Abstract: There is provided a plating apparatus which can keep a plating solution always in its optimal condition while minimizing the amount of plating solution used, and which can easily form a uniform plated film on the plating surface of a workpiece. The plating apparatus includes: a plating solution supply system (70) for constantly circulating a plating solution while heating the plating solution in a circulation tank (80) provided with a heating apparatus (78a), and supplying a predetermined amount of plating solution to a plating treatment section (24) when carrying out plating treatment; a plating solution recovery system (72) for recovering the plating solution after the plating treatment in the plating treatment section (24), heating the plating solution and returning the heated plating solution to the circulation tank (80); and a plating solution replenishment system (74) for replenishing the circulation tank (80) with a fresh plating solution or a plating solution component.

Abstract: A substrate processing method can securely form a metal film by electroless plating on an exposed surface of a base metal, such as interconnects, with increased throughput and without the formation of voids in the base metal. The substrate processing method includes: cleaning a surface of a substrate having a base metal formed in the surface with a cleaning solution comprising an aqueous solution of a carboxyl group-containing organic acid or its salt and a surfactant as an additive; bringing the surface of the substrate after the cleaning into contact with a processing solution comprising a mixture of the cleaning solution and a solution containing a catalyst metal ion, thereby applying the catalyst to the surface of the substrate; and forming a metal film by electroless plating on the catalyst-applied surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device has an embedded interconnect structure in which an electric conductor, such as copper or silver, is embedded in fine recesses formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and also has a protective film formed on surfaces of exposed interconnects that define the interconnect structure, to protect the interconnects. The protective film has a flattened surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnects-forming method and an interconnects-forming apparatus which can minimize the lowering of processing accuracy in etching, minimize light exposure processing for the formation of interconnect recesses in the production of multi-level interconnects, improve the electromigration resistance of interconnects without impairing the electrical properties of the interconnects, and enhance the reliability of the device.

Abstract: A substrate processing method can completely remove a corrosion inhibitor and/or a metal complex from a surface of a substrate prior to catalyst application processing and/or electroless plating, and can form a protective film having a uniform thickness on the surface of interconnects. The substrate processing method includes preparing a substrate having metal interconnects formed in an electric insulator, carrying out pre-processing of the substrate by bringing a cleaning member into contact with the front surface or both surfaces of the substrate in a wet state and moving them relative to each other while supplying a pre-processing liquid to the front surface or both surfaces of the substrate, and then forming a protective film selectively on surfaces of the metal interconnects by bringing the front surface of the substrate into contact with an electroless plating solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnects-forming method and an interconnects-forming apparatus which can minimize the lowering of processing accuracy in etching, minimize light exposure processing for the formation of interconnect recesses in the production of multi-level interconnects, improve the electromigration resistance of interconnects without impairing the electrical properties of the interconnects, and enhance the reliability of the device.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a substrate holder for detachably holding a substrate so that a surface, to be processed, of the substrate faces downward, and a sealing ring for sealing a peripheral portion of the surface, to be processed, of the substrate held by the substrate holder. The substrate processing apparatus also has a plurality of ejection nozzles disposed below the substrate holder for ejecting a treatment solution toward the surface, to be processed, of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a mechanism for rotating and vertically moving the substrate holder and the ejection nozzles relative to each other.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and method which employs the so-called batch processing method of processing a plurality of substrates simultaneously, thereby increasing the throughput, and which can carry out processing, such as electroless plating, stably and securely with a relatively simple apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing bath (14) for holding a processing liquid (12); and a substrate holder (16) which is vertically movable relative to the processing bath (14) and which includes a plurality of substrate holding portions (40) for holding a plurality of substrates (W) in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device has an embedded interconnect structure in which an electric conductor, such as copper or silver, is embedded in fine recesses formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and also has a protective film formed on surfaces of exposed interconnects that define the interconnect structure, to protect the interconnects. The protective film has a flattened surface.

Abstract: A metal film-forming method of the present invention can form a metal film having different film qualities in the thickness direction, in a continuous manner using a single processing solution. The metal film-forming method including: providing a substrate having embedded interconnects formed in interconnect recesses provided in a surface of the substrate; and forming a metal film, having different film qualities in the thickness direction, on surfaces of the interconnects in a continuous manner by changing the flow state of a processing solution relative to the surface of the substrate while keeping the surface of the substrate in contact with the processing solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device has an embedded interconnect structure in which an electric conductor, such as copper or silver, is embedded in fine recesses formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and also has a protective film formed on surfaces of exposed interconnects that define the interconnect structure, to protect the interconnects. The protective film has a flattened surface.

