A plating module 400 includes a plating tank 410, a substrate holder 440, an elevating mechanism 480, and a moving mechanism 490. The plating tank 410 is for housing a plating solution. The substrate holder 440 is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing the plating solution housed in the plating tank 410. The elevating mechanism 480 is for elevating the substrate holder 440. The moving mechanism 490 is for moving the substrate holder 440 in a direction perpendicular to an elevating direction of the substrate holder 440.

Provided is a technique that allows ensuring a downsized plating apparatus.

A plating apparatus includes a discharge module 50. The discharge module includes a module main body 51 including a plurality of nozzles 52 configured to discharge a process liquid upward, and a moving mechanism 60 including a rotation shaft 61 disposed at a side of a plating tank and connected to the module main body. The moving mechanism 60 moves the module main body by rotation of the rotation shaft. The moving mechanism moves the module main body between the first position and the second position. The plurality of nozzles are arranged such that the process liquid discharged from the plurality of nozzles is brought in contact with a lower surface of a substrate from a center portion to an outer peripheral edge portion when the module main body moves to the second position. The module main body further includes a recovery member configured to recover the process liquid dropped after being discharged from the plurality of nozzles and brought in contact with the lower surface of the substrate.

External electrical connectors and methods of forming such external electrical connectors are discussed. A method includes forming an external electrical connector structure on a substrate. The forming the external electrical connector structure includes plating a pillar on the substrate at a first agitation level affected at the substrate in a first solution. The method further includes plating solder on the external electrical connector structure at a second agitation level affected at the substrate in a second solution. The second agitation level affected at the substrate is greater than the first agitation level affected at the substrate. The plating the solder further forms a shell on a sidewall of the external electrical connector structure.

An apparatus for etching one side of a semiconductor layer of a workpiece, including at least one etching basin for receiving an electrolyte, a first electrode which is provided for electrically contacting the electrolyte located in the etching basin, a second electrode which is provided for electrically contacting the semiconductor layer, a electrical power source which is electrically conductively connected to the first and the second electrodes for generating an etching current, and a transport apparatus for transporting the workpiece relative to the etching basin such that a semiconductor layer etching face to be etched can be wetted by the electrolyte in the etching basin. The transport apparatus has a negative pressure holding element for the workpiece, designed to position the workpiece on a retaining face of the workpiece opposite to the etching face by negative pressure, and the second electrode is positioned on the negative pressure holding element such that, when the workpiece is positioned on the negative pressure holding element, the retaining face of the workpiece is contacted by the second electrode. A method for etching one side of a semiconductor layer of a workpiece is also provided.

A preprocess is efficiently performed on a substrate. A pre-wet module 200 includes a deaeration tank 210, a processing device 258, a substrate holder 220, and a drive mechanism 230. The deaeration tank 210 is configured to house a deaerated liquid. The processing device 258 includes a nozzle 268 configured to supply a cleaning liquid to a surface to be processed of a substrate having the surface to be processed facing upward. The substrate holder 220 is disposed between the deaeration tank 210 and the processing device 258. The substrate holder 220 includes a first holding member 222 configured to hold a first substrate and a second holding member 224 configured to hold a second substrate. The drive mechanism 230 is configured to rotate and move up and down the substrate holder 220. The drive mechanism 230 includes a rotation mechanism 240 and an elevating mechanism 248. The rotation mechanism 240 is configured to rotate the substrate holder 220 between a first state where a surface to be processed of the first substrate is opposed to a deaerated liquid in the deaeration tank 210 and a second state where a surface to be processed of the second substrate is opposed to the deaerated liquid in the deaeration tank. The elevating mechanism 248 is configured to move up and down the substrate holder 220.

Disclosed are cup assemblies for holding, sealing, and providing electrical power to a semiconductor substrate during electroplating which may include a cup bottom element having a main body portion and a moment arm, an elastomeric sealing element disposed on the moment arm, and an electrical contact element disposed on the elastomeric sealing element. The main body portion may be such that it does not substantially flex when a substrate is pressed against the moment arm, and it may be rigidly affixed to another feature of the cup structure. The ratio of the average vertical thickness of the main body portion to that of the moment arm may be greater than about 5. The electrical contact element may have a substantially flat but flexible contact portion disposed upon a substantially horizontal portion of the sealing element. The elastomeric sealing element may be integrated with the cup bottom element during manufacturing.

Provided is a substrate holder for plating on a surface of a substrate, provided with an electrical contact that is easy to replace. A substrate holder 1 includes: a first holding member 2; a second holding member 3 that has an opening portion 3a for exposing the surface of a substrate W and holds the substrate W in a sandwiched manner with the first holding member 2; a plurality of engaging shaft portions 36 each having a head portion 36b in an expanded head shape at a tip end portion, provided in a circumferential direction of the second holding member 3; and an electrical contact 32 having a contact portion 32a to be in contact with an edge portion of the substrate W, and having an engagement reception portion 32b in a notch shape to be engaged with the adjacent engaging shaft portion 36 for arrangement along a circumference of the opening portion 3a of the second holding member 3.

The invention relates to an electrochemical deposition system for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, a module for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid, a use of the electrochemical deposition system or the module for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment for a metal deposition application and a manufacturing method for an electrochemical deposition system for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate. The electrochemical deposition system comprises an anode, an anode enclosure, and a single electrolyte. The anode enclosure extends at least partially around the anode. The anode enclosure comprises a membrane. The anode and the anode enclosure are arranged in the single electrolyte. The single electrolyte is the only electrolyte of the electrochemical deposition system.

A system and method of using electrochemical additive manufacturing to add interconnection features, such as wafer bumps or pillars, or similar structures like heatsinks, to a plate such as a silicon wafer. The plate may be coupled to a cathode, and material for the features may be deposited onto the plate by transmitting current from an anode array through an electrolyte to the cathode. Position actuators and sensors may control the position and orientation of the plate and the anode array to place features in precise positions. Use of electrochemical additive manufacturing may enable construction of features that cannot be created using current photoresist-based methods. For example, pillars may be taller and more closely spaced, with heights of 200 μm or more, diameters of 10 μm or below, and inter-pillar spacing below 20 μm. Features may also extend horizontally instead of only vertically, enabling routing of interconnections to desired locations.

A plating module includes: a plating tank, a substrate holder, and an elevating mechanism. The plating tank is for housing a plating solution. The substrate holder is for holding a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward. The elevating mechanism is for moving up and down the substrate holder. The substrate holder includes: a supporting mechanism, a floating plate, a floating mechanism, and a pushing mechanism. The supporting mechanism is for supporting an outer peripheral portion of the surface of the substrate. The floating plate is arranged on a back surface side of the substrate. The floating mechanism is for biasing the floating plate to a direction away from a back surface of the substrate. The pushing mechanism is for pressing the floating plate to the back surface of the substrate against a biasing force to the substrate by the floating mechanism.