Patent Application
20240035190
The present disclosure relates to a substrate holder, an apparatus for plating, a method of plating and a storage medium configured to store a program that causes a computer to perform a control method of the apparatus for plating.
In the course of electrolytic plating, when some problem or defect (for example, irregularities of a substrate or deterioration of a seal) causes a leakage of a plating solution into a substrate holder, a seed layer is corroded and/or dissolved by the plating solution entering inside of the holder. This is likely to cause a conduction failure and to reduce the uniformity of plating.
The specification of U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,366 (Patent Document 1) and the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 8,168,057 (Patent Document 2) describe configurations of pressurizing one side of a seal of a substrate by a fluid, so as to prevent the fluid from entering from an opposite side of the seal. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2020-117763 (Patent Document 3) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2020-117765 (Patent Document 4) describe configurations of injecting a liquid into an internal space where an outer circumferential portion of a substrate is placed in a sealed manner, so as to prevent a plating solution from entering the internal space and thereby prevent deposition of plating on the outer circumferential portion of the substrate and on a contact member.
Even when any of the countermeasures described in the above patent documents is taken, the plating solution is likely to enter the internal space according to the degree of the irregularities of the substrate or the degree of deterioration of the seal. None of the above patent documents, however, describes or mentions any effective countermeasure in the case where the plating solution enters the internal space.
One object of the present disclosure is to suppress or prevent a plating solution from entering a sealed space of a substrate holder and to detect entry of the plating solution promptly. One object of the present disclosure is to prevent reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film even in the case where the plating solution enters the sealed space of the substrate holder.
According to one aspect, there is provided a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and cause the substrate to come into contact with a plating solution and to be plated. The substrate holder comprises an internal space configured to place an outer circumferential portion of the substrate therein such as to be sealed from outside of the substrate holder, in a state that the substrate is held by the substrate holder; a first passage configured to connect the outside of the substrate holder with the internal space and to introduce a liquid into the internal space; and a detector placed in the internal space and configured to monitor an electric current flowing in the liquid or an electric resistance of the liquid during plating in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space and thereby detect a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space.
According to one aspect, the substrate holder may further comprise a contact placed in the internal space and configured to come into contact with a seed layer formed on a surface of the substrate and to make a flow of plating current to the substrate; and a soluble electrode biased to a higher potential side relative to the contact.
The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to drawings. In the drawings attached, identical or similar elements are expressed by identical or similar reference signs. In the description of the respective embodiments, duplicated description on the identical or similar elements may be omitted. The features and the characteristics shown in each of the embodiment are also applicable to the other embodiments unless they are contradictory to each other.
In the description hereof, a term “substrate” includes not only semiconductor substrates, glass substrates, liquid crystal substrates and printed circuit boards but magnetic recording media, magnetic recording sensors, mirrors, optical elements, micromachine elements, partially fabricated integrated circuits, and any other objects to be processed. The “substrate” includes those having any arbitrary shapes, such as a polygonal shape and a circular shape. In the description hereof, the expressions such as “front face”, “rear face”, “front”, “back”, “upper” or “upward”, “lower” or “downward”, “left” or “leftward” and “right” and “rightward” are used. These expressions indicate the positions, the orientations, and the directions on the sheet surface of the illustrated drawings for the purpose of explanation, and these positions, orientations and directions may be different from those in the actual arrangement, for example, when using the apparatus.
The loading/unloading station 110 includes one or a plurality of cassette tables 25 and a substrate mounting/demounting module 29. The cassette table 25 allows a cassette with a substrate placed therein to be mounted thereon. The substrate mounting/demounting module 29 is configured to mount the substrate to the substrate holder 200 and demount the substrate from the substrate holder 200. A stocker 30 configured to place the substrate holder 200 therein is provided in the vicinity of (for example, below) the substrate mounting/demounting module 29. The cleaning station 50a has a cleaning module 50 configured to clean the substrate after the plating process and dry the cleaned substrate. The cleaning module 50 is, for example, a spin rinse dryer.