Abstract: A substrate processing method can securely form a metal film by electroless plating on an exposed surface of a base metal, such as interconnects, with increased throughput and without the formation of voids in the base metal. The substrate processing method includes: cleaning a surface of a substrate having a base metal formed in the surface with a cleaning solution comprising an aqueous solution of a carboxyl group-containing organic acid or its salt and a surfactant as an additive; bringing the surface of the substrate after the cleaning into contact with a processing solution comprising a mixture of the cleaning solution and a solution containing a catalyst metal ion, thereby applying the catalyst to the surface of the substrate; and forming a metal film by electroless plating on the catalyst-applied surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate wet-processing method can carry out uniform chemical processing of the surface of a substrate while easily preventing a gas from remaining on the surface of the substrate and preventing difference in the concentration and the temperature of a chemical solution between the end portion and the central portion of the substrate. The substrate wet-processing method includes: providing an acidic solution whose concentration is previously adjusted within a predetermined concentration range; continuously spraying the acidic solution having the adjusted concentration toward a substrate at a predetermined pressure to bring it into contact with a surface of the substrate; and then forming a film of an insulating material, a metal or an alloy on the exposed surface of a metal formed in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnects-forming method and an interconnects-forming apparatus which can minimize the lowering of processing accuracy in etching, light exposure or the like processing for the formation of interconnect recesses in the production of multi-level interconnects, can improve the electromigration resistance of interconnects without impairing the electrical properties of the interconnects, and can enhance the reliabilityof the device.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method which is capable of lowering the initial cost and the running cost of an apparatus, does not require a wide installation space, does not degrade electrical characteristics such as an interconnect resistance and a leakage current, and is capable of efficiently forming a high-quality alloy film on the surface of a metal region. The substrate processing method including; preparing a substrate having a metal region on a surface thereof, performing a pre-plating treatment by bringing a pretreatment liquid into contact with the surface of the substrate to modify the entire surface thereof, removing the pretreatment liquid remaining on the surface of the substrate in a rinsing treatment, performing an electroless plating process on the surface of the substrate to selectively form an alloy film on the surface of the metal region, and post-cleaning the substrate after the electroless plating process and drying the substrate.

Abstract: A capping film serving as an interconnect protective film formed on a surface of interconnect metal on a semiconductor substrate is formed after forming a catalyst layer for electroless plating under low oxygen concentration condition. A method for forming a capping film for protecting a surface of interconnect metal includes preparing a metal catalyst solution containing a metal element nobler than interconnect metal and having dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 ppm or less, bringing said metal catalyst solution into contact with a surface of interconnect metal to form a metal catalyst layer on the surface of the interconnect metal, and performing electroless plating to form a capping film on the surface of the interconnect metal.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method and apparatus which can measure and monitor the thickness and/or properties of a film formed on a substrate as needed, and quickly correct a deviation in the process conditions, and which can therefore stably provide a product of constant quality. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate with a metal and an insulating material exposed on its surface in such a manner that the film thickness of the metal portion with the exposed surface of the metal as a reference plane is selectively or preferentially changed, including measuring a change in the film thickness and/or a film property of the metal portion during and/or immediately after processing, and monitoring the processing and adjusting the processing conditions based on the results of measurement.

Abstract: There are provided an electroless plating apparatus and a post-electroless plating cleaning method which can remove Co or Ni particles, produced upon electroless plating onto Cu interconnects of an electronic circuit substrate and remaining on a silicon oxide film as an interlevel dielectric, without exerting an adverse influence on the Cu interconnects. The electroless plating apparatus for carrying out electroless plating of the surface of interconnects formed in a surface of an electronic circuit substrate having fine circuit patterns of conductive metal interconnects, includes: a substrate transfer device (62, 76, 86); a loading station (58) disposed in association with the substrate transfer device; at least one electroless plating cell (82) disposed in association with the substrate transfer device; and a scrub cleaning device (66a) and/or a solution cleaning device (66c) disposed in association with the substrate transfer device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plating solution useful for forming embedded interconnects by embedding a conductive material in fine recesses for interconnects provided in the surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, or for forming a protective layer for protecting the surface of embedded interconnects, a semiconductor device manufactured by using the plating solution and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The plating solution contains copper ions, metal ions of a metal, said metal being capable of forming with copper a copper alloy in which said metal does not form a solid solution with copper, a complexing agent, and a reducing agent free from alkali metal.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus (10) has a substrate holder (12) for detachably holding a substrate (W) so that a surface, to be processed, of the substrate faces downward, and a sealing ring (18) for sealing a peripheral portion of the surface, to be processed, of the substrate (W) held by the substrate holder (12). The substrate processing apparatus (10) also has a plurality of ejection nozzles (40) disposed below the substrate holder (12) for ejecting a treatment solution toward the surface, to be processed, of the substrate (W) held by the substrate holder (12), and a mechanism for rotating and vertically moving the substrate holder (12) and the ejection nozzles (40) relative to each other.