The invention relates to a method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station and a process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate.

The method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment comprises the following steps, not necessarily in this order: mounting a substrate to be treated to a rotor unit, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into a pre-wetting chamber of the process station, applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber, spinning the rotor unit with the substrate in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate, rotating the rotor unit with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces away from the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into an electroplating chamber of the process station, applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate in the electroplating chamber, and moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the electroplating chamber.

There is provided a cleaning method and a cleaning apparatus capable of removing dirt on electrical contacts, the dirt being unable to be removed with deionized water, without adversely affecting a plating solution and a substrate holder which is a member for holding a substrate. A cleaning method according to the present disclosure is a cleaning method for a substrate holder having electrical contacts for supplying electric power to a substrate by contacting the substrate to plate the substrate, the method including a cleaning step of cleaning the electrical contacts attached to the substrate holder with a citric acid aqueous solution.

A method of making an electrical component includes transmitting electrical energy from a power source through one or more deposition anodes, through an electrolyte solution, and to an intralayer electrical-connection feature of a build plate, such that material is electrochemically deposited onto the intralayer electrical-connection feature and forms an interlayer electrical-connection feature. The method also includes securing a dielectric material so that the dielectric material contacts and electrically insulates the intralayer electrical-connection feature and contacts and at least partially electrically insulates the interlayer electrical-connection feature. The method additionally includes depositing a seed layer onto the dielectric material and the interlayer electrical-connection feature, electrochemically depositing material onto the seed layer, to form at least one second intralayer electrical-connection feature of the electrical component, and removing any one or more portions of the seed layer onto which no portion of the at least one second intralayer electrical-connection feature is formed.

A method of making an electrical component includes transmitting electrical energy from a power source through one or more deposition anodes, through an electrolyte solution, and to an intralayer electrical-connection feature of a build plate, such that material is electrochemically deposited onto the intralayer electrical-connection feature and forms an interlayer electrical-connection feature. The method also includes securing a dielectric material so that the dielectric material contacts and electrically insulates the intralayer electrical-connection feature and contacts and at least partially electrically insulates the interlayer electrical-connection feature. The method additionally includes depositing a seed layer onto the dielectric material and the interlayer electrical-connection feature, electrochemically depositing material onto the seed layer, to form at least one second intralayer electrical-connection feature of the electrical component, and removing any one or more portions of the seed layer onto which no portion of the at least one second intralayer electrical-connection feature is formed.

Exemplary electroplating systems may include a vessel. The systems may include a paddle disposed within the vessel. The paddle may be characterized by a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the paddle may be include a plurality of ribs that extend upward from the first surface. The plurality of ribs may be arranged in a generally parallel manner about the first surface. The paddle may define a plurality of apertures through a thickness of the paddle. Each of the plurality of apertures may have a diameter of less than about 5 mm. The paddle may have an open area of less than about 15%.

The plating machine 1 comprises a plurality of treatment units 14 and a conveying means 13 that conveys a wafer W to the plurality of treatment units 14, wherein the conveying means 13 includes an arm 31 that is provided, on one end side, with a plating tool 32 that holds the wafer W, and an arm rotation drive unit 33 that rotates the arm 31 around another end side of the arm 31, and the plurality of treatment units 14 is arranged at predetermined intervals on a rotation trajectory of the plating tool 32.

The plating machine 1 comprises a plurality of treatment units 14 and a conveying means 13 that conveys a wafer W to the plurality of treatment units 14, wherein the conveying means 13 includes an arm 31 that is provided, on one end side, with a plating tool 32 that holds the wafer W, and an arm rotation drive unit 33 that rotates the arm 31 around another end side of the arm 31, and the plurality of treatment units 14 is arranged at predetermined intervals on a rotation trajectory of the plating tool 32.

An electroplating apparatus includes: an electroplating bath including an anode region, in which an anode electrode is arranged, a cathode region and a membrane; a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer and configured so that a first cathode potential is applied to the contact ring during an electroplating process; a reverse potential electrode arranged adjacent to the membrane and configured so that a second cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during the electroplating process, and a reverse cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during a rinsing process, and a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential and the second cathode potential during the electroplating process, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential and a reverse anode potential to the anode electrode during the rinsing process.

An electroplating apparatus includes: an electroplating bath including an anode region, in which an anode electrode is arranged, a cathode region and a membrane; a head unit including a contact ring holding a wafer and configured so that a first cathode potential is applied to the contact ring during an electroplating process; a reverse potential electrode arranged adjacent to the membrane and configured so that a second cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during the electroplating process, and a reverse cathode potential is applied to the reverse potential electrode during a rinsing process, and a power supply unit configured to apply the first cathode potential and the second cathode potential during the electroplating process, and further configured to apply the reverse cathode potential and a reverse anode potential to the anode electrode during the rinsing process.

A wafer plating fixture for use in simultaneously electroplating a two substrates. The wafer plating fixture including: an electrically conductive carrier bus; a plurality of contact clips electrically coupled to the carrier bus and configured to hold the two substrates in place and electrically couple the two substrates to the carrier bus; and a non-conductive substrate backer to separate the two substrates coupled to the carrier bus. A method of electroplating a plurality of substrates. The method including: mounting two substrates to be plated onto a wafer plating fixture; mounting the wafer plating fixture on a continuous belt of plating system; dipping the wafer plating fixture with the two substrates held thereon into an electroplating bath; and applying a voltage to the two substrates via the wafer plating fixture.