Abstract: Provided is a substrate holding device that inhibits drop in holding accuracy of a substrate. A Bernoulli chucking pad suctions and holds a front surface or a back surface of a substrate S. A position determiner 54 is capable of pushing the substrate S in contact with a side surface 82 of the substrate S, and positioning the suctioned substrate S. A pin 66 enables the position determiner 54 to come in contact with the side surface 82 of the substrate S. The pin 66 brings the position determiner 54 into contact with the side surface 82 of the substrate S, and the position determiner 54 thereby positions the substrate S.

Abstract: There is provided a method of plating comprising: a process of bringing a sealing portion of a seal provided to prevent a contact of a substrate holder that holds a substrate from coming into contact with a plating solution, into contact with pure water; and a process of detecting a leak of the seal, based on presence or absence of a short circuit of a leak detection electrode placed inside of the substrate holder after the sealing portion is brought into contact with the pure water and before the substrate is brought into contact with a chemical solution.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for plating a substrate as an object to be plated. The apparatus comprises an anode and a thief tunnel arranged to be located between the substrate and the anode when the substrate is placed to be opposed to the anode. The thief tunnel comprises a body placed away from the substrate and provided with an opening; a plurality of auxiliary electrodes provided in or to the body; and an ion exchange membrane configured to protect the auxiliary electrodes from a plating solution. The plurality of auxiliary electrodes are arranged along a circumference of the opening. At least one of the auxiliary electrodes is configured such that a voltage to be applied to the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes is controlled independently of a voltage to be applied to one or more auxiliary electrodes other than the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes.

Abstract: A gas dissolved liquid manufacturing device includes: a pump configured to pressurize a liquid; a pipe communicating with the pump; a nozzle disposed in the pipe, the nozzle being configured to generate micro bubbles using a supplied gas; and a gas-liquid separation tank whose upper part communicates with the pipe, the gas-liquid separation tank being configured to separate a gas-liquid mixture generated by the nozzle into a gas and a liquid.

Abstract: In a scheme in which a top ring is held to an end portion of a swing arm, the present invention improves accuracy of polishing end point detection. A polishing apparatus for polishing between a polishing pad 10 and a semiconductor wafer 16 disposed opposed to the polishing pad 10 includes a polishing table 30A for holding the polishing pad 10 and a top ring 31A for holding the semiconductor wafer 16. A swing shaft motor 14 swings a swing arm 110 for holding the top ring 31A. The arm torque detection section 26 detects arm torque applied to the swing arm 110. An end point detection section 28 detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the detected arm torque.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve in-plane uniformity in polishing in a polishing device. A temperature adjusting device for adjusting temperature of a rotating polishing pad comprises: a heat conductor that can contact with a top face of the polishing pad; an arm for holding the heat conductor above the polishing pad; column members formed to stand on a top face of the heat conductor, comprising an upstream-side column member and a downstream-side column member arranged at a position at an upstream/downstream side of rotation of the polishing pad; and overhung members extending, from the upstream-side column member and the downstream-side column member, in directions that are parallel to the top face of the heat conductor; wherein the overhung members can contact with a top face of the arm.

Abstract: A nozzle for generating fine bubbles, the nozzle including: a hollow housing; and a plurality of plates provided in the housing and partitioning the housing into a plurality of spaces, wherein an upper face or a side face of the housing is provided with an inflow port into which a gas-dissolved liquid flows and which communicates with an uppermost space of the spaces partitioned by the plate, each of the plates is provided with a plurality of through-holes, and a lower face of the housing is provided with a slit communicating with a lowermost space of the spaces partitioned by the plate.

Abstract: A plating method capable of controlling a concentration of an additive within a proper range during plating of a substrate is disclosed. The plating method includes: disposing an anode and a substrate, having a via-hole formed in a surface thereof, so as to face each other in a plating solution containing an additive; applying a voltage between the anode and the substrate for filling the via-hole with metal; measuring the voltage applied to the substrate; calculating an amount of change in the voltage per predetermined time; and adjusting a concentration of the additive in the plating solution to keep the amount of change in the voltage within a predetermined control range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning system and a substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate. The substrate cleaning system (50) includes a heater (51), a chemical-liquid diluting module (52), and a cleaning module. A temperature of the diluted-chemical-liquid mixed by the chemical-liquid diluting module (52) is determined to be higher than normal a temperature and lower than a glass transition point of a cleaning member. The cleaning member scrubs the substrate (W) with the diluted chemical liquid having the determined temperature supplied to the substrate (W).

Abstract: A sub-fab area installation apparatus capable of reducing a power consumption used in manufacturing of semiconductors is disclosed. The sub-fab area installation apparatus includes: a vacuum pump configured to evacuate a processing gas from a processing chamber of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment; a cooling unit configured to cool a first circulation liquid used in the processing chamber; a heating unit configured to heat a second circulation liquid used in the processing chamber; an abatement device configured to detoxify the processing gas discharged from the vacuum pump; and a cooling-liquid line configured to pass a cooling liquid therethrough. The cooling liquid is supplied from a cooling source. The cooling-liquid line includes: a first downstream line, a second downstream line, and a third downstream line configured to supply the cooling liquid that has passed through the abatement device, the vacuum pump, and the cooling unit to the heating unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sealing system for a pump configured to pressurize a volatile liquid, such as liquid ammonia. The sealing system (2) includes a stuffing box (35) forming a barrier chamber (30) and a pump-side seal chamber (43), a mechanical seal (20) arranged in the barrier chamber (30), and a barrier-gas supply system (32) for supplying a barrier gas into the barrier chamber (30). The barrier gas has a pressure higher than a pressure of the volatile liquid in the pump-side seal chamber (43). The pump-side seal chamber (43) is located between an impeller (7) of the pump (1) and the mechanical seal (20). The barrier-gas supply system (32) includes a pressure control valve (50) configured to maintain a constant difference between pressure in the barrier chamber (30) and pressure in the pump-side seal chamber (43).

