Plating apparatus and plating method

Abstract

The objective is to maintain or improve the in-plane uniformity of the plating film even when the die on the substrate becomes larger in diameter and / or the die arrangement becomes asymmetrical. A plating apparatus for plating a substrate, comprising: a plating tank for stirring a plating solution; an anode disposed in the plating tank; a substrate holder for holding the substrate so as to face the anode; and a paddle disposed between the anode and the substrate holder for stirring the plating solution, the paddle having a passing portion with a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions for reducing the electric field in one or more suppressed regions on the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the plating film formation rate should be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a plating apparatus and a plating method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as plating apparatuses capable of performing plating treatment on a substrate, so-called cup-type plating apparatuses and dip-type plating apparatuses are known (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 7079388 (Patent Document 1), Japanese Patent No. 6317299 (Patent Document 2)). Patent Document 1 describes a technique for promoting the upward movement of bubbles adhering to a plurality of holes of an ion resistor and removing the bubbles by adjusting the timing of starting and stopping the stirring of the plating solution by a paddle in a cup-type plating apparatus. Patent Document 2 describes a technique for flowing currents having different values through the side center region, the intermediate region, and the corner region of a substrate in a dip-type plating apparatus in response to non-uniform terminal effects occurring at the peripheral edge of the substrate for the purpose of improving the in-plane uniformity of the film thickness formed on a square substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a plating apparatus for plating a substrate is provided, comprising: a plating tank for stirring a plating solution; an anode disposed in the plating tank; a substrate holder for holding the substrate so as to face the anode; and a paddle disposed between the anode and the substrate holder for stirring the plating solution, the paddle having a passing portion with a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions for reducing the electric field in one or more suppressed regions on the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the plating film formation rate should be reduced.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for plating a substrate is provided, comprising: preparing a paddle for stirring a plating solution, which is disposed between a substrate holder that holds the substrate and an anode, and having a passing portion having a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions that reduce the electric field from the anode to the substrate; and stroking the paddle during the plating of the substrate such that the one or more shielding portions of the paddle cover one or more areas on the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the rate of deposition of the plating film thickness should be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a plating module in a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the arrangement of dies on a substrate according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating film thickness control in the first example. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating film thickness control in the first example. [Figure 7] This is a plan view and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a paddle relating to one example configuration. [Figure 8] This is a chart showing the operation of each part under film thickness control in the first example. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart for film thickness control in the first example. [Figure 10] This is a chart showing the rotational position of the circuit board. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating film thickness control in the second example. [Figure 12] This is a chart showing the operation of each part due to film thickness control in the second example. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart for film thickness control in the second example. [Figure 14] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the film thickness control in the third example. [Figure 15] This is a model configuration diagram showing the model used for the electric field analysis. [Figure 16] This graph shows the results of the electric field analysis. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are schematic in order to facilitate understanding of the characteristics of the components, and the dimensional ratios of each component may not be the same as those of the actual components.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view (top view) showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plating apparatus 1000 includes a load port 100, a transfer robot 110, an aligner 120, a pre-wet module 200, a pre-soak module 300, a plating module 400, a cleaning module 500, a spin rinse dryer 600, a transfer device 700, and a control module 800.

[0011] The load port 100 is a module for loading a substrate accommodated in a cassette such as a FOUP (not shown) into the plating apparatus 1000 or unloading the substrate from the plating apparatus 1000 to the cassette. In the present embodiment, four load ports 100 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, but the number and arrangement of the load ports 100 are arbitrary. The transfer robot 110 is a robot for transferring the substrate, and is configured to transfer the substrate between the load port 100, the aligner 120, the pre-wet module 200, and the spin rinse dryer 600. When transferring the substrate between the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700, the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700 can transfer the substrate via a temporary placement table (not shown).

[0012] The aligner 120 is a module for aligning the positions of the orientation flat, notch, etc. of the substrate in a predetermined direction. In the present embodiment, two aligners 120 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, but the number and arrangement of the aligners 120 are arbitrary. The pre-wet module 200 wets the plating surface of the substrate before plating with a processing liquid such as pure water or deaerated water, thereby replacing the air inside the pattern formed on the substrate surface with the processing liquid. The pre-wet module 200 is configured to perform a pre-wet process that makes it easier to supply the plating liquid inside the pattern by replacing the processing liquid inside the pattern with the plating liquid during plating. In the present embodiment, two pre-wet modules 200 are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the pre-wet modules 200 are arbitrary.

[0013] The pre-soak module 300 is configured to perform a pre-soak process of cleaning or activating the surface of the plating base by etching and removing an oxide film with a large electrical resistance present on the surface of a seed layer formed on the surface to be plated of the substrate before plating, for example, with a treatment liquid such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid. In the present embodiment, two pre-soak modules 300 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the pre-soak modules 300 are arbitrary. The plating module 400 performs a plating process on the substrate. In the present embodiment, there are two sets of 12 plating modules 400 arranged side by side in three in the vertical direction and four in the horizontal direction, and a total of 24 plating modules 400 are provided, but the number and arrangement of the plating modules 400 are arbitrary.

[0014] The cleaning module 500 is configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate in order to remove the plating solution remaining on the substrate after the plating process. In the present embodiment, two cleaning modules 500 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the cleaning modules 500 are arbitrary. The spin rinse dryer 600 is a module for drying the substrate by rotating it at high speed after the cleaning process. In the present embodiment, two spin rinse dryers 600 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the spin rinse dryers 600 are arbitrary. The transfer device 700 is a device for transferring the substrate between a plurality of modules in the plating apparatus 1000. The control module 800 is configured to control a plurality of modules of the plating apparatus 1000 and can be composed of, for example, a general computer or a dedicated computer having an input / output interface with an operator.

[0015] An example of a series of plating processes by the plating apparatus 1000 will be described. First, the substrate accommodated in the cassette is carried into the load port 100. Subsequently, the transfer robot 110 takes out the substrate from the cassette of the load port 100 and transfers the substrate to the aligner 120. The aligner 120 aligns the positions such as the orientation flat and notch of the substrate in a predetermined direction. The transfer robot 110 delivers the substrate whose direction has been aligned by the aligner 120 to the pre-wet module 200.

[0016] The pre-wetting module 200 performs a pre-wetting treatment on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the pre-wetting substrate to the pre-soak module 300. The pre-soak module 300 performs a pre-soak treatment on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the pre-soaked substrate to the plating module 400. The plating module 400 performs a plating treatment on the substrate.

[0017] The transport device 700 transports the plated substrates to the cleaning module 500. The cleaning module 500 cleans the substrates. The transport device 700 then transports the cleaned substrates to the spin rinse dryer 600. The spin rinse dryer 600 dries the substrates. The transport robot 110 receives the substrates from the spin rinse dryer 600 and transports the dried substrates to the cassette in the load port 100. Finally, the cassette containing the substrates is discharged from the load port 100.

[0018] It should be noted that the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 described in Figures 1 and 2 is merely an example, and the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 is not limited to the configurations shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0019] The control module 800 can be configured to include a memory 802 that stores various setting data such as machine parameters and various programs, and a CPU 801 that executes the programs in the memory (Figure 3). The control module 800 may also be equipped with an input / output interface that includes an output device such as a display, and an input device such as a keyboard or mouse. The storage medium constituting the memory can include any volatile storage medium and / or any non-volatile storage medium. The storage medium can include one or more of any storage mediums such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and flexible disk.

[0020] Some or all of the functions of the control module 800 may be configured with hardware such as an ASIC. Some or all of the functions of the control module 800 may be configured with a PLC, sequencer, etc. Some or all of the control module 800 can be located inside and / or outside the housing of the plating apparatus 1000. Some or all of the control module 800 is connected to each part of the plating apparatus so as to be able to communicate with it by wire and / or wireless.

[0021] (Plating module) Next, the plating module 400 will be described. Since the multiple plating modules 400 in the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment have similar configurations, only one plating module 400 will be described.

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the plating module 400 in the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment. The plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment is a cup-type plating apparatus. The plating module 400 of the plating apparatus 1000 includes a plating tank 10, an overflow tank 20, a substrate holder 30, and a paddle 230. The plating module 400 may also include a rotation mechanism 40 for rotating the substrate holder 30, a tilting mechanism 45 for tilting the substrate holder, and a lifting mechanism 50 for raising and lowering the substrate holder 30, as illustrated in Figure 3. The tilting mechanism 45 may be omitted.

[0023] The plating tank 10 according to this embodiment is composed of a bottomed container with an opening at the top. Specifically, the plating tank 10 has a bottom wall 10a and an outer peripheral wall 10b that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 10a, with the upper part of the outer peripheral wall 10b being open. The shape of the outer peripheral wall 10b of the plating tank 10 is not particularly limited, but the outer peripheral wall 10b according to this embodiment has a cylindrical shape as an example. Plating solution Ps is stored inside the plating tank 10. The plating tank 10 is also provided with a supply port 13 for supplying the plating solution Ps to the plating tank 10.

[0024] The plating solution Ps can be any solution containing ions of the metal elements that constitute the plating film, and its specific examples are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, copper plating is used as an example of a plating process, and copper sulfate solution is used as an example of the plating solution Ps. The plating solution Ps may also contain certain additives.

[0025] An anode 11 is placed inside the plating tank 10. The specific type of anode 11 is not particularly limited and may be an insoluble anode or a soluble anode. In this embodiment, an insoluble anode is used as an example of anode 11. The specific type of this insoluble anode is not particularly limited and can be platinum, iridium oxide, or the like.

[0026] Inside the plating tank 10, an ion resistor 12 is positioned above the anode 11. The ion resistor 12 is made of a porous plate member having multiple holes (micropores). The holes are provided so as to connect the lower surface and the upper surface of the ion resistor 12. The region in the ion resistor 12 where multiple holes are formed is called the hole-forming area PA. In this embodiment, the hole-forming area has a circular shape in plan view. Furthermore, the area of ​​the hole-forming area in this embodiment is the same as or larger than the area of ​​the plated surface of the substrate Wf. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the area of ​​the hole-forming area may be smaller than the area of ​​the plated surface of the substrate Wf.

[0027] The ion resistor 12 is provided to homogenize the electric field formed between the anode 11 and the substrate Wf, which acts as the cathode. As in this embodiment, by placing the ion resistor 12 in the plating tank 10, it is easy to homogenize the thickness of the plating film (plating layer) formed on the substrate Wf. The ion resistor 12 may be omitted in some cases.

[0028] The overflow tank 20 is a bottomed container located outside the plating tank 10. The overflow tank 20 is provided to temporarily store the plating solution Ps that exceeds the upper end of the outer peripheral wall 10b of the plating tank 10 (i.e., the plating solution Ps that overflows from the plating tank 10). The plating solution Ps stored in the overflow tank 20 is discharged from the outlet 14, then passes through the flow path 15, and is temporarily stored in the reservoir tank 80. The plating solution Ps stored in this reservoir tank 80 is then pumped by the pump 81 and circulated back to the plating tank 10 from the supply port 13.

[0029] The plating module 400 may be equipped with a level sensor 60a for detecting the liquid level of the plating solution Ps in the plating tank 10. The detection result of this level sensor 60a is transmitted to the control module 800.

[0030] Furthermore, the plating module 400 may be equipped with a flow sensor 60b for detecting the flow rate (L / min) of the plating solution Ps overflowing from the plating tank 10. The detection result of this flow sensor 60b is transmitted to the control module 800. The specific location of the flow sensor 60b is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, as an example, the flow sensor 60b is located in a flow path 15 that connects the outlet 14 of the overflow tank 20 and the reservoir tank 80.

[0031] The substrate holder 30 holds the substrate Wf, which serves as the cathode, so that the plated surface of the substrate Wf faces the anode 11. In this embodiment, the plated surface of the substrate Wf is specifically the surface facing downward (bottom surface) of the substrate Wf.

[0032] As illustrated in Figure 3, the substrate holder 30 may have a ring 31 that protrudes below the outer peripheral edge of the plated surface of the substrate Wf. Specifically, the ring 31 in this embodiment has a ring shape when viewed from below. The ring 31 also holds a seal (not shown) that seals the outer peripheral portion of the substrate Wf, and within the space sealed by the seal, there are a plurality of contacts 140 (see Figure 14) that contact the substrate Wf and supply power when the substrate holder 30 holds the substrate Wf.

[0033] The substrate holder 30 is connected to the rotating mechanism 40. The rotating mechanism 40 is a mechanism for rotating the substrate holder 30. "R1" shown in Figure 3 is an example of the rotation direction of the substrate holder 30. A known rotary motor or the like can be used as the rotating mechanism 40. The tilting mechanism 45 is a mechanism for tilting the rotating mechanism 40 and the substrate holder 30. The lifting mechanism 50 is supported by a support shaft 51 that extends vertically via the lifting mechanism 50. The lifting mechanism 50 is supported by the support shaft 51 and is a mechanism for raising and lowering the substrate holder 30, the rotating mechanism 40 and the tilting mechanism 45 in the vertical direction. A known lifting mechanism such as a linear actuator can be used as the lifting mechanism 50.

