QUALI-LINE® PRIMÅ: A Chemical Monitoring System for Copper Interconnects

In semiconductor applications, Copper Damascene processes play a crucial role in the fabrication of interconnects. The challenges facing the semiconductor industry are cost, yield improvementsand competitive scaling.

To ensure efficient and successful production, reliable and accurate online metrology of Cu processes is vital because the feature sizes of interconnects shrink continuously.

The QUALI-LINE^® PRIMÅ chemical monitoring system available from ECI Technology allows accurate plating for semiconductor devices. The system has been developed specifically for high volume manufacturing environments with the maximum reliability, quickest analysis timeand the most stringent control.

QUALI-LINE PRIMÅ features CVS electrochemical technology as well as Spectroscopic and Potentiometric Titration techniques to find the concentrations of both inorganic and organic components with the most optimal degree of precision and accuracy.

Based on the chemistry, QUALI-LINE PRIMÅ can offer repeatability/accuracy of up to 2% and 3% for organic analysis within a time span of 30 minutes. In the case of specific applications that necessitate Fast Acid and Cu analysis, the system provides Cu and Acid analysis results within 7 minutes for each cycle.

Key Features

A Bath Health Monitor is a dedicated module developed for bath aging, analyzing contaminantsand breakdown products

An Analyzer Health Monitor prompts for maintenance when it is required

An Automatic Standard Generator offers a repeatable and accurate standard for precise calibration and validation, thus serving as an alternative to cost-intensive pre-mixed standard

The system works using the expansive library of Cu ChemPacks^® applications offered by ECI Technology

Built-in leak detectors monitor the system and trigger an emergency shutdown process when a leak is detected

The system is capable of monitoring up to four plating tanks

Key Benefits

Works in accordance with stringent tolerance specifications to ensure successful deposition of each layer

Improved for sophisticated via filling and trench structures

Supports conventional, ultra-low and high Cu concentration chemistries; users can easily convert the systems for the analysis of different Cu chemistries

Low maintenance, precision-crafted components

Easily combines with the most advanced plating tools

QUALI-LINE^® Chemical monitoring systems have been at the industry forefront for the analysis and control of Copper Damascene processes for more than 25 years. The QUALI-LINE analyzers designed specifically for copper are now in their sixth generation and include extended capabilities. Since the launch of the system in 1996, ECI has sold more than 1000 units of the system.

Configured to Meet Users’ Needs

The cabinet is built using FM4910-compliant materials. The system includes four main sections that isolate electronics from chemical handling sections.

Image Credit: ECI Technology

Technical Specifications

Includes NOWPak^® reagent delivery system

Dimensions—965 mm (38″) W x 2162 mm (85.1″) H x 610 mm (24″) D

Exhaust—4″ OD chemical exhaust

AC—180 to 245 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 15 A

Compliance to standards—CE, SEMI F-47, SEMI S2-S8, NFPA-79, KRWA

Data communication—Multiple communication protocols: Ethernet/RJ45 port supporting SECS/GEM, RS-232and TCP/IP with the fab’s host