substrate to expose the barrier layer. The substrate is transferred to the third electrochemical mechanical polishing station and the barrier layer is removed from the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010]So that the manner in which the above recited embodiments of the invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. [0011]FIG. 1A is a plan view of one embodiment of an electrochemical mechanical planarizing system; [0012]FIG. 1B is a plan view of another embodiment of an electrochemical mechanical planarizing system; [0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a first electrochemical mechanical planarizing (Ecmp) station of the system of FIG. 1; [0014]FIG. 3A is a partial sectional view of the bulk Ecmp station through two contact assemblies; [0015]FIGS. 3B-C are sectional views of alternative embodiments of contact assemblies; [0016]FIGS. 3D-E are sectional views of plugs; [0017]FIGS. 4A-B are side, exploded and sectional views of one embodiment of a contact assembly; [0018]FIG. 5 is one embodiment of a contact element; [0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of another Ecmp station; [0020]FIG. 7 illustrates a partial sectional perspective view of an exemplary electrochemical polishing cell of the invention. Continue reading... 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