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.

Provided are a conductive plating apparatus, a plating system and a plating method for a conductive film. The conductive plating apparatus is configured to electrically connect the conductive film with a power supply. A first conductive structure includes a first conductive roller and a first press roller. A second conductive structure includes a second conductive roller and a second press roller. The first and second conductive structures are configured to allow the conductive film to sequentially pass between the first conductive roller and the first press roller and between the second the conductive roller and the second press roller. The first and second press rollers are configured to be brought into contact with and apply pressures to two opposite surfaces of the conductive film, respectively, and to be equipotential. The second press roller and the first conductive roller are configured to be equipotential.

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.

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.

An e-coat line includes a frame supporting a process track configured to extend along a process direction, a workpiece rack moveably supported on the frame, and a plurality of electrodes supported on an electrode rack. The rack includes support members configured to hold a plurality of hollow workpieces in a predetermined arrangement, and the workpiece rack is moveable relative to the frame between a raised position and a lowered position. The plurality of electrodes are supported on the electrode rack in a predetermined arrangement complementary to the predetermined arrangement of the plurality of hollow workpieces on the support members. The electrode rack is moveable relative to the workpiece rack in a direction crossing the process direction between a first position, in which the plurality of electrodes are extended along and overlapping with the support members to fit within the plurality of hollow workpieces, and a second position, in which the plurality of electrodes are retracted away from the support members to be removed from the plurality of hollow workpieces.

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.

In a plating method for mounting a tubular workpiece having openings at both ends in an axial direction thereof on a power feeding clip and immersing the tubular workpiece in a circulated plating solution to plate the tubular workpiece, the mounting of the tubular workpiece on the power feeding clip is performed by inserting the power feeding clip into the tubular workpiece from one of the openings of the tubular workpiece. The power feeding clip is configured by a folded metal plate, and includes a plurality of elastic contact pieces that can elastically contact the inner surface of the tubular workpiece to hold the tubular workpiece and supply power to the tubular workpiece, and a restraining part that is located inside the tubular workpiece and restrains flow of the plating solution in the axial direction.

Provided are cleaning methods and systems to remove unintended metallic deposits from electroplating apparatuses using reverse current deplating techniques. Such cleaning involves positioning a cleaning (deplating) disk in an electroplating cup similar to a regular processed substrate. The front surface of the cleaning disk includes a corrosion resistant conductive material to form electrical connections to deposits on the cup's surfaces. The disk is sealed in the cup and submerged into a plating solution. A reverse current is then applied to the front conductive surface of the disk to initiate deplating of the deposits. Sealing compression in the cup may change during cleaning to cause different deformation of the lip seal and to form new electrical connections to the deposits. The proposed cleaning may be applied to remove deposits formed during electroplating of alloys, in particular, tin-silver alloys widely used for semiconductor and wafer level packaging.

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.