A transfer robot 27 is placed at a location surrounded by the cassette tables 25, the substrate mounting/demounting module 29 and the cleaning station 50a to transfer the substrate between these units. The transfer robot 27 is configured to be travelable by a traveling mechanism 28. The transfer robot 27 is configured, for example, to take out a substrate before plating from the cassette 25a and transfer the substrate before plating to the substrate mounting/demounting module 29, to receive a substrate after plating from the substrate mounting/demounting module 29, to transfer the substrate after plating to the cleaning module 50, and to take out a cleaned and dried substrate from the cleaning module 50 and place the cleaned and dried substrate into the cassette 25a.
The preprocess and postprocess module 120A includes a pre-wet module 32, a pre-soak module 33, a first rinse module 34, a blow module 35 and a second rinse module 36. The pre-wet module 32 wets a surface to be plated or a plating surface of the substrate before the plating process with a process liquid, such as pure water or deaerated water, so as to replace the air inside a pattern formed on the surface of the substrate with the process liquid. The pre-wet module 32 is configured to perform a pre-wet process that replaces the process liquid inside the pattern with a plating solution during plating and thereby facilitates supplying the plating solution to inside of the pattern. The pre-soak module 33 is configured to perform a pre-soak process that removes an oxidized film of a large electrical resistance present on, for example, the surface of a seed layer formed on the plating surface of the substrate before the plating process by etching using a process liquid, such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, and cleans or activates the surface of a plating base layer. The first rinse module 34 cleans the substrate after the pre-soak process along with the substrate holder 200 by using a cleaning solution (for example, pure water). The blow module 35 drains the liquid from the substrate after cleaning. The second rinse module 36 cleans the substrate after plating along with the substrate holder 200 by using a cleaning solution. The pre-wet module 32, the pre-soak module 33, the first rinse module 34, the blow module 35 and the second rinse module 36 are placed in this sequence. This configuration is only an example, and the preprocess and postprocess module 120A is not limited to the configuration described above but may adopt another configuration.
The plating module 120B includes a plurality of plating tanks (plating cells) 39 and an overflow tank 38. Each of the plating tanks 39 has one substrate placed inside thereof and soaks the substrate in a plating solution kept inside thereof, so as to plate the surface of the substrate, for example, by copper plating. The type of the plating solution is not specifically limited, but various plating solutions may be used according to their uses and applications. This configuration of the plating module 120B is only one example, and the plating module 120B may adopt another configuration.
The plating apparatus 100 also includes a transfer device 37 that employs, for example, a linear motor system and that is located on a lateral side of these respective devices described above to transfer the substrate holder 200 along with the substrate between these devices. This transfer device 37 is configured to transfer the substrate holder 200 between the substrate mounting/demounting module 29, the stocker 30, the pre-wet module 32, the pre-soak module 33, the first rinse module 34, the blow module 35, the second rinse module 36, and the plating module 120B.
The plating apparatus 100 configured as described above has a control module (controller) 175 serving as a control portion configured to control the respective portions described above. The controller 175 includes a memory 175B configured to store predetermined programs therein and a CPU 175A configured to perform the programs stored in the memory 175B. A storage medium that configures the memory 175B stores a variety of set data and various programs including programs of controlling the plating apparatus 100. The programs include, for example, programs of performing transfer control of the transfer robot 27, mounting and demounting control of the substrate to and from the substrate holder 200 in the substrate mounting/demounting module 29, transfer control of the transfer device 37, controls of the processings in the respective processing modules, control of the plating process in each of the plating tanks 39, and control of the cleaning station 50a. The storage medium may include a non-volatile storage medium and/or a volatile storage medium. The storage medium used herein may be any of computer readable known storage media, for example, memories such as ROMs, RAMs, flash memories, hard disks, and disk-shaped storage media such as CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and flexible disks.
