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.

One object of the present disclosure is to improve the accuracy of detection of an abnormality of various devices, and/or to advance the timing of detection of an abnormality. There is provided an apparatus for plating a substrate, comprising: an anode placed to be opposed to the substrate; an electric field regulating member placed between the substrate and the anode, provided with an opening, and equipped with an opening adjustment member configured to change a dimension of the opening; a motor configured to drive the opening adjustment member; and a control device configured to obtain an electric current value or a load factor of the motor, to calculate an amount of change in the load factor of the motor per unit time from the obtained electric current value or the obtained load factor of the motor, and to detect an abnormality of the electric field regulating member when it is detected that the amount of change in the load factor of the motor per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A base structure in an electroplating system is provided. The base structure includes: includes: an annular member; a contact ring attached to an inner surface of the annular member and configured to be electrically connected to a wafer in an electroplating process; and a pair of shield structures attached to an upper surface of the annular member and extending in an vertical direction. Each of the pair of shield structures includes: a curved plate comprising a plurality of discharging openings, wherein plating solution residual is discharged through the plurality of discharging openings in a cleaning procedure; and a plurality of bevels, each of the plurality of bevels corresponding to each of the plurality of discharging openings and configured to guide the plating solution residual toward the corresponding discharging opening in the cleaning procedure.

A method of processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes introducing the wafer to a main chamber via a loading port, using a transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer to a first wafer processing module in a stack so that the wafer is disposed substantially horizontally in the first wafer processing module with a front face facing upwards, and performing a processing step on the front face of the wafer in the first wafer processing module.

An electrochemical deposition system having two or more electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform and configured for depositing one or more metals on a substrate is described. Each electrochemical deposition module includes an anode compartment configured to contain a volume of anolyte fluid, a cathode compartment configured to contain a volume of catholyte fluid, and a membrane separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. Each electrochemical deposition module further includes a workpiece holder configured to hold opposing edges of a flexible workpiece between first and second leg members via a clamping mechanism, and a loader module configured to position the flexible workpiece in the workpiece holder while holding the flexible workpiece using an air cushion on each opposing planar surface of the flexible workpiece.

Techniques herein provide a workpiece handling and loading apparatus for loading, unloading, and handling relatively flexible and thin substrates for transport and electrochemical deposition. Such a system assists with workpiece holder exchange between a delivery cartridge or magazine, and a workpiece holder. Embodiments include a workpiece handler configured to provide an air cushion to a given workpiece, and maneuvering to a given workpiece holder that can edge clamp the workpiece.

Techniques herein provide a workpiece holder that can hold relatively flexible and thin workpieces for transport and electrochemical deposition while avoiding electroplating fluid wetting contacts or contact regions of a given workpiece. A workpiece holder frame holds a workpiece by gripping the workpiece on opposing sides of the workpiece. A flexure structure is used for clamping a given workpiece and for providing an electrical path for supplying a current to the workpiece. An elastomer covering provides sealing and insulation of the electrical flexure structure. The workpiece holder also provides tension to the workpiece to help hold the workpiece flat during processing. Each flexure structure can provide an independent electrical path to the workpiece surface.

A cleaning apparatus is provided. This cleaning apparatus includes an inlet, an outlet, a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, a cleaning unit disposed on the first conveyance path and configured to clean the target object in a non-contacting manner, and a drying unit disposed on the first conveyance path and configured to dry the target object in a non-contacting manner. The first conveyance path and the second conveyance path are vertically arranged side by side. The second conveyance path is positioned above the first conveyance path and connected with the outlet at an end point. The second conveyance path functions as a stocker configured to temporarily store the target object.

An element which limits throughput of a plating apparatus is identified. A method for identifying an element which limits throughput of a plating apparatus is provided. The method comprises: a step for creating a time chart which represents process schedules of plural processing units and one or plural transfer apparatuses; a step for calculating, based on the time chart, at least one of an operation rate and a degree of freedom of taking-out with respect to each of elements comprising the plural processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses, wherein the degree of freedom of taking-out represents a degree of freedom with respect to timing when the substrate which has been processed can be taken out of one of the processing units; and a step for displaying, with respect to each of the elements comprising the plural processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses, at least one of the calculated operation rate and the calculated degree of freedom of taking-out.

To manufacture a chamber component for a processing chamber, an aluminum coating is formed on an article comprising impurities, the aluminum coating being substantially free from impurities.