Disclosed in the present invention is a method for cleaning an electroplating device. When the electroplating device is cleaned, a partition is used for replacing an ionic membrane framework to separate a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, such that the cathode chamber and the anode chamber are independently cleaned. After an electroplating chamber is cleaned, an exhaust pipe is used for emptying the cleaning solution remaining in the anode chamber and in the liquid inlet channel arranged in a sidewall of the anode chamber, such that no cleaning solution remains after the electroplating chamber is cleaned, thereby eliminating the effect of the residual cleaning solution on the ionic concentration ratio of an electroplating solution in electroplating solution preparation procedures.

A cleaning device for removing contamination on a substrate holder used with an electroplating cell includes an arm, a cleaning agent supplier, a nozzle and a receiver. The cleaning agent supplier is coupled to the arm and configured to supply a cleaning agent. The nozzle is coupled to the cleaning agent supplier and configured to spray the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder to remove the contamination. The receiver is coupled to the arm and configured to receive the cleaning agent after the cleaning agent is sprayed onto the substrate holder.

There is provided a method of adjusting a plating module, wherein the plating module comprises a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, an anode placed to be opposed to the substrate holder, and a plate placed between the substrate holder and the anode to serve as an ionically resistive element. The method comprises: providing a plating module of initial setting, which is initially set in such a state that a porosity in an outer circumferential portion of the plate is adjusted to reduce a plating film thickness in an outer circumferential portion of the substrate to be smaller than a film thickness in another portion; and adjusting a distance between the substrate holder and the plate so as to flatten a distribution of plating film thickness of the entire substrate by adjustment of the distance between the substrate holder and the plate such as to increase a film thickness in the outer circumferential portion of the substrate according to a film thickness distribution of the substrate that is plated in the plating module.

Electrodeposition baths, systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, the baths, systems and methods are used to deposit metal alloy coatings.

An electroplating apparatus has a rotor in a head, with a contact ring on the rotor. A lift/rotate actuator may move the head to position a sector of the contact ring into a deplate channel of a deplating station. Electrical current and a deplate liquid are applied directly onto the contacts of the contact ring, from a position radially inward of the contacts. Electrical current and a deplate liquid may also be separately applied onto the back side of the ring contact, from a position radially to the outside of the contact ring. A seal on the deplating station makes sliding contact with the contact ring as the contact ring rotates through the deplate channel, with the seal associated with an exhaust or vacuum opening that pulls deplating and rinse liquid through openings in the contact ring.

An electroplating apparatus has a rotor in a head, with a contact ring on the rotor. A lift/rotate actuator may move the head to position a sector of the contact ring into a deplate channel of a deplating station. Electrical current and a deplate liquid are applied directly onto the contacts of the contact ring, from a position radially inward of the contacts. Electrical current and a deplate liquid may also be separately applied onto the back side of the ring contact, from a position radially to the outside of the contact ring. A seal on the deplating station makes sliding contact with the contact ring as the contact ring rotates through the deplate channel, with the seal associated with an exhaust or vacuum opening that pulls deplating and rinse liquid through openings in the contact ring.

A cleaning device for removing contamination on a substrate holder used with an electroplating cell includes an arm, a cleaning agent supplier, a nozzle and a receiver. The cleaning agent supplier is coupled to the arm and configured to supply a cleaning agent. The nozzle is coupled to the cleaning agent supplier and configured to spray the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder to remove the contamination. The receiver is coupled to the arm and configured to receive the cleaning agent after the cleaning agent is sprayed onto the substrate holder.

A cleaning device for removing contamination on a substrate holder used with an electroplating cell includes an arm, a cleaning agent supplier, a nozzle and a receiver. The cleaning agent supplier is coupled to the arm and configured to supply a cleaning agent. The nozzle is coupled to the cleaning agent supplier and configured to spray the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder to remove the contamination. The receiver is coupled to the arm and configured to receive the cleaning agent after the cleaning agent is sprayed onto the substrate holder.

One object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique of suppressing deterioration of a seed layer of a substrate. There is provided a method of plating, comprising: a process of holding a substrate by a substrate holder, such that a sealed space is formed to protect a contact provided to supply electricity to the substrate, from a plating solution while the substrate holder holds the substrate, and that a contact location between the substrate and the contact is locally covered with a liquid in the sealed space; a process of soaking the substrate held by the substrate holder in the plating solution and placing the substrate to be opposed to an anode; and a process of performing a plating process of the substrate with supplying electric current between the substrate and the anode, in a state that the contact location between the substrate and the contact is covered with a liquid.

Provided are cleaning methods and systems to remove unintended metallic deposits from electroplating apparatuses using reverse current deplating techniques. Such cleaning involves positioning a cleaning (deplating) disk in an electroplating cup similar to a regular processed substrate. The front surface of the cleaning disk includes a corrosion resistant conductive material to form electrical connections to deposits on the cup's surfaces. The disk is sealed in the cup and submerged into a plating solution. A reverse current is then applied to the front conductive surface of the disk to initiate deplating of the deposits. Sealing compression in the cup may change during cleaning to cause different deformation of the lip seal and to form new electrical connections to the deposits. The proposed cleaning may be applied to remove deposits formed during electroplating of alloys, in particular, tin-silver alloys widely used for semiconductor and wafer level packaging.