The controller 175 is configured to make communication with a non-illustrated upper-level controller that comprehensively controls the plating apparatus 100 and other relevant apparatuses and to exchange data with a database included in the upper level controller. Part or the entirety of the functions of the controller 175 may be configured by hardware, such as an ASIC. Part or the entirety of the functions of the controller 175 may also be configured by a sequencer. Part or the entirety of the controller 175 may be placed inside and/or outside of the housing of the plating apparatus 100. Part or the entirety of the controller 175 is connected to make communication with the respective portions of the plating apparatus 100 by wire and/or wirelessly.
The anode 40 and the substrate W are placed to be extended in a vertical direction and to be opposed to each anode in the plating solution. Another embodiment may, however, employ a configuration that the anode 40 and the substrate W are placed to be extended in a horizontal direction (cup-type configuration). The anode 40 is connected with a positive electrode of a power supply 90 via the anode holder 60, whereas the substrate W is connected with a negative electrode of the power supply 90 via the substrate holder 200. When a voltage is applied between the anode 40 and the substrate W, electric current flows to the substrate W, so as to form a metal film on the surface of the substrate W in the presence of the plating solution.
The plating module 120B further includes an overflow tank 38 that is placed adjacent to the plating tanks 39. The plating solution in the plating tank 39 flows over a side wall of the plating tank 39 and flows into the overflow tank 38. One end of a circulation line 58a for the plating solution is connected with a bottom of the overflow tank 38, and the other end of the circulation line 58a is connected with a bottom of the plating tank 39. The circulation line 58a is provided with a circulation pump 58b, a thermostat unit 58c, and a filter 58d. The plating solution Q flows over the side wall of the plating tank 39, flows into the overflow tank 38 and further flows from the overflow tank 38 through the circulation line 58a to be returned to the plating tank 39. In this manner, the plating solution Q is circulated between the plating tank 39 and the overflow tank 38 through the circulation line 58a.
The plating apparatus 100 further includes a regulation plate 14 configured to regulate a potential distribution on the substrate W and a paddle 16 configured to stir the plating solution in the plating tank 39. The regulation plate 14 is placed between the paddle 16 and the anode 40 and has an opening 14a provided to limit an electric field in the plating solution. The paddle 16 is placed in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 200 in the plating tank 39. The paddle 16 is composed of, for example, titanium (Ti) or a resin. The paddle 16 reciprocates in parallel to the surface of the substrate W to stir the plating solution Q and thereby uniformly supply a sufficient amount of metal ion to the surface of the substrate W in the course of plating the substrate W.
The configuration described above is only one example, and the plating apparatus 100, the plating module 120B or the like may employ another configuration.
The front plate 210 includes a holder body 211, a plurality of contacts 213, a bus bar 214 and a clamp mechanism 217. The plurality of contacts 213, the bus bar 214 and the clamp mechanism 217 are provided on an inside surface of the holder body 211. The holder body 211 includes an opening 211A that causes a surface to be plated or a plating surface of the substrate W to be exposed. A handle 212 is attached to one end side of the holder body 211. The plurality of contacts 213 are provided along an outer circumference of the opening 211A. The contacts 213 serve as electric contacts that come into contact with a seed layer of the substrate W to apply the plating current to the substrate. The bus bar 214 serves to electrically connect the contacts 213 with an external connection terminal 218 provided on the handle 212. The bus bar 214 is wiring or interconnection serving to connect the contacts 213 with the power supply 90 via the external connection terminal 218. An inner side seal 215 is provided on an inner side of the contacts 213 surrounding the opening 211A to come into contact with the substrate W and to seal between the substrate W and the substrate holder 200. An outer side seal 216 is provided on an outer side of the bus bar 214 to come into contact with the back plate 220 and seal the substrate holder 200. The clamp mechanism 217 is provided on an outer side of the outer side seal 216 and cooperates with a clamp mechanism 227 of the back plate 220 to engage the front plate 210 and the back plate 220 with each other.
