Replisaurus Technologies and CEA-Leti have jointly taken an important step to start commercializing the new Replisaurus’s ElectroChemical Pattern Replication (ECPRTM) metallization process.
The two companies have worked to optimize the ECPR master technology, which is to be used on client target products for assessment.
ECPR is a cost-effective option when compared to the dual damascene technology that allows 3µm thick or larger-sized copper structures to be deposited within 5µm or less gap between features. It does not need photolithography devices or CMP or other materials and solvents.
The team showed an effective high-resolution etching technique to form copper patterns on the target wafer. The technique ensures the absence of sidewall defects on the wafer, and at the extreme tips, in order to attain high aspect ratio. Leti’s next-generation capabilities delivered an approximately 100 % process yield. The project is also conducting studies to deliver the same sub-micron resolution in the various filling/cleaning/transfer cycles during processing of wafers. Enhancements of individual modules have been performed according to the common lab agreement of Replisaurus and Leti.
The engineers also have showed that they are capable of printing copper lines with overlay tolerances at sub-micron scale. The demo center will feature the first integrated ECPR production device that combines the printing, the master prefilling, and the cleaning modules into a single system.