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.

Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

An electrochemical plating (ECP) system is provided. The ECP system includes an ECP cell comprising a plating solution for an ECP process, a sensor configured to in situ measure an interface resistance between a plated metal and an electrolyte in the plating solution as the ECP process continues, a plating solution supply system in fluid communication with the ECP cell and configured to supply the plating solution to the ECP cell, and a control system operably coupled to the ECP cell, the sensor and the plating solution supply system. The control system is configured to compare the interface resistance with a threshold resistance and to adjust a composition of the plating solution in response to the interface resistance being below the threshold resistance.

There is provided a method of plating comprising: a process of bringing a sealing portion of a seal provided to prevent a contact of a substrate holder that holds a substrate from coming into contact with a plating solution, into contact with pure water; and a process of detecting a leak of the seal, based on presence or absence of a short circuit of a leak detection electrode placed inside of the substrate holder after the sealing portion is brought into contact with the pure water and before the substrate is brought into contact with a chemical solution.

A plating system is provided. The plating system includes an electroplating chamber defining a plating region within which a wafer is plated. The electroplating chamber includes an inlet configured to introduce plating solution into the plating region of the electroplating chamber. The electroplating chamber includes an outlet configured to remove the plating solution from the plating region of the electroplating chamber. The plating system includes a barrier configured to inhibit removal of the plating solution from the plating region.

A plating system is provided. The plating system includes an electroplating chamber defining a plating region within which a wafer is plated. The electroplating chamber includes an inlet configured to introduce plating solution into the plating region of the electroplating chamber. The electroplating chamber includes an outlet configured to remove the plating solution from the plating region of the electroplating chamber. The plating system includes a barrier configured to inhibit removal of the plating solution from the plating region.

Provided is a substrate holder and a substrate treatment apparatus capable of positioning a substrate even in a case in which the substrate receives a frictional force and the like from a support surface. A substrate holder 200 according to the present invention includes: a first holding member 300; a second holding member 500 adapted to pinch a substrate W with the first holding member 300; three or more positioning members 360 including contact surfaces 342 that come into contact with side end portions of the substrate W; a first moving member 380 including a plurality of engaging portions 384 that are engaged with the positioning members 360 such that the positioning members 360 with a state in which distances of an ideal axis L and contact surfaces 376 of the positioning members 360 are equal to each other maintained; and a first biasing member 310 adapted to bias the first moving member 380, in which the first moving member 380 delivers a biasing force of the first biasing member 310 to each of the positioning members 360, and the positioning members 360 are biased in a direction in which the contact surfaces 376 approaches the ideal axis L with the delivered biasing force.

Provided is a substrate holder and a substrate treatment apparatus capable of positioning a substrate even in a case in which the substrate receives a frictional force and the like from a support surface. A substrate holder 200 according to the present invention includes: a first holding member 300; a second holding member 500 adapted to pinch a substrate W with the first holding member 300; three or more positioning members 360 including contact surfaces 342 that come into contact with side end portions of the substrate W; a first moving member 380 including a plurality of engaging portions 384 that are engaged with the positioning members 360 such that the positioning members 360 with a state in which distances of an ideal axis L and contact surfaces 376 of the positioning members 360 are equal to each other maintained; and a first biasing member 310 adapted to bias the first moving member 380, in which the first moving member 380 delivers a biasing force of the first biasing member 310 to each of the positioning members 360, and the positioning members 360 are biased in a direction in which the contact surfaces 376 approaches the ideal axis L with the delivered biasing force.

An electrode comprising a substrate; a metal layer on the substrate; and a solid solution between the metal layer and the substrate. A method of forming an electrode comprising forming a molten salt bath, plating, from the molten salt bath, a metal onto a substrate, and annealing the metal and the substrate to form an electrode comprising a solid solution between the metal and the substrate, wherein the electrode is substantially free of intermetallic phases. A method of forming an electrode comprising forming, on a substrate, a metal layer using digital light processing and annealing the substrate and the metal layer to form a solid solution between the substrate and the metal layer, wherein the electrode is substantially free of intermetallic phases.