The back plate 220 includes a holder body 221 and a clamp mechanism 227 provided on an outer circumferential part of the holder body 221. The holder body 221 includes an opening 221A. The opening 221A may, however, be omitted as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
According to the embodiment, the substrate holder 200 with the substrate W held thereby is soaked in the pure water (deaerated water) in the processing tank 301, and the valve 231A of the introduction passage 231 is opened to introduce the pure water through the introduction passage 231 into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 and to fill the internal space 240 with the pure water. According to another embodiment, the substrate holder 200 with the substrate W held thereby is soaked in the pure water in the processing tank 301, and the valves 231A and 232A are opened to introduce the pure water through the introduction passage 231 into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200, to discharge the air in the internal space 240 through the discharge passage 232, to discharge the pure water filled in the internal space 240 through the discharge passage 232, and to fill the internal space 240 with the pure water. The valve 213A and/or the valve 232A may be opened before the substrate holder 200 is soaked in the pure water. The valve 231A and the valve 232A are closed after the internal space 240 is filled with the pure water.
It is preferable that the internal space 240 is fully filled with pure water, with a view to fully removing the air. In some cases, however, a slight amount of the air or air bubbles may be allowed to remain according to a desired degree of the functions and the advantageous effects described later. The following description of the embodiment is on the assumption that the internal space 240 is fully filled with pure water.
For example, an additional passage may further be provided to connect the internal space 240 with a non-illustrated decompression device (for example, a vacuum pump). After inside of the internal space 240 is decompressed, pure water may be introduced into the internal space 240 by shutting off this additional passage and opening the valve 231A. The valve 232A may also be opened to fill the internal space 240 with pure water more reliably. In another example, no additional passage may further be provided, but a decompression device may be connected with the discharge passage 232. After inside of the internal space 240 is decompressed, pure water may be introduced into the internal space 240 by closing the valve 232A and opening the valve 231A.
In a rinse process (by the second rinse module 36) or in a blow process (by the blow module 35) after plating, the pure water in the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 may be discharged by opening the valve 231A and the valve 232A again.
When the plating solution Q enters inside of the internal space 240A, in the state of a high electric resistance Rwafer of the seed layer 401 and/or a high contact resistance Rcontact between the contact 213 and the seed layer 401, short-circuit current (shunt current) Ishunt flowing from the seed layer 401 through the plating solution Q to the contact 213 is generated by ion conduction in the plating solution Q and redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction on the surface of the seed layer 401 and on the surface of the contact 213. As shown in
In the configuration of the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example, when the plating solution Q enters the internal space 240A, the local cell function by the concentration gradient of dissolved oxygen and/or the shunt current described above may cause the seed layer 401 to be dissolved and electrically insulated.
The embodiment, on the other hand, employs a configuration that the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 is filled with pure water (for example, DIW) (as shown in
In the example of
The application of the DC voltage to the electrode 235A and the detection of the electric current (electric resistance) are controlled by the controller 175. The controller 175 obtains an electric current flowing in the electrode 235A (electric current flowing in pure water in the internal space 240) via the current detector 237A and detects a leakage of the plating liquid to the internal space 240, based on this detected electric current. The controller 175 also obtains an electric current flowing through the electrode 235A, calculates an electric resistance value of pure water from the voltage between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214) and the detected electric current, and detects a leakage, based on the calculated electric resistance value.
When there is no leakage of the plating solution to the internal space 240, no electric current flows (or only a very weak electric current flows) between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214), because of an extremely high electric resistance of pure water in the internal space 240. When there is a leakage, on the other hand, the plating solution is mixed into pure water and decreases the electric resistance of pure water. This causes electric current to flow (or increases the electric current) between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214). Using the electrode 235A in this manner enables a leakage of the plating solution into the internal space 240 to be detected. Since the electrode 235A serving as the sacrificial anode is biased to a higher potential relative to the contact 213 and the seed layer 401, even when there is a leakage of such an amount of the plating solution that is likely to cause corrosion of the seed layer 401, the electrode 235A is dissolved preferentially. This accordingly suppresses or prevents dissolution of the seed layer 401.
In the configuration of the embodiment, the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 is filled with pure water. Compared with the configuration that the internal space 240 is hollow, this configuration reduces a pressure difference between inside and outside of the internal space 240 and suppresses or prevents a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space 240. This suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film caused by a leakage of the plating solution.
