A system and method for plating a workpiece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a deposition chamber, a workpiece holder adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, a shield with patterns of apertures corresponding to features on the workpiece, a shield holder also adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber and a positioning mechanism to position the workpiece in the workpiece holder such that the pattern of apertures on the shield will align with the corresponding features on the workpiece when the workpiece holder and shield holder are inserted into the deposition chamber.

A printed wiring board production method that forms a base film and a conductive pattern on the base film by an additive method or a subtractive method, includes a plating process that electroplates the conductive pattern on a surface of the base film, wherein the plating process includes a shield plate arranging process that arranges a shield plate between an anode and a printed wiring board substrate that forms a cathode, and a substrate arranging process that arranges the printed wiring board substrate in a plating tank, and wherein a distance between the shield plate and the printed wiring board substrate is 50 mm or greater and 150 mm or less.

Provided is a plate that is arranged between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. This plate has a plurality of circular pores on each one of at least three reference circles that are concentric with each other and that are different from each other in diameter. The plurality of circular pores include three circular pores that are arranged respectively on adjacent three of the at least three reference circles, and that have centers which are out of alignment with each other on an arbitrary radius on the plate.

To optimize a location of a power feeding point with the use of a square substrate. There is disclosed a method for determining a location of a power feeding point in an electroplating apparatus. The electroplating apparatus is configured to plate a rectangular substrate having a substrate area of S. The rectangular substrate has opposed two sides coupled to a power supply. The rectangular substrate has a length L of the sides coupled to the power supply and a length W of sides not coupled to the power supply meeting a condition of 0.8×L≤W≤L. The method includes determining a number N of the power feeding points according to the substrate area S.

The disclosure relates to a distribution system for a process fluid for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate and a manufacturing method for a distribution system for a process fluid for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate. The distribution system for a process fluid for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate comprises a distribution body and a distribution medium. The distribution body comprises several openings for a process fluid and/or an electric current. The distribution medium covers at least some of the openings of the distribution body. The distribution medium comprises a netted framework with passages to distribute the process fluid and/or the electric current from the distribution body.

There is provided a substrate holder for holding a substrate including a first holding member having a first opening portion for exposing a first surface of the substrate, and a second holding member configured to hold the substrate together with the first holding member and having a second opening portion for exposing a second surface of the substrate, wherein the first holding member has at least one first external connection contact, and the second holding member has at least one second external connection contact that is independent of the first external connection contact.

Provided is a plate that is arranged between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. This plate has a plurality of circular pores on each one of at least three reference circles that are concentric with each other and that are different from each other in diameter. The plurality of circular pores include three circular pores that are arranged respectively on adjacent three of the at least three reference circles, and that have centers which are out of alignment with each other on an arbitrary radius on the plate.

Techniques for simultaneously plating features of varying sizes on a semiconductor substrate are provided. In one aspect, a method for electroplating includes: placing a shield over a wafer, offset from a surface of the wafer, which covers portions of the wafer and leaves other portions of the wafer uncovered; and depositing at least one metal onto the wafer by electroplating to simultaneously form metallurgical features of varying sizes on the wafer based on the shield altering local deposition rates for the portions of the wafer covered by the shield. An electroplating apparatus is also provided.

The invention relates to a shield body system for a process fluid for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, use of a shield body system, and a method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid. The shield body system comprises a shield body and an agitation unit. The shield body has a plurality of openings to direct the process fluid flow and/or a current density distribution towards the substrate to be treated. The agitation unit is configured to move the shield body together with the substrate vertically and/or horizontally relative to a distribution body. Alternatively or additionally, the agitation unit is configured to move the shield body together with the substrate vertically and/or horizontally relative to a deposition chamber for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment.

Provided is a plating apparatus capable of improving uniformity of a plating film formed on a substrate. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank, a substrate holder that holds a substrate, and an anode disposed in the plating tank to oppose the substrate held by the substrate holder. The plating apparatus also includes a conduit having a first portion including an opening end disposed in a region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode, and a second portion apart from the region between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the anode, the conduit having at least a part filled with a plating solution, and a potential sensor that is disposed in the second portion of the conduit and that is configured to measure a potential of the plating solution.