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: Provided is a plating method for improving in-plane uniformity of various square-shaped substrates without changing an inter-electrode distance. A plating method according to an aspect in which an anode holder (44) adapted to hold a square-shaped anode (62) and a substrate holder (24) adapted to hold a square-shaped substrate (W) are disposed to face each other and plating processing is performed on the substrate (W), the anode holder (44) includes a holder main body (80) having a square-shaped opening and adapted to hold the anode (62) with a surface of the anode (62) exposed from the opening, and a mask (88) adapted to cover a part of the anode (62) inside the opening, and a position covered with the mask (88) is changed in accordance with the substrate (W).

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: 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: 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: Provided is a plating apparatus for plating a substrate, which prevents deterioration of uniformity of plating film thickness caused by an oxide film created at an edge section of the substrate and/or an organic substance attached to the edge section of the substrate. The plating apparatus includes a plating bath for applying a voltage to the substrate set in a substrate holder to plate the substrate; and an edge section washing device that locally removes at least either of the organic substance and the oxide film present at the edge section of the substrate before the substrate is set in the substrate holder.

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: A resistance measuring module for measuring electric resistance of a substrate holder is provided. The substrate holder has an electric contact configured to feed a current to a held substrate and contactable with the substrate. The substrate holder is able to hold a testing substrate for measurement of electric resistance of the substrate holder, and is configured such that the electric contact comes into contact with the testing substrate in a state where the testing substrate is held. The resistance measuring module includes: a test probe contactable with the testing substrate held in the substrate holder; and a resistance measuring instrument for measurement of a resistance value between the electric contact and the probe via the testing substrate.

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 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: There are provided a plating apparatus and a plating method that allow determining an appropriate replacement timing of a diaphragm. The plating apparatus includes an anode bath, a cathode bath, a diaphragm, an analyzer, and a control device. The anode bath holds a plating solution and an insoluble anode. The cathode bath holds a plating solution containing an additive and a substrate. The diaphragm separates the plating solution held in the anode bath from the plating solution held in the cathode bath. The analyzer is configured to analyze a concentration of the additive in the plating solution in the cathode bath at every predetermined time interval. The control device is configured to calculate an actual consumption of the additive during the predetermined period based on the concentration of the additive analyzed at the every predetermined time interval. The control device includes a memory that stores an expected consumption of the additive during the predetermined period.

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: There is provided a method of adjusting a plating apparatus and a measuring apparatus that can obtain position adjustment amounts/a position adjustment amount of a substrate holder, an anode holder, a regulation plate, and/or a paddle without carrying out plating treatment. There is provided the method of adjusting the plating apparatus that has a plating bath configured to be able to hold the substrate holder, the anode holder, and an electric field adjusting plate.

Abstract: There are provided a plating apparatus and a plating method that allow determining an appropriate replacement timing of a diaphragm. The plating apparatus includes an anode bath, a cathode bath, a diaphragm, an analyzer, and a control device. The anode bath holds a plating solution and an insoluble anode. The cathode bath holds a plating solution containing an additive and a substrate. The diaphragm separates the plating solution held in the anode bath from the plating solution held in the cathode bath. The analyzer is configured to analyze a concentration of the additive in the plating solution in the cathode bath at every predetermined time interval. The control device is configured to calculate an actual consumption of the additive during the predetermined period based on the concentration of the additive analyzed at the every predetermined time interval. The control device includes a memory that stores an expected consumption of the additive during the predetermined period.

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: An optimum electric power supply position to an anode in an electroplating apparatus possibly changes depending on various conditions. Accordingly, for optimum plating, the electric power supply position to the anode is preferably adjustable. There is disclosed an anode unit of an electroplating apparatus. The anode unit includes an anode, a power feeding element, and a power feeding element fixing portion. The power feeding element is fixed to the anode. The power feeding element is configured to supply an electric power from a power supply to the anode. The power feeding element fixing portion is disposed at the anode. The power feeding element fixing portion is configured to fix the power feeding element to the anode. The power feeding element fixing portion is configured such that a fixed position of the power feeding element to the anode is changeable.

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 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: 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: There is provided a method of adjusting a plating apparatus and a measuring apparatus that can obtain position adjustment amounts/a position adjustment amount of a substrate holder, an anode holder, a regulation plate, and/or a paddle without carrying out plating treatment. There is provided the method of adjusting the plating apparatus that has a plating bath configured to be able to hold the substrate holder, the anode holder, and an electric field adjusting plate.