To provide a substrate holder having a new positioning structure, which does not use a plate spring, and a plating apparatus using this substrate holder. A substrate holder is provided. This substrate holder has a first holding member having a first surface configured to contact with a substrate, and a second holding member for sandwiching and holding the substrate together with the first holding member. The first holding member has a positioning member for positioning the substrate in contact with the first surface at a prescribed position of the first surface. The positioning member is configured to move between a first position where the substrate is to be positioned at the prescribed position of the first surface, in contact with a peripheral edge part of the substrate, and a second position not in contact with the substrate. The second holding member has a driving member configured to cause the positioning member to be positioned at the first position, at the time when holding the substrate by the first holding member and the second holding member.

A system and method for fabricating a photovoltaic structure is provided. During fabrication, the system can apply a wax coating on at least one surface of a multilayer photovoltaic structure, the surface of the multilayer photovoltaic structure being electrically conductive. The system can then pattern the wax coating using one or more laser beams. The patterned wax coating includes a plurality of openings that expose portions of the electrically conductive surface of the multilayer photovoltaic structure.

A substrate holder prevents a substrate to be bent or damaged owing to inward declining of a seal lip. The substrate holder with an opening includes a seal, and a seal support which has a seal support surface, and is formed on an outer circumference of the opening. The seal includes a seal body and a seal lip. At least a part of the seal support surface has an inclination angle that allows an inner end of the seal support surface to approach the plane on which the substrate is to be positioned. The inner end of the seal support surface is positioned on an inner side than the seal lip.

A substrate holder prevents a substrate to be bent or damaged owing to inward declining of a seal lip. The substrate holder with an opening includes a seal, and a seal support which has a seal support surface, and is formed on an outer circumference of the opening. The seal includes a seal body and a seal lip. At least a part of the seal support surface has an inclination angle that allows an inner end of the seal support surface to approach the plane on which the substrate is to be positioned. The inner end of the seal support surface is positioned on an inner side than the seal lip.

An apparatus and method for uniform metallization on substrate are provided, achieving highly uniform metallic film deposition at a rate far greater than a conventional film growth rate in electrolyte solutions. The apparatus includes an immersion bath (3021), at least one set of electrode (3002), a substrate holder (3003), at least one ultra/mega sonic device (3004), a reflection plate (3005), and a rotating actuator (3030). The immersion bath contains at least one metal salt electrolyte (3020). The at least one set of electrode (3002) connects to an independent power supply. The substrate holder (3003) holds at least one substrate and electrically connects with a conductive side of the substrate. The conductive side of the substrate is exposed to face the electrode. The at least one ultra/mega sonic device (3004) and the reflection plate (3005) are disposed parallel for generating ultra/mega sonic standing wave in the immersion bath. The rotating actuator (3030) rotates the substrate holder (3003) along its axis in the standing wave field, so as to result in a uniform overall power intensity distribution across the substrate in an accumulated time.

An apparatus and method for uniform metallization on substrate are provided, achieving highly uniform metallic film deposition at a rate far greater than a conventional film growth rate in electrolyte solutions. The apparatus includes an immersion bath (3021), at least one set of electrode (3002), a substrate holder (3003), at least one ultra/mega sonic device (3004), a reflection plate (3005), and a rotating actuator (3030). The immersion bath contains at least one metal salt electrolyte (3020). The at least one set of electrode (3002) connects to an independent power supply. The substrate holder (3003) holds at least one substrate and electrically connects with a conductive side of the substrate. The conductive side of the substrate is exposed to face the electrode. The at least one ultra/mega sonic device (3004) and the reflection plate (3005) are disposed parallel for generating ultra/mega sonic standing wave in the immersion bath. The rotating actuator (3030) rotates the substrate holder (3003) along its axis in the standing wave field, so as to result in a uniform overall power intensity distribution across the substrate in an accumulated time.

An electro-processing apparatus has a contact ring including a seal which is able to compensate for electric field distortions created by a notch (or other irregularity) on the wafer or work piece. The shape of the contact ring at the notch is changed, to reduce current crowding at the notch. The change in shape changes the resistance of the current path between a thief electrode and the wafer edge to increase thief electrode current drawn from the region of the notch. As a result, the wafer is plated with a film having more uniform thickness.

To stably convey a substrate (workpiece) while suppressing the workpiece from bending. A treatment device is provided. This treatment device includes: a conveying part that conveys a workpiece in a state where a flat surface of the workpiece is inclined around a conveying directional axis relative to a horizontal plane; and a treatment part in which at least one of polishing and cleaning is performed on the flat surface of the workpiece, wherein the conveying part has a drive part configured to be brought into physical contact with an end part of the workpiece and apply force in a conveying direction to the workpiece, a first Bernoulli chuck arranged to face the flat surface of the workpiece, and a second Bernoulli chuck arranged to face an end face of an opposite end part to the end part of the workpiece.

To stably convey a substrate (workpiece) while suppressing the workpiece from bending. A treatment device is provided. This treatment device includes: a conveying part that conveys a workpiece in a state where a flat surface of the workpiece is inclined around a conveying directional axis relative to a horizontal plane; and a treatment part in which at least one of polishing and cleaning is performed on the flat surface of the workpiece, wherein the conveying part has a drive part configured to be brought into physical contact with an end part of the workpiece and apply force in a conveying direction to the workpiece, a first Bernoulli chuck arranged to face the flat surface of the workpiece, and a second Bernoulli chuck arranged to face an end face of an opposite end part to the end part of the workpiece.

An electrochemical deposition system includes: an electrochemical deposition chamber including an electrolyte for electrochemical deposition; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and including a first cathode that is electrically connected to the substrate; a first actuator configured to adjust a vertical position of the substrate holder within the electrochemical deposition chamber; an anode submerged in the electrolyte; a second cathode arranged between the first cathode and the anode; a first optical probe configured to measure a first reflectivity of the substrate at a first distance from a center of the substrate while the substrate is submerged within the electrolyte during the electrochemical deposition; and a controller configured to, based on the first reflectivity, selectively adjust at least one of power applied to the first cathode, power applied to the second cathode, power applied to the anode, and the vertical position of the substrate holder.