[0034] The paddle 230 is positioned inside the plating bath 10 near the substrate Wf (for example, between the ion resistor 12 and the substrate Wf if an ion resistor is present). The paddle 230 reciprocates in a direction roughly parallel to the plated surface of the substrate Wf, generating a strong flow of the plating solution on the substrate Wf surface. This homogenizes the ions in the plating solution near the surface of the substrate Wf, improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film formed on the substrate Wf surface. The paddle 230 is driven by a paddle drive mechanism (not shown) controlled by the control module 800.

[0035] Furthermore, a diaphragm (not shown) may be placed inside the plating tank 10 between the anode 11 and the ion resistor 12. In this case, the inside of the plating tank 10 is divided by the diaphragm into an anode chamber below the diaphragm and a cathode chamber above the diaphragm. The anode 11 is placed in the anode chamber, and the ion resistor 12 is placed in the cathode chamber. The diaphragm is configured to allow ionic species containing metal ions contained in the plating solution Ps to pass through the diaphragm, while suppressing the passage of plating additives contained in the plating solution Ps. For example, an ion exchange membrane can be used as such a diaphragm. When the inside of the plating tank 10 is divided into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber by a diaphragm, it is preferable that supply ports 13 be provided in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, respectively. Furthermore, the anode chamber may be provided with an outlet for discharging the plating solution Ps from the anode chamber. Furthermore, the cathode chamber may be provided with an outlet for discharging the plating solution Ps from the cathode chamber.

[0036] Figure 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of dies on a substrate Wf according to one embodiment. Hereinafter, the die arrangement may be simply referred to as the die arrangement. Figure 4 shows a plurality of dies D (D1 to D16) arranged (formed) on the plated surface of the substrate Wf. In the example of Figure 4, the die arrangement consisting of a plurality of dies D (D1 to D16) has a cross shape in plan view. However, the die arrangement is not limited to a cross shape and may have any shape. A plating pattern (hereinafter simply referred to as a pattern) on which a plating film is to be formed is formed on each die D. The plating pattern is formed, for example, as an opening in a resist or other insulating film. In this specification, as shown in Figure 4, the region or die arrangement on the plated surface (bottom surface) of the substrate Wf in which a plurality of effective dies D are arranged is referred to as the effective pattern region 210, and the region in which a part of the die is missing and is not effective is referred to as the ineffective region 215. As described above, in the example of Figure 4, the effective pattern region 210 has a cross shape in plan view. As the dimensions of the die D increase relative to the area of ​​the substrate Wf, variations occur in the distance between each die D (D7-D16) on the outer periphery of the substrate Wf and the outer edge of the substrate Wf. This significantly disrupts the symmetry of the arrangement of the outer periphery dies D (D7-D16) (resulting in increased asymmetry). As a result, the influence of terminal effects on each die on the outer periphery of the substrate Wf becomes more varied, leading to variations in the amount of power supplied to each die on the outer periphery of the substrate, and potentially causing variations in the plating thickness on each die on the outer periphery of the substrate.

[0037] For example, since die D8 is significantly closer to the outer edge of the substrate Wf than die D7, the plating thickness on die D8 (or part or all of the region of die D8) may be greater than the plating thickness on die D7.

[0038] (Film thickness control example 1) Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the film thickness control according to the first example (film thickness control example 1), showing the substrate Wf and paddle 230 side by side. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the film thickness control according to the first example, showing the die D on the substrate Wf and the paddle 230 superimposed. These figures show the substrate Wf (or die D) and paddle 230 side by side (Figure 5) and superimposed (Figure 6) to make it easier to understand the relationship between the position of each die D on the substrate Wf and the stroke of the paddle 230. Note that in Figure 6, the outline of the substrate Wf is omitted to avoid complexity in the diagram.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, a suppression region 220 is set that overlaps with dies (D7~D9, D12~D14) in the outer peripheral area of ​​the effective pattern region 210 (die array) where the plating film thickness tends to be larger. With the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) stationary, the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 is moved by the stroke of the paddle 230 (stroke length ST = 2X1 (X1 on one side)) to cover the suppression region 220, thereby reducing the electric field reaching the suppression region 220 of the dies (D7~D9, D12~D14) and reducing the plating film thickness formed in the suppression region 220 on the dies (D7~D9, D12~D14). Furthermore, as the plating thickness increases, the variation in plating thickness due to the asymmetry (terminal effect) of the effective pattern region 210 (die arrangement) decreases. Therefore, after the thickness adjustment by electric field shielding by the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 (thickness adjustment period) is completed until in-plane uniformity of the final plating thickness is ensured, it is preferable to rotate the substrate Wf to generate the flow of the plating solution. Note that when the suppressed region 220 overlaps the die, it means that the suppressed region 220 overlaps part or all of the die.