In the configuration of the embodiment, the internal space 240 is filled with pure water. Even when a leakage of the plating solution occurs, this configuration limits entry of the plating solution into the internal space 240 to only a very little amount that is a diffused amount. This configuration accordingly suppresses dissolution (corrosion) of the seed layer 401 caused by the local cell function due to the concentration of dissolved oxygen and/or the shunt current. The plating solution entering the internal space 240 is diluted with pure water. Such dilution further suppresses corrosion of the seed layer 401. This accordingly suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film.
In the configuration of the embodiment, inside of the internal space 240 is filled with pure water and has a low oxygen concentration. This suppresses dissolution of the seed layer 401 caused by the local cell function due to the dissolved oxygen. This accordingly suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film.
In the configuration of the embodiment, even in the case where there is a leakage of such an amount of the plating solution that is likely to cause corrosion, the electrode 235A serving as the sacrificial anode is dissolved preferentially. This suppresses or prevents dissolution of the seed layer 401. This accordingly suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film caused by a leakage of the plating solution.
Furthermore, the configuration of the embodiment monitors the electric current (electric resistance) between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214) and thereby detects the occurrence or no occurrence of a leakage of the plating solution into the internal space 240 promptly. Even when a leakage of the plating solution occurs, this configuration enables a leakage of the plating solution to be detected promptly by the electrode 235A and thereby promptly detects an abnormality of the substrate holder 200 and a replacement timing of the seal. This configuration accordingly detects a leakage of the plating solution promptly and suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film.
In the example of
In the example of
The application of the AC voltage to the electrode 235B and the detection of the electric current (electric resistance) are controlled by the controller 175. The controller 175 obtains an electric current flowing in the electrode 235B (electric current flowing in pure water in the internal space 240) via the current detector 237B and detects a leakage of the plating liquid to the internal space 240, based on this detected electric current. The controller 175 also obtains an electric current flowing through the electrode 235B, calculates an electric resistance value of pure water from the voltage between the electrode 235B and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214) and the detected electric current, and detects a leakage, based on the calculated electric resistance value.
When there is no leakage of the plating solution to the internal space 240, no electric current flows (or only a very weak electric current flows) between the electrode 235B and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214), because of an extremely high electric resistance of pure water in the internal space 240. When there is a leakage, on the other hand, the plating solution is mixed into pure water and decreases the electric resistance of pure water. This causes electric current to flow (or increases the electric current) between the electrode 235B and the contact 213 (the bus bar 214). Using the insoluble electrode 235B in this manner enables a leakage of the plating solution into the internal space 240 to be detected.
The configuration of the example shown in
The configuration of the example shown in
The present disclosure may be implemented by aspects described below:
According to an aspect 1, there is provided a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and cause the substrate to come into contact with a plating solution and to be plated. The substrate holder comprises an internal space configured to place an outer circumferential portion of the substrate therein such as to be sealed from outside of the substrate holder, in a state that the substrate is held by the substrate holder; a first passage configured to connect the outside of the substrate holder with the internal space and to introduce a liquid into the internal space; and a detector placed in the internal space and configured to monitor an electric current flowing in the liquid or an electric resistance of the liquid during plating in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space and thereby detect a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space. The liquid is, for example, water or another liquid that does not corrode a component exposed in the internal space of the substrate holder. The liquid used may be, for example, pure water used in a pre-wet process.
The substrate holder of this aspect suppresses or prevents corrosion of a seed layer of the substrate caused by a leakage of the plating solution and suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film. The configuration that the internal space of the substrate holder is filled with the liquid reduces a pressure difference between inside and outside of the internal space and suppresses or prevents a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space. Furthermore, since inside of the internal space is filled with the liquid, even when a leakage occurs to cause the plating solution to enter inside of the sealed internal space, this configuration limits entry of the plating solution into the internal space to only a very little amount that is an amount diffused into the liquid, and thereby suppresses corrosion of the seed layer of the substrate. Moreover, the plating solution entering the internal space is diluted with the liquid. Such dilution further suppresses corrosion of the seed layer of the substrate. Furthermore, inside of the internal space has a low oxygen concentration. This suppresses corrosion of the seed layer caused by a local cell function due to dissolved oxygen.
