One object of this application is to provide an advanced substrate holder including a clamper. A substrate holder holds a substrate by interposing the substrate between frames. The substrate holder includes a front frame, a rear frame, and one or a plurality of clampers. Each of the clampers includes a hook portion including a hook base and a hook main body, and a plate including at least one claw. At least one of the clampers includes the plate including a first claw for a lock and a second claw for a semi-lock.

A method of controlling chemical concentration in electrolyte includes measuring a chemical concentration in an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is contained in a tank; and increasing a vapor flux through an exhaust pipe connected to the tank when the measured chemical concentration is lower than a control lower limit value.

An electroless semiconductor bonding structure, an electroless plating system and an electroless plating method of the same are provided. The electroless semiconductor bonding structure includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a first metal bonding structure disposed adjacent to a first surface of the first substrate. The second substrate includes a second metal bonding structure disposed adjacent to a second surface of the second substrate. The first metal bonding structure connects to the second metal bonding structure at an interface by electroless bonding and the interface is substantially void free.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a holding device that includes a conductive member and holds a substrate, a conduction path structure that includes a conductive material and positioned such that the conduction path structure is in contact with the holding device, a supply device that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate held by the holding device, and a grounding structure including a variable resistance device that changes a resistance such that the grounding structure has a first end portion connected the conduction path structure and a second end portion connected to a ground potential.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for electrochemical deposition on a workpiece includes (a) obtaining a workpiece including a feature; (b) depositing a first conductive layer in the feature; (c) moving the workpiece to an integrated electrochemical deposition plating tool configured for hydrogen radical H* surface treatment and electrochemical deposition; (d) treating the first conductive layer using a hydrogen radical H* surface treatment in a treatment chamber of the plating tool to produce a treated first conductive layer; and (e) maintaining the workpiece in the same plating tool and depositing a second conductive layer in the feature on the treated first conductive layer in an electrochemical deposition chamber of the plating tool.

A system for electroless deposition on a substrate is provided, including the following: a chamber; a substrate support configured to receive a substrate having a conductive layer disposed on a top surface of the substrate, the top surface of the substrate having an edge exclusion region and a process region, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate; a solution container configured to hold an electroless deposition solution; a dispenser configured to provide a flow of the electroless deposition solution; a controller, the controller configured to direct the flow of the electroless deposition solution toward the edge exclusion region while the substrate is rotated, the flow being directed away from the process region, the electroless deposition solution plates metallic material over the conductive layer at the edge exclusion region, to produce an increased thickness of the metallic material that reduces electrical resistance.

To stably convey a substrate (workpiece) while suppressing the workpiece from bending. A treatment device is provided. This treatment device includes: a conveying part that conveys a workpiece in a state where a flat surface of the workpiece is inclined around a conveying directional axis relative to a horizontal plane; and a treatment part in which at least one of polishing and cleaning is performed on the flat surface of the workpiece, wherein the conveying part has a drive part configured to be brought into physical contact with an end part of the workpiece and apply force in a conveying direction to the workpiece, a first Bernoulli chuck arranged to face the flat surface of the workpiece, and a second Bernoulli chuck arranged to face an end face of an opposite end part to the end part of the workpiece.

A single-substrate electroless (EL) plating apparatus including a workpiece chuck that is rotatable about rotation axis and inclinable about an axis of inclination. The chuck inclination may be controlled to a non-zero inclination angle during a dispense of plating solution to improve uniformity in the surface wetting and/or plating solution residence time across the a surface of a workpiece supported by the chuck. The angle of inclination may be only a few degrees off-level with the plating solution dispensed from a nozzle that scans over a high-side of the chuck along a radius of the workpiece while the chuck rotates. The angle of inclination may be actively controlled during dispense of the plating solution. The inclination angle may be larger at commencement of the plating solution dispense than at cessation of the dispense.

Cleaning substrates or electroplating system components may include methods of rinsing a substrate at a semiconductor plating chamber. The methods may include moving a head from a plating bath to a first position. The head may include a substrate coupled with the head. The methods may include rotating the head for a first period of time to sling bath fluid back into the plating bath. A residual amount of bath fluid may remain. The methods may include delivering a first fluid to the substrate from a first fluid nozzle to at least partially expel the residual amount of bath fluid back into the plating bath. The methods may include moving the head to a second position. The methods may include rotating the head for a second period of time. The methods may also include delivering a second fluid across the substrate from a second fluid nozzle.

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.