A plating apparatus and a plating method thereof are provided. The plating apparatus includes: a tank body including at least one side wall, the at least one side wall being provided with an opening extending from the inside to the outside of the tank body, and the tank body being configured to accommodate a plating solution; a fixing device configured to fix the substrate at the opening of the side wall; at least one sealing element disposed around the opening; and a cleaning module coupled to the tank body for cleaning the at least one sealing element. A cleaning method is also provided for cleaning the at least one sealing element with the cleaning module after operation of the plating apparatus.

An object is to improve the uniformity of a plating film thickness in a variety of different types of apparatuses for plating that perform pulse plating. There is provided an apparatus for plating, comprising: a first plating tank configured to plate a substrate by application of a forward direction current and a reverse current pulse between the substrate and an anode; a first flow path connected with a reservoir tank and configured to discharge a plating liquid from the reservoir tank; a second flow path connected with the first flow path and with the first plating tank and configured to supply the plating liquid to the first plating tank; a third flow path connected with the first flow path and configured to cause the plating liquid discharged from the reservoir tank to go around the first plating tank and to be returned to the reservoir tank or to be discharged to a discharge port; a first valve configured to regulate a flow of the plating liquid between the second flow path and the third flow path; and a control module configured to control the first valve according to a timing of the reverse current pulse during plating of the substrate, such as to regulate the flow of the plating liquid between the second flow path and the third flow path and to decrease a supply of the plating liquid to the second flow path to be less than a supply of the plating liquid in an interval of the forward direction current or to stop the supply of the plating liquid to the second flow path.

An object is to improve the uniformity of a plating film thickness in a variety of different types of apparatuses for plating that perform pulse plating. There is provided an apparatus for plating, comprising: a first plating tank configured to plate a substrate by application of a forward direction current and a reverse current pulse between the substrate and an anode; a first flow path connected with a reservoir tank and configured to discharge a plating liquid from the reservoir tank; a second flow path connected with the first flow path and with the first plating tank and configured to supply the plating liquid to the first plating tank; a third flow path connected with the first flow path and configured to cause the plating liquid discharged from the reservoir tank to go around the first plating tank and to be returned to the reservoir tank or to be discharged to a discharge port; a first valve configured to regulate a flow of the plating liquid between the second flow path and the third flow path; and a control module configured to control the first valve according to a timing of the reverse current pulse during plating of the substrate, such as to regulate the flow of the plating liquid between the second flow path and the third flow path and to decrease a supply of the plating liquid to the second flow path to be less than a supply of the plating liquid in an interval of the forward direction current or to stop the supply of the plating liquid to the second flow path.

An example hydraulic system component of a machine includes a protective coating deposited by electroplating in a multi-anodic plating tool. The plating tool allows for independent control of the anodic current, voltage, and/or waveform of each of the anodes to provide a uniform, hard, and dense protective coating along a length of an elongated component, such as a rod, cylinder, or piston. The electroplating process may allow for independent control of rectifiers providing power to the electrically isolated anodes to achieve a high level of uniformity over the length of the components being electroplated. The coating may include a layer of trivalent chromium electroplated over an electroplated layer of nickel to protect the component from wear, oxidation, and/or corrosion. The bi-layer coating may be relatively thin, with a thickness less than 125 microns.

An example hydraulic system component of a machine includes a protective coating deposited by electroplating in a multi-anodic plating tool. The plating tool allows for independent control of the anodic current, voltage, and/or waveform of each of the anodes to provide a uniform, hard, and dense protective coating along a length of an elongated component, such as a rod, cylinder, or piston. The electroplating process may allow for independent control of rectifiers providing power to the electrically isolated anodes to achieve a high level of uniformity over the length of the components being electroplated. The coating may include a layer of trivalent chromium electroplated over an electroplated layer of nickel to protect the component from wear, oxidation, and/or corrosion. The bi-layer coating may be relatively thin, with a thickness less than 125 microns.

A plating apparatus includes a plating tank configured to store a plating solution, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate as a target on which a plating process is performed, a rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder, an elevating/lowering mechanism that elevates and lowers the substrate holder, and a control device, and the substrate holder includes a contact member configured to contact the substrate to be able to supply power to the substrate, a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the substrate holder and the substrate, a liquid holding portion including the contact member inside, and being configured to be able to hold liquid when the gap between the substrate holder and the substrate is sealed with the sealing member, and a spout port that is configured to open into the liquid holding portion or a space communicating with the liquid holding portion inside the substrate holder, or that can be disposed on a side of the substrate holder, to spout the liquid.

A plating apparatus includes a plating tank configured to store a plating solution, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate as a target on which a plating process is performed, a rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder, an elevating/lowering mechanism that elevates and lowers the substrate holder, and a control device, and the substrate holder includes a contact member configured to contact the substrate to be able to supply power to the substrate, a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the substrate holder and the substrate, a liquid holding portion including the contact member inside, and being configured to be able to hold liquid when the gap between the substrate holder and the substrate is sealed with the sealing member, and a spout port that is configured to open into the liquid holding portion or a space communicating with the liquid holding portion inside the substrate holder, or that can be disposed on a side of the substrate holder, to spout the liquid.

Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent include a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties. Examples of a class of compressed gases that can be used as solvent for electrolytes include hydrofluorocarbons, in particular fluoromethane, difluoromethane, tetrafluoroethane, and pentafluoroethane. Also disclosed are battery and supercapacitor structures that use compressed gas solvent-based electrolytes and techniques for constructing such energy storage devices. Techniques for electroplating difficult-to-deposit materials using compressed gas electrolytes as an electroplating bath are also disclosed.

Disclosed are novel electrolytes, and techniques for making and devices using such electrolytes, which are based on compressed gas solvents. Unlike conventional electrolytes, disclosed electrolytes are based on compressed gas solvents mixed with various salts, referred to as compressed gas electrolytes. Various embodiments of a compressed gas solvent include a material that is in a gas phase and has a vapor pressure above an atmospheric pressure at room temperature. The disclosed compressed gas electrolytes can have wide electrochemical potential windows, high conductivity, low temperature capability and/or high pressure solvent properties. Examples of a class of compressed gases that can be used as solvent for electrolytes include hydrofluorocarbons, in particular fluoromethane, difluoromethane, tetrafluoroethane, and pentafluoroethane. Also disclosed are battery and supercapacitor structures that use compressed gas solvent-based electrolytes and techniques for constructing such energy storage devices. Techniques for electroplating difficult-to-deposit materials using compressed gas electrolytes as an electroplating bath are also disclosed.

A plating device includes a plating cell that includes a plating tank and a housing surrounding the plating tank, wherein the plating tank is configured to contain a volume of electrolyte, and wherein a wafer can be immersed within the electrolyte. An electrolyte chamber is below the plating cell and is configured to accommodate discharged electrolyte from the plating cell. A connection part is in fluid communication with the plating cell and the electrolyte chamber so that the electrolyte discharged from the plating cell flows to the electrolyte chamber. A resupply part is configured to resupply the plating tank with electrolyte from the electrolyte chamber. The connection part includes a first pipe through which the electrolyte flows at a first flow rate and a second pipe downstream of the first pipe and through which the electrolyte flows at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate.