The invention relates to a substrate holding and locking system for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid and a corresponding method. The system comprises a first element, a second element, a reduced pressure holding unit and a magnetic locking unit. The first element and the second element are configured to hold the substrate between each other. The reduced pressure holding unit comprises a pump to reduce an interior pressure inside the substrate holding and locking system below atmospheric pressure. The magnetic locking unit is configured to lock the first element and the second element with each other. The magnetic locking unit comprises a magnet control and at least a magnet. The magnet is arranged at one of the first element and the second element. The magnet control is configured to control a magnetic force between the first element and the second element.

In a plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus and a method of plasma electrolytic oxidation using the plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus, the plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus includes a chamber and an electrode unit. The chamber is configured to receive an electrolyte. The electrode unit is configured to receive the electrolyte from the chamber and to treat an object with a plasma electrolytic oxidation treatment. The electrode unit includes an electrode, an enclosing part and a cover. The electrode is configured to receive a voltage from outside, and to form a receiving space in which the electrolyte is received between the electrode and the object. The enclosing part is configured to enclose a gap between the electrode and the object. The cover is configured to cover the electrode.

An electroplating cup assembly comprises a cup bottom, a lip seal, and an electrical contact structure. The cup bottom at least partially defines an opening configured to allow exposure of a wafer positioned in the cup assembly to an electroplating solution. The lip seal is on the cup bottom and comprises a sealing structure extending upwardly along an inner edge of the lip seal to a peak that is configured to be in contact with a seed layer of a wafer and adjacent to a sacrificial layer of the wafer. The electrical contact structure is over a portion of the seal. The electrical contact structure configured to be coupled to the seed layer of the wafer.

An etcher comprises a bath, a plurality of blades, and a tunnel. The bath includes a first electrode at a first end and a second electrode at a second end. The plurality of blades is configured to fit in the bath. At least one blade of the plurality of blades holds a wafer. At least one tunnel is configured to fit between adjacent blades of the plurality of blades in the bath.

Exemplary substrate locking system, device, apparatus and method for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid can be provided. For example, it is possible to provide a first element, a second element and a locking unit. The first element and the second element can be configured to hold the substrate between each other. The locking unit can be configured to lock the first element and the second element with each other. The locking unit can comprise a magnet control device and a magnet. The magnet can be arranged at or near the first element and/or the second element. The magnet control device can be configured to control a magnetic force between the first element and the second element.

In one example, an electroplating apparatus is provided for electroplating a wafer. The electroplating apparatus comprises a wafer holder for holding a wafer during an electroplating operation and a plating cell configured to contain an electrolyte during the electroplating operation. An anode chamber is disposed within the plating cell, and a charge plate is disposed within the anode chamber. An anode is positioned above the charge plate within the anode chamber. In some examples, the anode chamber is a membrane-less anode chamber.

Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

There is provided a substrate holder. The substrate holder comprises a contact assembly; a first plate configured to hold a substrate between the contact assembly and the first plate; at least one first pin fixed to the contact assembly, extended toward a first plate side on outside of the substrate, and provided with a locked portion; a locking member placed on a side opposite to the contact assembly relative to the first plate and configured to be displaceable between a locked state and an unlocked state with respect to the locked portion of the first pin; and at least one first biasing member placed between the locking member and the first plate along an outer circumferential part of the substrate such as to separate the locking member and the first plate from each other and compressed between the locking member and the first plate in the locked state to bias the first plate toward the contact assembly.

There is provided a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, the substrate holder comprising: a first holding member; and a second holding member configured to hold the substrate between the first holding member and the second holding member, wherein the first holding member comprises: at least one substrate contact arranged to come into contact with the substrate; at least one seal member provided with a first seal portion configured to cover periphery of a leading end portion of one or a plurality of the substrate contacts; and at least one bus bar electrically connected with the one or plurality of substrate contacts and provided with one or a plurality of first through holes to receive the first seal portion, wherein the leading end portion of the one or plurality of substrate contacts is arranged to pass through the first through hole from a side opposite to the second holding member toward the second holding member and is fixed to the bus bar in a state that the periphery of the leading end portion of the one or plurality of substrate contacts is covered by the first seal portion.

A method of plating a metal layer on a work piece includes exposing a surface of the work piece to a plating solution, and supplying a first voltage at a negative end of a power supply source to an edge portion of the work piece. A second voltage is supplied to an inner portion of the work piece, wherein the inner portion is closer to a center of the work piece than the edge portion. A positive end of the power supply source is connected to a metal plate, wherein the metal plate and the work piece are spaced apart from each other by, and are in contact with, the plating solution.