Abstract: A plating apparatus includes: a plating bath configured to store a plating solution therein; a substrate transport device configured to remove a substrate before plating from a substrate cassette and return the substrate after plating to the substrate cassette; a substrate holder configured to detachably hold the substrate with a sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate and immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating bath; a dummy substrate arranged in a position accessible by the substrate transport device; and a substrate holder cleaning bath configured to immerse the substrate holder in a cleaning liquid to clean the substrate holder when holding the dummy substrate with the sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the dummy substrate.

Abstract: A plating method includes holding a substrate with a substrate holder while bringing a sealing member into pressure contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate to form an enclosed internal space in the substrate holder; performing a first-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by producing a vacuum in the internal space and checking whether pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined vacuum pressure within a certain period of time; and if the substrate holder has passed the first-stage leakage test, performing a second-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by closing off the internal space after producing the vacuum therein and checking whether a change in the pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined value within a certain period of time.

Abstract: A plating apparatus includes: a plating bath configured to store a plating solution therein; a substrate transport device configured to remove a substrate before plating from a substrate cassette and return the substrate after plating to the substrate cassette; a substrate holder configured to detachably hold the substrate with a sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate and immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating bath; a dummy substrate arranged in a position accessible by the substrate transport device; and a substrate holder cleaning bath configured to immerse the substrate holder in a cleaning liquid to clean the substrate holder when holding the dummy substrate with the sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the dummy substrate.

Abstract: A plating apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an anode holder configured to hold an anode; a substrate holder placed opposite the anode holder and configured to hold a substrate; and an anode mask installed on a front face of the anode holder and provided with a first opening adapted to allow passage of an electric current flowing between an anode and the substrate. The diameter of the first opening in the anode mask is configured to be adjustable. When a first substrate is plated, a diameter of the first opening is adjusted to a first diameter. When a second substrate is plated, the diameter of the first opening is adjusted to a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

Abstract: A plating method includes holding a substrate with a substrate holder while bringing a sealing member into pressure contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate to form an enclosed internal space in the substrate holder; performing a first-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by producing a vacuum in the internal space and checking whether pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined vacuum pressure within a certain period of time; and if the substrate holder has passed the first-stage leakage test, performing a second-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by closing off the internal space after producing the vacuum therein and checking whether a change in the pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined value within a certain period of time.

Abstract: There is provided an electroplating method for a through-hole. The method includes: a first plating process, a second plating process, and a third plating process. The first plating process is a plating process of forming a metal film with a uniform thickness in the through-hole to reduce a diameter of the through-hole, the second plating process is a plating process of blocking up a central portion of the through-hole with the metal film using a PR pulsed current, and the third plating process is a plating process of completely filling the through-hole with the metal film using the plating current whose value is equal to or larger than a forward-current value of the PR pulsed current used in the second plating process.

Abstract: A plating apparatus 10 includes a rectifier 18 configured to apply a DC current to a substrate, and a plating apparatus control unit 30 that instructs the rectifier 18 on a value of the DC current. The plating apparatus control unit 30 has a setting unit 32 for setting a current value, a storage unit 34 that stores a relational expression between an instructed current value on which the rectifier 18 is instructed and an actual current value which the rectifier 18 outputs in accordance with the instructed current value, a calculation unit 38 that corrects the current value set by the setting unit 32 on the basis of the above-mentioned relational expression to calculate a corrected current value, and an instruction unit 36 that instructs the rectifier 18 on the corrected current value calculated by the calculation unit 38.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate holder which can absorb a change in the thickness between substrates and can hold a substrate while preventing deflection of the substrate and keeping the amount of compression of a substrate sealing member within a certain narrow range. The substrate holder includes a first holding member and a second holding member, both for detachably holding a substrate by holding a peripheral portion of the substrate therebetween; and a substrate sealing member, mounted to the second holding member, for sealing the peripheral portion of the substrate along a substrate sealing line. The first holding member has a thickness absorbing mechanism which biases the substrate toward the second holding member at positions along the substrate sealing line.