Abstract: A polishing method is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

Abstract: A transport apparatus includes a hand, a drive mechanism, a cover member, and a gas supply member. The hand is configured to hold a wafer. The drive mechanism is configured to transport the wafer by moving the hand. The cover member has an opposing surface opposed to a surface of the wafer held by the hand and is formed with a plurality of holes opened in the opposing surface. The gas supply member is configured to supply an inert gas to the surface of the wafer via the plurality of holes of the cover member. The plurality of holes are formed in the opposing surface so that an opening ratio of an outer peripheral portion of the opposing surface is higher than an opening ratio of a central portion of the opposing surface.

Abstract: A substrate drying device is provided that can suppress occurrence of a micro size defect (for example, a defect having a defect size of 20 nm or less). A substrate drying device 1 includes a substrate holding unit 11 which holds a substrate W, a gas generator 60 which generates a drying gas G including at least IPA vapor and for drying the substrate W, and a drying gas nozzle 30 which supplies the drying gas G to the surface WA of the substrate W. A filter 67 for filtering the drying gas G is provided in the gas generator 60. A defect size D allowed in a defect test after the drying of the substrate W is set to 20 nm or less and a ratio D/F of the defect size D and a filter size F of the filter 67 is set to 4 or more.

Abstract: A plating module includes a plating tank, a substrate holder, an elevating mechanism, an anode, an ionically resistive element, a supply pipe, and a bypass pipe. The substrate holder is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing downward. The elevating mechanism is for moving up and down the substrate holder. The anode is disposed inside the plating tank so as to face the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder. The ionically resistive element is disposed between the anode and the substrate Wf. The supply pipe is for supplying a process liquid stored in a reservoir tank from a lower side of the ionically resistive element to the plating tank. The bypass pipe is for discharging the process liquid supplied to the plating tank via the supply pipe from the lower side of the ionically resistive element to the reservoir tank.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to prevent a prewetting liquid from remaining in an edge portion of a substrate. A plating method for subjecting a substrate to a plating treatment is provided, the substrate including a part to be plated that is exposed to a plating solution and an edge portion that is an outer region of the part to be plated. The plating method includes a first sealing step of bringing a first seal body into contact with the substrate to seal the edge portion of the substrate, a prewetting step of subjecting the sealed substrate to a prewetting treatment, a first seal removing step of removing the first seal body from the prewetted substrate, a substrate holding step of holding the substrate with a substrate holder including a second seal body, and a plating step of applying the plating solution to the substrate held by the substrate holder.

Abstract: A vacuum connection mechanism includes: a main body part having a first opening and a first sub opening opened symmetrically in a first direction, and a second opening and a second sub opening opened symmetrically in a second direction; a first bellows connected to the first opening and to the end of which a first flange is provided; a first sub bellows connected to the first sub opening and to the end of which a first blind flange is provided; a first supporting member coupling the first flange and the first blind flange; a second bellows connected to the second opening and to the end of which a second flange is provided; a second sub bellows connected to the second sub opening and to the end of which a second blind flange is provided; and a second supporting member coupling the second flange and the second blind flange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an underwater drone which is an unmanned mobile which can move in the water, and more particularly to a communication system for the underwater drone which performs communication between the underwater drone and a land-based controller (or maneuvering device). The present invention also relates to an airlock apparatus for the drone which transfers the drone into or from facilities or containers, or equipment sealed (or closed) against surrounding environment. The communication system for an underwater drone includes an underwater drone (1) configured to move in the water, at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) provided in an area where the transmitting and receiving antenna (2) can communicate with the underwater drone (1) by wireless communication, and a controller or a maneuvering device (5) connected to the at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) by a wired cable (4) and configured to control the underwater drone (1).

Abstract: There is provided a method of plating, comprising: a process of providing a substrate that includes a first face and a second face having different patterns; a plating process of respectively supplying electric current of a first plating current density and electric current of a second plating current density to the first face and to the second face of the substrate, so as to form a plating film on the first face and a plating film on the second face; and a process of, after plating is completed first either on the first face or on the second face, supplying protection current to the face where plating is completed first, wherein the protection current has a smaller current density than the first plating current density or the second plating current density of the electric current supplied to the face where plating is completed first during plating.

Abstract: A plating method for plating a substrate by increasing a current value from a predetermined current value to a first current value is provided. The plating method plates the substrate for a first predetermined period with the first current value when a first current density corresponding to the first current value is lower than a limiting current density. This plating method includes measuring a voltage value applied to the substrate, and when the current value is increased from the predetermined current value to the first current value, determining whether the first current density is equal to or more than the limiting current density or not based on an amount of change in the voltage value.