Ebara Corporation

Shao Hua Chang

Masaya Seki

Masashi Shimoyama

Jumpei Fujikata

Masaki Tomita

Yasuyuki Masuda

Mitsuhiro Shamoto

Yohei Wakuda

Tsutomu Nakada

Yoshitaka Mukaiyama

Kazuhito Tsuji

Tomonori Hirao

A plating apparatus that allows shielding a specific portion of a substrate at a desired timing is achieved. The plating apparatus includes a plating tankfor housing a plating solution, an anodearranged in the plating tank, a substrate holderfor holding a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated facing downward, a rotation mechanismfor rotating the substrate holder, and a shielding mechanismmoving a shielding memberbetween the anodeand the substrate Wf depending on a rotation angle of the substrate holder

Plating apparatus and plating method

Provided is a technique that ensures suppressed deterioration of plating quality of a substrate due to a process gas that remains on a lower surface of a membrane. A plating apparatusincludes a plating tankand a substrate holder. The plating tank includes an anodearranged in an anode chamber. The substrate holder is arranged above the anode chamber and configured to hold a substrate Wf as a cathode. The anode has a cylindrical shape extending in a vertical direction. The plating apparatus further includes a gas accumulation portionand a discharge mechanism. The gas accumulation portion is disposed in the anode chamber so as to have a space between the anode and the gas accumulation portion. The gas accumulation portion covers an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface of the anode to accumulate a process gas generated from the anode. The discharge mechanism is configured to discharge the process gas accumulated in the gas accumulation portion to outside of the plating tank.

Plating apparatus and plating process method

Provided is a technique that ensures suppressed invasion of particles generated at a bearing of a rotation mechanism into a plating tank. A plating apparatusincludes a labyrinth seal member. The labyrinth seal member includes an inner labyrinth sealarranged below a bearingto seal the bearing, an outer labyrinth sealarranged outside in a radial direction of the rotation shaftwith respect to the inner labyrinth seal, a delivery portconfigured to supply air to an inner seal spaceformed inside in the radial direction with respect to the inner labyrinth seal, and a suction portconfigured to suction air in an outer seal spaceformed outside in the radial direction with respect to the inner labyrinth seal and inside in the radial direction with respect to the outer labyrinth seal.

Plating apparatus

Provided is a wetting method for substrate that allows reducing an amount of air bubbles attached to a surface to be plated with a simple structure. The wetting method for substrate includes a holding stepof holding a back surface of a substrate with a back plate such that a surface to be plated of the substrate is opposed to a liquid surface of a plating solution housed in a plating tank, a supplying stepof supplying the plating solution to the plating tank such that the plating solution upwardly flows through a plurality of through-holes in a center part of an ionically resistive element arranged inside the plating tank to raise a center part of the liquid surface of the plating solution, a first lowering stepof lowering a supporting member for supporting an outer edge portion of the surface to be plated of the substrate held by the holding member toward the liquid surface of the plating solution, and a second lowering stepof lowering the holding member such that the substrate is sandwiched by the supporting member lowered in the first lowering stepand the holding member while the center part of the liquid surface of the plating solution is raised in the supplying step

Wetting method for substrate and plating apparatus

A plating apparatusincludes a plating tank, a substrate holder, a rotation mechanism, an elevating mechanism, a contact member, and a cleaning deviceconfigured to clean the contact member. The cleaning deviceincludes a pivot shaft, a first arm, a second arm, and a nozzlethat includes at least one discharge port. Applying a cleaning fluid discharged from the discharge port to the contact membercleans the contact member

Plating apparatus and cleaning method of contact member of plating apparatus

There is provided a powder supply apparatus that prevents powder from scattering as much as possible. There is provided the powder supply apparatus that supplies a powder containing a metal used for a plating to a plating solution. This powder supply apparatus includes a plating solution tank, a feed pipe, a gas supply line, and a spiral-air-flow-generating component. The plating solution tank is configured to house the plating solution. The feed pipe is configured to feed the powder into the plating solution tank. The gas supply line is configured to supply a gas. The spiral-air-flow-generating component is configured to receive the gas from the gas supply line to generate a spiral air flow heading toward the plating solution tank inside the feed pipe.

Powder supply apparatus and plating system

A technique that ensures suppressing deterioration of a plating quality of a substrate caused by air bubbles accumulated on a lower surface of a membrane is provided. An air bubble removing method of a plating apparatus is an air bubble removing method for removing air bubble in an anode chamberin a plating apparatusincluding a plating tankand a substrate holder. The air bubble removing method includes: supplying a plating solution Ps from at least one supply portdisposed in an outer peripheral portionof the anode chamber to the anode chamber and causing at least one discharge portdisposed in the outer peripheral portion of the anode chamber so as to face the supply port to suction the supplied plating solution to form a shear flow Sf of the plating solution along a lower surface on the lower surfaceof a membranein the anode chamber.

