The present disclosure relates to a device for and a method of interfacial electrofabrication of freestanding biopolymer membranes comprising at least one anode; at least one cathode; at least one anode electrolyte; and at least one cathode electrolyte, wherein at least a portion of the at least one anode electrolyte and the at least one cathode electrolyte form an interface, wherein at least one polyelectrolyte complex membrane (PECM) forms at the interface of the at least one anode electrolyte and the at least one cathode electrolyte, wherein the at least one anode electrolyte and the at least one cathode electrolyte are separated by the PECM, wherein the at least one anode is disposed in the at least one anode electrolyte, wherein the at least one cathode is disposed in the at least one cathode electrolyte, and wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are distal from the interface of the at least one anode electrolyte and the at least one cathode electrolyte.

Provided is a technique that can suppress remaining of air bubbles on a lower surface of an electric field shielding plate. A plating apparatus 1000 include a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 30, and an electric field shielding plate 60 configured to be arranged in a portion between an anode 50 and a substrate Wf in an inside of the plating tank for shielding a part of an electric field formed between the anode and the substrate. In a top view of the electric field shielding plate, in the inside of the plating tank, an unshielded region 70 that is without shielded by the electric field shielding plate is disposed. An inclined surface is disposed in a lower surface 61a of the electric field shielding plate, the inclined surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction and is configured to release an air bubble existing on the lower surface thereof to the unshielded region.

A plating module includes a plating tank, a substrate holder, an elevating mechanism, an anode, an ionically resistive element, a supply pipe, and a bypass pipe. The substrate holder is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing downward. The elevating mechanism is for moving up and down the substrate holder. The anode is disposed inside the plating tank so as to face the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder. The ionically resistive element is disposed between the anode and the substrate Wf. The supply pipe is for supplying a process liquid stored in a reservoir tank from a lower side of the ionically resistive element to the plating tank. The bypass pipe is for discharging the process liquid supplied to the plating tank via the supply pipe from the lower side of the ionically resistive element to the reservoir tank.

An objective of the present invention is to prevent a prewetting liquid from remaining in an edge portion of a substrate. A plating method for subjecting a substrate to a plating treatment is provided, the substrate including a part to be plated that is exposed to a plating solution and an edge portion that is an outer region of the part to be plated. The plating method includes a first sealing step of bringing a first seal body into contact with the substrate to seal the edge portion of the substrate, a prewetting step of subjecting the sealed substrate to a prewetting treatment, a first seal removing step of removing the first seal body from the prewetted substrate, a substrate holding step of holding the substrate with a substrate holder including a second seal body, and a plating step of applying the plating solution to the substrate held by the substrate holder.

Methods and electroplating systems for controlling plating electrolyte concentration on an electrochemical plating apparatus for substrates are disclosed. A method involves: (a) providing an electroplating solution to an electroplating system; (b) electroplating the metal onto the substrate while the substrate is held in a cathode chamber of an electroplating cell of electroplating system; (c) supplying the make-up solution to the electroplating system via a make-up solution inlet; and (d) supplying the secondary electroplating solution to the electroplating system via a secondary electroplating solution inlet. The secondary electroplating solution includes some or all components of the electroplating solution. At least one component of the secondary electroplating solution has a concentration that significantly deviates from its target concentration.

Provided is a method for suppressing an increase in the zinc concentration of a plating solution when a zinc alloy plating member using nickel as an alloy element is manufactured using a zinc alloy plating apparatus. The plating apparatus includes: a plating tank; a first diaphragm tank having a first diaphragm; a cathode holding member; a first anode holding member; a soluble zinc-containing member held by the first anode holding member; a soluble metal-containing member containing the nickel which is the alloy element; and a second anode holding member for anode-electrolyzing the soluble metal-containing member. The first diaphragm tank is arranged in a manner that the first electrolytic solution is in contact with one surface of the first diaphragm and the plating solution is in contact with the other surface of the first diaphragm during use.

A cell to process a substrate includes at least one chamber wall, a membrane frame, and a membrane. The at least one chamber wall is arranged to form a cavity below a holder of the substrate. The membrane frame is disposed on the at least one chamber wall and across the cavity. The membrane is supported by the membrane frame and separating a first electrolyte from a second electrolyte. The membrane includes a surface extending from a center of the cavity radially outward at an angle relative to a reference plane, and wherein the angle is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 3°.

Methods and electroplating systems for controlling plating electrolyte concentration on an electrochemical plating apparatus for substrates are disclosed. A method involves: (a) providing an electroplating solution to an electroplating system; (b) electroplating the metal onto the substrate while the substrate is held in a cathode chamber of an electroplating cell of electroplating system; (c) supplying the make-up solution to the electroplating system via a make-up solution inlet; and (d) supplying the secondary electroplating solution to the electroplating system via a secondary electroplating solution inlet. The secondary electroplating solution includes some or all components of the electroplating solution. At least one component of the secondary electroplating solution has a concentration that significantly deviates from its target concentration.

An electroplating device includes an electroplating bath containing an electroplating solution into which a workpiece to be electroplated as a cathode is at least partially immersed, a first anode provided in the electroplating bath, and a liquid spraying device. The liquid spraying device includes a main body part having at least one inlet for conveying the electroplating solution into the main body part, and a plurality of nozzles installed on the main body part. At least part of the nozzles are positioned such that a flow direction of the electroplating solution ejected from the nozzle is substantially parallel to a direction of a power line formed by the first anode and the cathode.

A plating apparatus for electroplating a wafer includes a housing defining a plating chamber for housing a plating solution. A voltage source of the apparatus has a first terminal having a first polarity and a second terminal having a second polarity different than the first polarity. The first terminal is electrically coupled to the wafer. An anode is within the plating chamber, and the second terminal is electrically coupled to the anode. A membrane support is within the plating chamber and over the anode. The membrane support defines apertures, wherein in a first zone of the membrane support a first aperture-area to surface-area ratio is a first ratio, and in a second zone of the membrane support a second aperture-area to surface-area ratio is a second ratio, different than the first ratio.