An electroplating system has a vessel assembly holding an electrolyte. A weir thief electrode assembly in the vessel assembly includes a plenum inside of a weir frame. The plenum divided into at least a first, a second and a third virtual thief electrode segment. A plurality of spaced apart openings through the weir frame lead out of the plenum. A weir ring is attached to the weir frame and guides flow of current during electroplating. The electroplating system provides process determined radial and circumferential current density control and does not require changing hardware components during set up.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a zinc-nickel-silica composite plating bath that has been improved in terms of: covering power for articles having a complex shape; and corrosion resistance of a low current density portion where the film thickness is small. The present invention pertains to a zinc-nickel-silica composite plating bath, the plating bath having a pH of 3.5 to 6.9, and containing zinc ions, nickel ions, colloidal silica, and chloride ions. The colloidal silica is a cationic colloidal silica having on the surface thereon at least one species of metal cation selected from the group consisting of trivalent to heptavalent metal cations.

The present disclosure relates to a distribution system for a process fluid for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, a device for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid, a use of the distribution system, and a method for manufacturing the distribution system. The distribution system comprises: a first distribution body, a substitute body, and a framework. The first distribution body is configured to direct a flow of the process fluid and/or an electrical current to the substrate. The first distribution body and the substitute body are arranged to insert the substrate between them. The framework is configured to mount the first distribution body and the substitute body relative to each other. The framework is further configured to form, together with the first distribution body and the substitute body, a casing surrounding the substrate.

There is provided an apparatus for plating a substrate as an object to be plated. The apparatus comprises an anode and a thief tunnel arranged to be located between the substrate and the anode when the substrate is placed to be opposed to the anode. The thief tunnel comprises a body placed away from the substrate and provided with an opening; a plurality of auxiliary electrodes provided in or to the body; and an ion exchange membrane configured to protect the auxiliary electrodes from a plating solution. The plurality of auxiliary electrodes are arranged along a circumference of the opening. At least one of the auxiliary electrodes is configured such that a voltage to be applied to the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes is controlled independently of a voltage to be applied to one or more auxiliary electrodes other than the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes.

Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include performing an electroplating operation on a semiconductor substrate in an electroplating bath within a vessel of an electroplating system. The methods may include removing the semiconductor substrate from the electroplating bath. The methods may include closing a valve associated with a first drain from the electroplating system. The methods may include increasing flow to a second drain from the electroplating system. The second drain may be associated with a drain channel from the vessel of the electroplating system.

Electroplating systems may include an electroplating chamber. The systems may also include a replenish assembly fluidly coupled with the electroplating chamber. The replenish assembly may include a first compartment housing anode material. The first compartment may include a first compartment section in which the anode material is housed and a second compartment section separated from the first compartment section by a divider. The replenish assembly may include a second compartment fluidly coupled with the electroplating chamber and electrically coupled with the first compartment. The replenish assembly may also include a third compartment electrically coupled with the second compartment, the third compartment including an inert cathode.

An electroplating apparatus for electroplating metal on a substrate includes a plating chamber configured to contain an electrolyte, a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate the substrate during electroplating, an anode, and an azimuthally asymmetric auxiliary electrode configured to be biased both anodically and cathodically during electroplating. The azimuthally asymmetric auxiliary electrode (which may be, for example, C-shaped), can be used for controlling azimuthal uniformity of metal electrodeposition by donating and diverting ionic current at a selected azimuthal position. In another aspect, an electroplating apparatus for electroplating metal includes a plating chamber configured to contain an electrolyte, a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate the substrate during electroplating, an anode, a shield configured to shield current at the periphery of the substrate; and an azimuthally asymmetric auxiliary anode configured to donate current to the shielded periphery of the substrate at a selected azimuthal position on the substrate.

Undesired deposition of metals on a lipseal (lipseal plate-out) during electrodeposition of metals on semiconductor substrates is minimized or eliminated by minimizing or eliminating ionic current directed at a lipseal. For example, electrodeposition can be conducted such as to avoid contact of a lipseal with a cathodically biased conductive material on the semiconductor substrate during the course of electroplating. This can be accomplished by shielding a small selected zone proximate the lipseal to suppress electrode-position of metal proximate the lipseal, and to avoid contact of metal with a lipseal. In some embodiments shielding is accomplished by sequentially using lipseals of different inner diameters during electroplating of metals into through-resist features, where a lipseal having a smaller diameter is used during a first electroplating step and serves as a shield blocking electrodeposition in a selected zone. In a second electroplating step, a lipseal of a larger inner diameter is used.

A plating module 400 includes a plating tank 410, a substrate holder 440, an elevating mechanism 480, and a moving mechanism 490. The plating tank 410 is for housing a plating solution. The substrate holder 440 is for holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing the plating solution housed in the plating tank 410. The elevating mechanism 480 is for elevating the substrate holder 440. The moving mechanism 490 is for moving the substrate holder 440 in a direction perpendicular to an elevating direction of the substrate holder 440.

An electrochemical deposition apparatus and method for the selective recovery of metal. The electrochemical deposition apparatus comprises a porous cathodic material, an anode, an inter-electrode region formed by the anode and cathode, and a gas release channel. The method may comprise passing a solution comprising a metal into a cavity, changing an oxidation state of a metal, and selectively depositing the metal onto a porous cathodic material. The electrochemical deposition apparatus may recover metal from metal feed in the form of metal hydroxides. The recovered metal may be from any source including, but not limited to, minerals, electronic waste, and black mass.