[0040] Furthermore, the plating thickness in all areas (the entire region) of the dies D on the outer periphery of the effective pattern region 210 (die array) that tend to have larger plating thicknesses (D7-D9, D12-D14) is not necessarily greater than that of the other dies. Therefore, the suppressed region 220 does not necessarily include all areas of the dies D on the outer periphery of the effective pattern region 210 that tend to have larger plating thicknesses (D7-D9, D12-D14), but rather corresponds to the area of ​​the die (D7-D9, D12-D14) where the plating thickness / deposition rate should actually be reduced (or where reduction is desired). In the example in Figure 5, the suppressed region 220 does not include all areas of each die (D7-D9, D12-D14), but is set to only some areas. Furthermore, if the region of the die (D7-D9, D12-D14) where the actual reduction in plating film thickness / deposition rate should be applied is the entire region of the die (D7-D9, D12-D14) (i.e., if a reduction in plating film thickness / deposition rate is desired in the entire region), the suppressed region 220 may be set to include the entire region of the die (D7-D9, D12-D14). Depending on the shape of the effective pattern region 210 (die arrangement), the suppressed region 220 may include the entire region of at least one die and a portion of the region of at least one other die. The suppressed region 220 can be set to any part of the effective pattern region 210 where suppression of plating film thickness / deposition rate is desired.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, the paddle 230 has a through section 231 having a plurality of through openings 231A and a shielding section 232 without through openings 231A. The shape of the through openings 231A is not limited, but can be, for example, a honeycomb shape, a rectangular shape, or any other shape. The through openings 231A may be formed as gaps between a plurality of parallel plate-like members.

[0042] Figure 7 shows an example of a paddle configuration. The figure also shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the paddle 230 cut along line B-B'. As shown in the partially enlarged cross-sectional view in Figure 7, although an opening similar to the through hole 131A is formed in the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230, the opening is closed on the upper or lower side of the shielding portion 232 so that the electric field does not pass through the shielding portion 232. Note that this paddle configuration is just one example, and the shielding portion 232 may be a solid configuration with no openings throughout its entire thickness, or any other configuration in which the shielding portion 232 does not allow the electric field to pass through can be used.

[0043] Figure 8 shows the operation chart of each part with film thickness control according to the first example. Figure 10 is a chart showing the rotational position of the substrate. The upper graph in Figure 8 shows the operation chart (rotation) of the substrate holder 30. The horizontal axis (time elapsed) of this graph shows the elapsed time from the start of plating, and the vertical axis (head deg) shows the rotational position of the substrate holder 30. The rotational position of the substrate holder 30 is determined as shown in Figure 10. The lower graph in Figure 8 shows the operation chart of the paddle 230. The horizontal axis (time elapsed) of this graph shows the elapsed time from the start of plating, and the vertical axis (paddle pos.) shows the stalk position of the paddle 230. The origin of the stalk of the paddle 230 is the position where the center of the vertical position of the paddle 230 coincides with the center of the vertical position of the substrate Wf, as shown in Figure 5.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, during a predetermined film thickness adjustment period from the start of plating, the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) is fixed, and the paddle 230 is stroked with a predetermined stroke length ST = 2 x 1 (x 1 on each side). After the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) is rotated, and the rotation of the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) is continued until the plating is completed. The film thickness adjustment period is the period until the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf to be adjusted reaches the target film thickness adjustment amount (film thickness value of the suppressed region 220, or the difference in film thickness between the suppressed region 220 and other regions). The time (period) until the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf reaches the target film thickness adjustment amount is estimated and determined from prior simulations and test results. In other words, the film thickness adjustment period (time) is determined from prior simulations and test results as the time (period) in which the film thickness adjustment amount that results in the most desirable in-plane uniformity of the final plating film thickness distribution can be obtained.

[0045] Note that the graph at the bottom of Figure 8 (paddle 230 operation chart) only shows the operation for one rotation of the substrate Wf during the film thickness adjustment period and the period after the film thickness adjustment period. In reality, the operation for one rotation of the paddle 230 is repeated during each period.

