Abstract: A plating apparatus including a thief electrode that can be suitably maintained is provided. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder holding a substrate, a thief electrode supporter supporting a thief electrode to be disposed outside the substrate, a plating tank configured to immerse the substrate in a plating solution for applying an electroplating treatment, a thief electrode maintenance tank configured to perform maintenance of the thief electrode, and a transport module configured to transport the thief electrode supporter to the plating tank and the thief electrode maintenance tank.

Abstract: Uniformity in plated film thickness in a plating apparatus is improved. A plating apparatus for plating a substrate by making electric current flow from an anode to the substrate is provided. The plating apparatus comprises: plural anode-side electric wires which are electrically connected to the anode via plural electric contacts on the anode; plural substrate-side electric wires which are electrically connected to the substrate via plural electric contacts on the substrate; plural variable resistors positioned, in at least one of the anode side and the substrate side, in middle positions in the plural anode-side electric wires or the plural substrate-side electric wires; and a controller constructed to adjust each of resistance values of the plural variable resistors.

Abstract: To partially or locally control a plating film thickness on a polygonal substrate. There is provided a regulation plate for adjusting a current between an anode and the polygonal substrate. This regulation plate includes a main body that has an edge forming a polygonal opening through which the current passes and an attachable/detachable shielding member to shield at least a part of the polygonal opening.

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: 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: The agitation of the plating solution may result in spattering of the plating solution. It have been found that the spattered plating solution can be attached even to portions that are not originally brought into contact with the plating solution in the plating apparatus. There is provided an electroplating apparatus for plating a substrate using a substrate holder, the electroplating apparatus comprising at least one bath for storing the substrate, the substrate holder being provided with a hanger shoulder, and a holder contact, and wherein the electroplating apparatus being provided with a cleaning/drying part provided on at least one side of the bath, the cleaning/drying part being provided for cleaning and/or drying at least one of the hanger shoulder, the holder contact and a contact provided to the bath.

Abstract: Provided are an anode holder capable of reducing consumption of an additive in a plating apparatus, and a plating apparatus. An anode holder for holding an anode for use in a plating apparatus is provided, and the anode holder includes an inner space formed in the anode holder, to house the anode, a mask including a plurality of holes, and configured to cover a front surface of the inner space, and a diaphragm, at least part of the diaphragm being fixed to the mask in a region of the mask that covers the front surface of the inner space.

Abstract: Provided are a plating method, an insoluble anode and a plating apparatus capable of reducing consumption of an additive in a plating solution, when plating a substrate including a via or a hole for forming a through electrode. The plating method includes the steps of preparing a substrate including a via or a hole for forming a through electrode, preparing a plating solution tank that is divided, by a diaphragm, into an anode tank in which an insoluble anode is disposed and a cathode tank in which the substrate is disposed, and electroplating the substrate with an anode current density when plating the substrate in the plating solution tank being equal to or more than 0.4 ASD and equal to or less than 1.4 ASD.

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 capable of saving a substrate in an event of a failure of a transporter, a plating tank, or other component when the substrate is being plated is disclosed. The plating method includes: transporting a plurality of substrates to a plurality of plating tanks, respectively, with a transporter; immersing the plurality of substrates in a plating solution held in the plurality of plating tanks to plate the plurality of substrates; detecting a failure that has occurred in the transporter or a post-processing tank; and replacing the plating solution in the plurality of plating tanks with a preservative liquid to thereby immerse the plurality of substrates in the preservative liquid.

Abstract: To partially or locally control a plating film thickness on a polygonal substrate. There is provided a regulation plate for adjusting a current between an anode and the polygonal substrate. This regulation plate includes a main body that has an edge forming a polygonal opening through which the current passes and an attachable/detachable shielding member to shield at least a part of the polygonal opening.

Abstract: To optimize a location of a power feeding point with the use of a square substrate. There is disclosed a method for determining a location of a power feeding point in an electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus is configured to plate a rectangular substrate having a substrate area of S. The rectangular substrate has opposed two sides coupled to a power supply. The rectangular substrate has a length L of the sides coupled to the power supply and a length W of sides not coupled to the power supply meeting a condition of 0.8×L?W?L. The method includes determining a number N of the power feeding points according to the substrate area S.

Abstract: A plating apparatus including a thief electrode that can be suitably maintained is provided. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder holding a substrate, a thief electrode supporter supporting a thief electrode to be disposed outside the substrate, a plating tank configured to immerse the substrate in a plating solution for applying an electroplating treatment, a thief electrode maintenance tank configured to perform maintenance of the thief electrode, and a transport module configured to transport the thief electrode supporter to the plating tank and the thief electrode maintenance tank.

Abstract: A plating method capable of saving a substrate in an event of a failure of a transporter, a plating tank, or other component when the substrate is being plated is disclosed. The plating method includes: transporting a plurality of substrates to a plurality of plating tanks, respectively, with a transporter; immersing the plurality of substrates in a plating solution held in the plurality of plating tanks to plate the plurality of substrates; detecting a failure that has occurred in the transporter or a post-processing tank; and replacing the plating solution in the plurality of plating tanks with a preservative liquid to thereby immerse the plurality of substrates in the preservative liquid.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a substrate holder holds a rectangular substrate and performs electrolytic plating on the substrate. The substrate holder includes a first holding member and a second holding member clamping the substrate between the first holding member and it and having a contact which contacts a peripheral part of the substrate and supplies an electric current to the substrate. The second holding member includes an opening defining a region where an electric field is formed and, at a position farther from the substrate than the opening, a shielding part protruding closer to an inner side than the opening and shielding the peripheral part of a surface of the substrate. The shielding part has a frame shape having a predetermined shielding width in the peripheral part of the substrate, and has, at a corner part thereof, a discontinuous part having a smaller shielding width than surroundings.

Abstract: To partially or locally control a plating film thickness on a polygonal substrate. There is provided a regulation plate for adjusting a current between an anode and the polygonal substrate. This regulation plate includes a main body that has an edge forming a polygonal opening through which the current passes and an attachable/detachable shielding member to shield at least a part of the polygonal opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a support portion having a placement surface on which a substrate is placed in a horizontal posture; a processing tank configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate and process the substrate; an elevating portion configured to raise and lower the support portion in order to lower the substrate into the processing tank and raise the substrate from the processing tank; a gripping portion configured to grip a periphery of the substrate supported by the support portion above the processing tank, and receive the substrate from the support portion; and a first nozzle configured to emit a gas onto the substrate, gripped by the gripping portion, to dry the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate holder holds a polygonal substrate Wf. A plating bath accommodates the anode holder and the substrate holder. The anode and the substrate are immersed in a plating solution in the plating bath. A control device controls a current flowing between the anode and the substrate. The substrate holder has power feed members placed along respective sides of the polygonal substrate, and there are a plurality of groups of the sides, each group including at least one side, at least one side being different between the groups. The control device can control, on a group-by-group basis, a current to be supplied to the power feed members.

Abstract: To suppress thicknesses of a plating film of dies adjacent to a portion in which patterns are not formed on a resist, and improve uniformity of a plated metal layer thickness in a substrate surface. A substrate holder according to the present invention has: a holding surface 57 for holding a substrate; a second holding member 60 configured to have an opening part 63 for exposing the holding surface 57, and to press the substrate placed on the holding surface 57 against the holding surface 57 to thereby hold the substrate; and a shielding plate 65 configured to protrude to an inside of the opening part 63 of the second holding member 60 in a radial direction and to shield a part of the holding surface 57. The shielding plate 65 is configured to be movable along the opening part 63.

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.