Even when a leakage of the plating solution occurs, this configuration enables a leakage of the plating solution to be detected promptly by the detector. This promptly detects an abnormality of the substrate holder and a replacement timing of a seal. This configuration accordingly detects a leakage of the plating solution promptly and suppresses or prevents reduction of the uniformity in the thickness of a plating film.
According to an aspect 2, the substrate holder described in the above aspect 1 may further comprise a contact placed in the internal space and configured to come into contact with a seed layer formed on a surface of the substrate and to make a flow of plating current to the substrate; and a soluble electrode biased to a higher potential side relative to the contact.
In the substrate holder of this aspect, since the soluble electrode is biased to a higher potential relative to the contact and the seed layer, even when there is a leakage of such an amount of the plating solution that is likely to cause corrosion of the seed layer, the soluble electrode serves as a sacrificial anode and is dissolved preferentially. This configuration accordingly suppresses or prevents dissolution of the seed layer.
According to an aspect 3, in the substrate holder described in the above aspect 1, the soluble electrode may serve as the detector, and the detector may be configured to monitor an electric current flowing between the electrode and the contact or a wiring electrically connected with the contact in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space, and thereby to detect a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space.
The substrate holder of this aspect monitors the electric current flowing between the sacrificial anode (the soluble electrode) and the contact or the like to detect a leakage or no leakage of the plating solution. This configuration accordingly does not require any additional electrode for detection of a leakage.
According to an aspect 4, the substrate holder described in the above aspect 1 may further comprise a contact placed in the internal space and configured to come into contact with a seed layer formed on a surface of the substrate and to make a flow of plating current to the substrate. The detector may have an insoluble electrode, and the detector may be configured to apply an AC voltage between the insoluble electrode and the contact or a wiring electrically connected with the contact, in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space, and monitor an electric current flowing in the insoluble electrode, so as to detect a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space.
The substrate holder of this aspect uses the insoluble electrode as the detector. This configuration does not cause deposition of a metal from the electrode onto the contact or the like and thereby facilitates maintenance of the substrate holder.
According to an aspect 5, the substrate holder described in the above aspect 4 may further comprise a soluble electrode biased to a higher potential side relative to the contact.
The substrate holder of this aspect causes the soluble electrode to be dissolved in prior to the seed layer and thereby suppresses or prevents dissolution of the seed layer, in addition to the functions and the advantageous effects of the aspect 1 and the aspect 4 described above.
According to an aspect 6, in the substrate holder described in the above aspect 5, the soluble electrode may serve as the detector, and the detector may be configured to detect a leakage of the plating solution to the internal space by using both the insoluble electrode and the soluble electrode.
The substrate holder of this aspect detects a leakage of the plating solution by both the soluble electrode (the sacrificial anode) and the insoluble electrode. This configuration enhances the detection accuracy of a leakage of the plating solution. Even in the case where one of the electrodes has a failure or defect, this configuration still allows for detection of a leakage of the plating solution. This accordingly enables a leakage of the plating solution to be detected with more reliably and enhances the redundancy of detection of a leakage.
According to an aspect 7, in the substrate holder described in any of the above aspects 3 to 6, the wiring may be a bus bar(s). The configuration of this aspect reduces a space required for placing the wiring and thereby reduces an electric resistance of the wiring, compared with a configuration using a plurality of cables.
According to an aspect 8, the substrate holder described in any of the aspects 1 to 7 described above may further comprise a valve placed in the first passage and configured to connect or disconnect between the outside of the substrate holder and the internal space.
In the substrate holder of this aspect, the valve is opened and closed to connect and disconnect between the internal space and the outside of the substrate holder. This configuration enables the substrate to be subjected to a plating process in a state that the internal space of the substrate holder is securely sealed.