Air bubble removing method of plating apparatus and plating apparatus

Provided is a technique that allows ensuring a downsized plating apparatus. A plating apparatus includes a discharge module. The discharge module includes a module main bodyincluding a plurality of nozzlesconfigured to discharge a process liquid upward, and a moving mechanismincluding a rotation shaftdisposed at a side of a plating tank and connected to the module main body. The moving mechanismmoves the module main body by rotation of the rotation shaft. The moving mechanism moves the module main body between the first position and the second position. The plurality of nozzles are arranged such that the process liquid discharged from the plurality of nozzles is brought in contact with a lower surface of a substrate from a center portion to an outer peripheral edge portion when the module main body moves to the second position. The module main body further includes a recovery member configured to recover the process liquid dropped after being discharged from the plurality of nozzles and brought in contact with the lower surface of the substrate.

Plating apparatus, pre-wet process method, and cleaning process method

Provided is a technique that allows measuring a film thickness of a substrate in a plating process. A plating apparatusincludes a plating tank, a substrate holder, a rotation mechanism, a plurality of contact members, a coil, a current sensor, and a film thickness measuring device. The plurality of contact membersare disposed in a substrate holder and arranged in a circumferential direction of the substrate holder. The plurality of contact memberscontact an outer peripheral edge of a lower surface of a substrate to supply electricity to the substrate in the plating process. The coilgenerates a current by an electromagnetic induction due to a magnetic field generated by a current flowing into the contact member, the contact member being rotate together with the substrate holder in the plating process. The current sensordetects the current generated in the coil. The film thickness measuring devicemeasures a film thickness of the substrate based on the current detected by the current sensor in the plating process.

Plating apparatus and film thickness measuring method for substrate

A paddle capable of reducing an influence of blocking the electric field and capable of improving its mechanical strength is disclosed. The paddle, which is configured to agitate a processing liquid in a processing tank by moving in the processing tank, includes a plurality of agitating beams that form a honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure has a plurality of hexagonal through-holes formed by the plurality of agitating beams.

Paddle, processing apparatus having the paddle, and method of producing the paddle

Provided is a technique that allows suppressing a liquid splash of a plating solution. A plating apparatus includes a plating tankincluding an inner tank, a substrate holder, and a paddleconfigured to agitate the plating solution accumulated in the inner tankby reciprocating in a horizontal direction. The paddleis arranged to be inserted through a hole provided in an outer peripheral wall of the inner tank and to build a bridge between an inside of the inner tank and an outside of the inner tank, and the paddleincludes a first portionconfigured to agitate the plating solution accumulated in the inner tank, a second portionarranged outside the inner tank and disposed above the first portion, and a connecting portionarranged outside the inner tank to connect the first portion to the second portion.

Provided is a plate that is arranged between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. This plate has a plurality of circular pores on each one of at least three reference circles that are concentric with each other and that are different from each other in diameter. The plurality of circular pores include three circular pores that are arranged respectively on adjacent three of the at least three reference circles, and that have centers which are out of alignment with each other on an arbitrary radius on the plate.

Plate, plating apparatus, and method of manufacturing plate

A paddle for agitating a plating solution by reciprocating parallel to a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The paddle includes a plurality of vertically-extending agitation rods. Each agitation rod includes: a planar portion perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the paddle; two slope surfaces extending from side ends of the planar portion in directions closer to each other, the two slope surfaces being symmetric with respect to a center line of the agitation rod, the center line being perpendicular to the planar portion; and a tip portion connected with the two slope surfaces.

Paddle, plating apparatus equipped with the paddle, and plating method

A plating device includes: an anode; a substrate holder which holds a substrate; a substrate contact which comes into contact with a peripheral edge portion of the substrate; a resistor which is disposed in a way of facing the substrate holder between the anode and the substrate holder, and is used for adjusting ion movement; and a rotation driving mechanism which causes the resistor and the substrate holder to relatively rotate. The resistor includes: a shielding region which forms an outer frame and shields the ion movement between the anode and the substrate; and a resistance region which is formed on the radially inner side of the shielding region, and has a porous structure allowing the passage of an ion. An outer diameter of the resistance region has an amplitude centering on an imaginary reference circle, and has a wave shape which is periodic and annularly continuous.

Plating device and resistor

Provided is a stirring paddle driving mechanism with a small load. According to one embodiment, a wet substrate processing device is provided, having: a treatment tank for holding a treatment solution; a stirring paddle disposed inside the treatment tank; and a driving mechanism for driving the stirring paddle, wherein the driving mechanism has: a rotary motor; a central rotating member connected to the rotary motor; an outer fixed ring spaced from the central rotating member and surrounding an outside of the central rotating member; a planetary member connected to the central rotating member so as to rotate inside the outer fixed ring; and a driving shaft connected to the planetary member and the stirring paddle and extending in a radial direction of the outer fixed ring, wherein the driving shaft is configured to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction by rotation of the rotary motor.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shao Hua Chang