A protective layer is formed over a copper seed layer on a semiconductor substrate prior to electroplating. The protective layer is capable of protecting the copper seed layer from oxidation and from dissolution in an electrolyte during initial phases of electroplating. The protective layer, in some embodiments, prevents the copper seed layer from contacting atmosphere, and from being oxidized by atmospheric oxygen and/or moisture. The protective layer contains a metal that is less noble than copper (e.g., cobalt), where the metal can be in an oxidized form that is readily soluble in a plating liquid. In one embodiment a protective cobalt layer is formed by depositing cobalt metal by chemical vapor deposition over copper seed layer without exposing the copper seed layer to atmosphere, followed by subsequent oxidation of cobalt to cobalt oxide that occurs after the substrate is exposed to atmosphere. The resulting protective layer is dissolved during electroplating.

A plating apparatus for performing a plating process on a substrate includes a first robot chamber, a plating chamber, a first processing chamber, a second robot chamber, a first door, a second door, and a control module. The first robot chamber houses a first transfer robot for transferring a substrate. The first processing chamber houses a pre-process module. The second robot chamber houses a second transfer robot for transferring a substrate between the pre-process module and the plating module. The first door is arranged between the first robot chamber and the first processing chamber. The second door is arranged between the first processing chamber and the second robot chamber. The control module is configured to control opening and closing of the first door and the second door such that the first door and the second door do not simultaneously open.

A plating apparatus includes a workpiece holder, a plating bath, and a clamp ring. The plating bath is underneath the workpiece holder. The clamp ring is connected to the workpiece holder. The clamp ring includes channels communicating an inner surface of the clamp ring and an outer surface of the clamp ring.

A method which can perform a soft pre-wetting treatment of a substrate, such as a wafer, with use of a pre-wetting liquid in a smaller amount. This method includes: holding a substrate between a first holding member and a second holding member, with the surface of the substrate being exposed through an opening of the second holding member, and pressing a sealing ridge of the substrate holder against a peripheral portion of the substrate; pressing a sealing block against the substrate holder; forming a vacuum in an external space; performing a seal inspection to check a sealed state provided by the sealing ridge based on a change in pressure in the external space; and performing a pre-wetting treatment by supplying a pre-wetting liquid to the external space while evacuating air from the external space to bring the pre-wetting liquid into contact with the exposed surface of the substrate.

Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

A semiconductor apparatus includes a transfer chamber, an annealing station, a robot arm, an edge detector and a trigger device. The transfer chamber is configured to interface with an electroplating apparatus. The robot arm is arranged to transfer a wafer from the transfer chamber to the annealing station. The edge detector, disposed over a predetermined location between the transfer chamber and the annealing station, comprises a first charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor and a second CCD sensor. When the robot arm is carrying the wafer to pass through the predetermined location, the first CCD sensor and the second CCD sensor are located over a first portion and a second portion of the edge bevel removal area respectively, and the trigger device is configured to activate the first CCD sensor and the second CCD sensor to capture an image of the first portion and an image of the second portion respectively.

There is provided a method of plating, comprising: a process of providing a substrate that includes a first face and a second face having different patterns; a plating process of respectively supplying electric current of a first plating current density and electric current of a second plating current density to the first face and to the second face of the substrate, so as to form a plating film on the first face and a plating film on the second face; and a process of, after plating is completed first either on the first face or on the second face, supplying protection current to the face where plating is completed first, wherein the protection current has a smaller current density than the first plating current density or the second plating current density of the electric current supplied to the face where plating is completed first during plating.

A plating apparatus and a plating method thereof are provided. The plating apparatus includes: a tank body including at least one side wall, the at least one side wall being provided with an opening extending from the inside to the outside of the tank body, and the tank body being configured to accommodate a plating solution; a fixing device configured to fix the substrate at the opening of the side wall; at least one sealing element disposed around the opening; and a cleaning module coupled to the tank body for cleaning the at least one sealing element. A cleaning method is also provided for cleaning the at least one sealing element with the cleaning module after operation of the plating apparatus.

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.