The present technology includes methods for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in a plating system or a surface thereof. The methods include reducing a volume of a plating solution having a first pH in a plating bath from a first volume to a second volume, adding a replenishment agent to the plating solution to increase the volume of the plating solution from the second volume to the first volume. The replenishment agent is characterized by a second pH, where the second pH varies from the first pH by less than or about 5.

A film forming method for a metal film includes steps of, after a substrate material is mounted on a mounting table, forming the metal film on a surface of the substrate material with a plating solution brought into contact with the substrate material through an electrolyte membrane, and with the plating solution sealed, separating the electrolyte membrane from the substrate material by moving at least one of the mounting table and a container in a direction away from the other. The plating solution contained in the container is circulated through a circulation path outside the container, before or during the film forming step. A circulation path is blocked and the plating solution in the container is sealed, before this separating step.

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.

A method for obtaining distance measurements for a plating ring assembly and related device are provided. Embodiments include attaching a measurement device to a plating ring assembly, the plating ring assembly including: an outer ring, wherein the measurement device is attached to the outer ring and configured to rotate along the outer ring, a seal extending from a bottom surface of the outer ring along a circumference of the plating ring assembly, contact fingers located along the circumference of the plating ring assembly, between the outer ring and the seal, rotating the measurement device along the circumference of the outer ring by rotating the measurement device or the plating ring assembly; and obtaining critical dimensions of and between the seal and contact fingers with the measurement device.

An apparatus for holding a substrate (113) has a chuck cup (101), a seal shell (111), a chuck plate (102) and a vertical driving device (103). The seal shell (111) has a bottom wall (1111), an outer wall (1112) and an inner wall (1114). The inner wall (1114) forms a lip seal portion (1115). The bottom wall (1111) and the outer wall (1112) of the seal shell (111) respectively wrap the bottom surface and the outer surface of the base portion (1011) of the chuck cup (101). The lip seal portion (1115) wraps the supporting portion (1014) of the chuck cup (101) for sealing the edge of the front side of the substrate (113). The apparatus protects the edge of the front side of the substrate, the back side of the substrate and the chuck cup from contacting with the electrolyte solution.

An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer comprises: a wafer chuck which holds the rear surface of a wafer having a via hole; a cap which is installed in such a way as to move up and down above the wafer chuck and has a sealed lip which forms a liquid reservoir by sealing the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the wafer; and a nozzle which injects and recovers processing liquids to and from a reaction chamber.

A seal ring for an electrochemical processor does not slip or deflect laterally when pressed against a wafer surface. The seal ring may be on a rotor of the processor, with the seal ring having an outer wall joined to a tip arc through an end. The outer wall may be a straight wall. A relatively rigid support ring may be attached to the seal ring, to provide a more precise sealing dimension. Knife edge seal rings that slip or deflect laterally on the wafer surface may also be used. In these designs, the slipping is substantially uniform and consistent, resulting in improved performance.

A plating apparatus may include a body, a lip seal structure connected to the body, and a conductive liquid. The body may include a cathode. The lip seal structure may be configured to hold a wafer. The lip seal structure may include a bottom portion, a contact portion connected to the bottom portion and contacting the wafer, and at least one partition structure protruding from an upper surface of the bottom portion. The conductive liquid may cover the upper surface of the bottom portion and may be configured to electrically connect the cathode and the wafer.

The present technology includes monolithic electroplating seals, such as electroplating seals formed utilizing additive manufacturing. Seals include an external seal member and an internal seal member. The external seal member includes an inner annular radius, an outer annular radius, and an external seal member body defined between an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface. The exterior surface is formed from at least one polymer layer having a porosity of less than or about 10 vol. % and the external seal member body includes a filler. The internal seal member is formed integrally with and extends along at least a portion of the interior surface of the external seal member from the inner annular radius towards the outer annular radius. The internal seal member includes a deformable thermoplastic elastomer.

A method for obtaining distance measurements for a plating ring assembly and related device are provided. Embodiments include attaching a measurement device to a plating ring assembly, the plating ring assembly including: an outer ring, wherein the measurement device is attached to the outer ring and configured to rotate along the outer ring, a seal extending from a bottom surface of the outer ring along a circumference of the plating ring assembly, contact fingers located along the circumference of the plating ring assembly, between the outer ring and the seal, rotating the measurement device along the circumference of the outer ring by rotating the measurement device or the plating ring assembly; and obtaining critical dimensions of and between the seal and contact fingers with the measurement device.