Abstract: A substrate holder includes a fixed holding member and a movable holding member for detachably holding a substrate by gripping a peripheral portion of the substrate therebetween, and an inner seal member and an outer seal member which are fixed to the movable holding member. When the substrate is held by the movable holding member and the fixed holding member, the inner and outer seal members seal the connection between the movable holding member and a peripheral portion of the substrate and the connection between the movable holding member and the fixed holding member, respectively. The movable holding member includes a seal holder, and the inner seal member and the outer seal member are fixed between the seal holder and a fixing ring secured to the seal holder.

Abstract: An Sn alloy plating apparatus includes: a plating bath having a cathode chamber for holding therein an Sn alloy plating solution in which the substrate is to be immersed and an anode chamber for holding therein an anolyte containing Sn ions and an acid; an Sn anode located in the anode chamber; and an electrolytic solution supply line configured to supply an electrolytic solution containing the acid into the anode chamber such that a Sn ion concentration of the anolyte in the anode chamber is kept not less than a predetermined value and a concentration of the acid in the anolyte is kept not less than a predetermined acceptable value. The electrolytic solution supply line supplies the electrolytic solution into the anode chamber to increase an amount of the anolyte in the anode chamber and supply the anolyte into the Sn alloy plating solution by the increased amount.

Abstract: There is provided an electroplating method for a through-hole. The method includes: a first plating process, a second plating process, and a third plating process. The first plating process is a plating process of forming a metal film with a uniform thickness in the through-hole to reduce a diameter of the through-hole, the second plating process is a plating process of blocking up a central portion of the through-hole with the metal film using a PR pulsed current, and the third plating process is a plating process of completely filling the through-hole with the metal film using the plating current whose value is equal to or larger than a forward-current value of the PR pulsed current used in the second plating process.

Abstract: A plating apparatus includes: a plating bath configured to store a plating solution therein; a substrate transport device configured to remove a substrate before plating from a substrate cassette and return the substrate after plating to the substrate cassette; a substrate holder configured to detachably hold the substrate with a sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate and immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating bath; a dummy substrate arranged in a position accessible by the substrate transport device; and a substrate holder cleaning bath configured to immerse the substrate holder in a cleaning liquid to clean the substrate holder when holding the dummy substrate with the sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the dummy substrate.

Abstract: A plating method includes holding a substrate with a substrate holder while bringing a sealing member into pressure contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate to form an enclosed internal space in the substrate holder; performing a first-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by producing a vacuum in the internal space and checking whether pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined vacuum pressure within a certain period of time; and if the substrate holder has passed the first-stage leakage test, performing a second-stage leakage test of the substrate holder by closing off the internal space after producing the vacuum therein and checking whether a change in the pressure in the internal space reaches a predetermined value within a certain period of time.

Abstract: A plating apparatus can form a bump having a flat top or can form a metal film having a good in-plane uniformity even when the plating of a plating object (substrate) is carried out under high-current density conditions. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank for holding a plating solution; an anode to be immersed in the plating solution in the plating tank; a holder for holding a plating object and disposing the plating object at a position opposite the anode; a paddle, disposed between the anode and the plating object held by the holder, which reciprocates parallel to the plating object to stir the plating solution; and a control section for controlling a paddle drive section which drives the paddle. The control section controls the paddle drive section so that the paddle moves at a velocity whose average absolute value is 70 cm/sec to 100 cm/sec.

Abstract: A plating apparatus can form a bump having a flat top or can form a metal film having a good in-plane uniformity even when the plating of a plating object (substrate) is carried out under high-current density conditions. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank for holding a plating solution; an anode to be immersed in the plating solution in the plating tank; a holder for holding a plating object and disposing the plating object at a position opposite the anode; a paddle, disposed between the anode and the plating object held by the holder, which reciprocates parallel to the plating object to stir the plating solution; and a control section for controlling a paddle drive section which drives the paddle. The control section controls the paddle drive section so that the paddle moves at a velocity whose average absolute value is 70 cm/sec to 100 cm/sec.