Provided is a plating apparatus for plating a substrate by using a substrate holder including an elastic projection that seals a to-be-plated surface of the substrate, the plating apparatus comprising a measurement device configured to measure a deformed state of the elastic projection by measuring at least either one of a compression amount of the elastic projection and load applied to the elastic projection at a time when the substrate physically contacts the elastic projection of the substrate holder; and a controlling device configured to make a judgment on the basis of the measured deformed state as to whether sealing by the elastic projection is normal.

To provide a substrate holder and a plating apparatus that can easily position a substrate. A substrate holder includes a substrate holding body for holding a substrate, and a first holding member and a second holding member that interpose and hold the substrate holding body therebetween, and the first holding member includes an opening portion through which the plating target surface of the substrate is exposed, and a power supply member configured to be in contact with a plating target surface of the substrate.

An electroplating apparatus is provided that minimizes unplated regions when an alloy plating layer is provided on the surface of a thread on a steel pipe. An electroplating apparatus (10) includes an electrode (1), sealing members (2, 3), and a plating-solution supply unit (4). The electrode (1) faces the thread (Tm). The sealing member (2) is positioned within the steel pipe (P1). The sealing member (3) is attached to the end portion of the steel pipe (P1) and, together with the sealing member (2), forms a receiving space (8). The plating-solution supply unit (4) includes a plurality of nozzles (42). The nozzles (42) are positioned within the receiving space (8) and adjacent one end of the thread (Tm) and arranged around the pipe axis of the steel pipe (P1). The plating-solution supply unit (4) injects a plating solution between the thread (Tm) and electrode (1) through the nozzles (42). The direction in which plating solution is injected from the nozzles (42) is inclined at an angle larger than 20 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees toward the thread (Tm) relative to a plane perpendicular to the pipe axis.

A substrate holder for holding a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The substrate holder includes a seal ring which can be brought into contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate, a support ring supporting the seal ring, and a fixing ring pressing the seal ring against the support ring. The fixing ring includes an annular portion having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, each of which is constituted by a tapered surface. The fixing ring further includes a seal-ring pressing portion connected to the annular portion, and a regulation ring projecting radially inwardly from the seal-ring pressing portion. The regulation ring has an inside diameter which is smaller than an inside diameter of the seal ring.

Various embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating material onto a semiconductor substrate. In some cases, one or more membrane may be provided in contact with an ionically resistive element to minimize the degree to which electrolyte passes backwards from a cross flow manifold, through the ionically resistive element, and into an ionically resistive element manifold during electroplating. The membrane may be designed to route electrolyte in a desired manner in some embodiments. In these or other cases, one or more baffles may be provided in the ionically resistive element manifold to reduce the degree to which electrolyte is able to bypass the cross flow manifold by flowing back through the ionically resistive element and across the electroplating cell within the ionically resistive element manifold. These techniques can be used to improve the uniformity of electroplating results.

Disclosed are electroplating cups for holding, sealing, and providing electrical power to wafers during electroplating, where the electroplating cup can include a cup bottom, an elastomeric lipseal, and an electrical contact element. The cup bottom can include a radially inwardly protruding surface with a plurality of through-holes. The elastomeric lipseal can directly adhere to the radially inwardly protruding surface of the cup bottom, fill the plurality of through-holes, and encircle an inner edge of the cup bottom. In some implementations, this can mitigate the effects of wafer sticking. In some implementations, the cup bottom may be treated to promote adhesion between the elastomeric lipseal and the radially inwardly protruding surface of the cup bottom.

Exemplary substrate locking system, device, apparatus and method for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid can be provided. For example, it is possible to provide a first element, a second element and a locking unit. The first element and the second element can be configured to hold the substrate between each other. The locking unit can be configured to lock the first element and the second element with each other. The locking unit can comprise a magnet control device and a magnet. The magnet can be arranged at or near the first element and/or the second element. The magnet control device can be configured to control a magnetic force between the first element and the second element.

A wafer is placed into a chuck assembly within an electroplating system. The chuck assembly includes a backing plate assembly engageable with a ring. A hub may be provided on one side of the backing plate assembly for attaching the chuck assembly to a rotor of a processor for electroplating a wafer. A wafer plate may be provided on the other side of the backing plate assembly. The ring has contact fingers electrically connected to a ring bus bar, and with the ring bus bar electrically connected to a power source in the processor via the backing plate assembly when the ring is engaged to the backing plate assembly. A wafer seal on the ring overlies the contact fingers. A chuck seal may be provided around a perimeter. Maintenance of the electrical contacts and the seal is performed remotely from the processors.

A method and device for electrodeposition in cylindrical geometry. A method for electrochemically depositing a thin layer on a flexible substrate, comprising: providing, in an electrolysis bath, a first closed cylinder in a second hollow cylinder, applying the flexible substrate to one of the surfaces chosen from the outer surface of the first cylinder and the inner surface of the second, the flexible substrate forming a first electrode, providing, in the electrolysis bath, a second electrode, and applying a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode in order to electrodeposit the thin layer on the flexible substrate.

Disclosed herein are lipseal assemblies for use in an electroplating clamshell for engaging and supplying electrical current to a semiconductor substrate during electroplating, which include an elastomeric lipseal for engaging the semiconductor substrate during electroplating, and wherein upon engagement the elastomeric lipseal forms multiple radially-separated sealing contact surfaces with the substrate which substantially exclude plating solution from a peripheral region of the substrate. Said lipseal assemblies may also include one or more electrical contact elements for supplying electrical current to the semiconductor substrate during electroplating.