According to an aspect 9, the substrate holder described in any of the above aspects 1 to 8 may further comprise a second passage configured to connect the outside of the substrate holder with the internal space and discharge air and/or the liquid from the internal space.
In the substrate holder of this aspect, the air in the internal space is discharged through the second passage, while the liquid is introduced through the first passage. This configuration enables the liquid to be introduced into the internal space with high efficiency. The liquid introduced through the first passage to fill the internal space is discharged from the second passage. This configuration enables the internal space to be filled with the liquid, while preventing air bubbles from being left in the internal space. According to a modification, the second passage may be connected with a decompression device, and the liquid may be introduced through the first passage into the internal space during decompression or after decompression of the internal space. This modified configuration enables the liquid to be quickly introduced into the decompressed internal space.
According to an aspect 10, the substrate holder described in any of the above aspects 1 to 9 may further comprise a third passage configured to connect the outside of the substrate holder with the internal space and connected with a device configured to decompress the internal space.
The substrate holder of this aspect introduces the liquid through the first passage into the internal space during decompression or after decompression of the internal space. This enables the liquid to be quickly introduced into the internal space.
According to an aspect 11, in the substrate holder described in any of the above aspects 1 to 10, the liquid may be pure water or deaerated or inert gas-replaced pure water.
The substrate holder of this aspect introduces pure water into the internal space. This suppresses entry of the plating solution into the internal space, while suppressing corrosion of a conductor member in the internal space. Furthermore, introduction of pure water or deaerated or inert gas-replaced pure water into the internal space reduces the oxygen concentration in the internal space. This accordingly suppresses chemical corrosion of the seed layer caused by the local cell function due to the concentration of dissolved oxygen, even when the plating solution enters the internal space.
According to an aspect 12, there is provided an apparatus for plating, comprising: the substrate holder described in any of the above aspects 1 to 11; a liquid supply module configured to supply the liquid into the internal space through the first passage of the substrate holder; a plating module configured to receive the substrate holder and to cause the substrate to come into contact with the plating solution and to be plated; and a control module configured to obtain an output from the detector during plating in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space and thereby to detect a leakage or no leakage of the plating solution to the internal space.
This aspect provides the apparatus for plating having the functions and the advantageous effects described above.
According to an aspect 13, in the apparatus for plating described in the above aspect 12, the liquid supply module may be a pre-wet module configured to cause a surface of the substrate to come into contact with pure water or deaerated or inert gas-replaced pure water.
The configuration of this aspect causes the liquid to be introduced into the internal space of the substrate holder in the pre-wet module. This configuration does not require any additional module for introducing the liquid into the internal space. This accordingly suppresses size expansion of the apparatus and/or an increase in cost.
According to an aspect 14, there is provided a method of plating a substrate, comprising: introducing a liquid into an internal space of a substrate holder that is configured to place an outer circumferential portion of the substrate therein such as to be sealed from outside; and monitoring an electric current flowing in the liquid or an electric resistance of the liquid in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space and thereby detecting a leakage of a plating solution to the internal space. This aspect has similar functions and advantageous effects to those of the aspect 1 described above.
According to an aspect 15, there is provided a storage medium configured to store a program that causes a computer to perform a method of controlling a plating apparatus, wherein the program comprises: introducing a liquid into an internal space of a substrate holder that is configured to place an outer circumferential portion of a substrate therein such as to be sealed from outside; and monitoring an electric current flowing in the liquid or an electric resistance of the liquid in a state that the liquid is introduced into the internal space and thereby detecting a leakage of a plating solution to the internal space. This aspect has similar functions and advantageous effects to those of the aspect 1 described above.
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described based on some examples, the embodiments of the invention described above are presented to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention. The present invention can be altered and improved without departing from the subject matter of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the present invention includes equivalents thereof. In addition, it is possible to arbitrarily combine or omit the embodiments and the modifications described above and it is also possible to arbitrarily combine or omit respective constituent elements described in the claims and the specification in a range where at least a part of the above-mentioned problem can be solved or a range where at least a part of the effect is exhibited.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/000460 | 1/8/2021 | WO |