[0046] Figure 9 shows a flowchart of film thickness control according to the first example. This control is performed, for example, by the control module 800.

[0047] In step S11, with the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) stationary, the application of plating current between the substrate Wf and the anode 11 is started, and the operation of the film thickness adjustment paddle 230 is initiated (film thickness adjustment period in Figure 8).

[0048] In step S12, it is determined whether the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has reached the target film thickness adjustment amount. This determination can be made, for example, by determining whether the time required for the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf to reach the target film thickness adjustment amount has been reached, based on prior simulations or test results.

[0049] If, in step S12, it is determined that the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has not reached the target film thickness adjustment amount, the process returns to step S11 and continues for the film thickness adjustment period.

[0050] In step S12, if it is determined that the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has reached the target film thickness adjustment amount, the process proceeds to step S13, where the paddle 230 is stroked with a predetermined stroke length, and the substrate holder 30 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed (revolutions per minute rpm) to continue plating (after the film thickness adjustment period in Figure 8). In the example in Figure 8, the stroke length of the paddle 230 is maintained at the same stroke length ST=2X1 during and after the film thickness adjustment period. The stroke length of the paddle 230 may be different during and after the film thickness adjustment period.

[0051] The stroke length of the paddle 230 may be changed depending on the shape of the effective pattern area 210 (the area where multiple dies D are arranged) on the substrate Wf.

[0052] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 8, the paddle 230 operates within the same range of motion (X1, -X1) on both the positive and negative sides. However, if, for example, the shape of the effective pattern region 210 is asymmetrical on the positive and negative sides, it may be made to operate within different ranges of motion (X2 (>X1), -X1) on the positive and negative sides.

[0053] Furthermore, in the examples in Figures 8 and 9, the film thickness adjustment period was terminated during the plating process, but the film thickness adjustment period may be performed continuously during the plating process. The proportion of the plating period allocated to the film thickness adjustment period may be set to ensure that the in-plane uniformity of the final plating film thickness distribution is most desirable.

[0054] In this film thickness control example, plating is performed with the substrate Wf stationary without rotation. The paddle 230 is then stroked so that its shielding portion 232 covers the suppressed area 220 on the substrate Wf. This prevents or suppresses the plating thickness of some dies D (dies in which the suppressed area 220 is set) from becoming thicker than other dies D, thereby ensuring uniformity of the plating thickness on the substrate Wf.

[0055] (Example of film thickness control 2) Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating film thickness control according to the second example (film thickness control example 2). In the figure, R1 indicates an example of the rotation direction of the substrate Wf. Figure (a) shows the state in which the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf (set in part or all of the regions of dies D7~D9, D12~14, see Figure 5) overlaps with the shielding region 132 of the paddle 230 (the state in which it is covered by the shielding region 132). Figure (b) shows the state in which the dies D other than the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf (D10~D11, D15~D16) overlap with the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230.

[0056] In the second example of film thickness control, the stroke of the paddle 230 is dynamically changed to match the shape of the effective pattern region 210 (die array) while the substrate Wf is slowly rotated. As shown in Figure 11(a), in the position / range where the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf (set to a part or all of the region of dies D7~D9 and dies D12~14, see Figure 5) overlaps with the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230, the stroke of the paddle 230 is set to a short stroke indicated by ST=2X3 (X3 on one side), thereby reducing the rotation speed of the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) (first rotation speed) and increasing the electric field shielding effect in the suppressed region 220 (set to a part or all of the region of dies D7~D9 and dies D12~14, see Figure 5). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11(b), in the position / range where the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) on the substrate other than the suppressed region 220 overlap with the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230, the stroke of the paddle 230 is set to a long stroke indicated by ST = 2X4 (>2X3), increasing the rotational speed of the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) (second rotational speed > first rotational speed), thereby suppressing the shielding effect of the electric field on the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) other than the suppressed region 220, and preventing a decrease in the plating film thickness of the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) other than the suppressed region 220.

[0057] Furthermore, in order to ensure sufficient shielding effect from the shielding portion 232, it is preferable that the rotation speed of the substrate (first rotation speed) be lower than the rotation speed of the substrate during normal plating (third rotation speed). For example, if the rotation speed of the substrate during normal plating (third rotation speed) is 10 to 50 rpm, the rotation speed of the substrate when implementing this film thickness control (first rotation speed) should be 1 to 5 rpm. In other words, the rotation speed of the substrate when implementing this film thickness control should be about 1 / 10 of the rotation speed of the substrate during normal plating. Depending on conditions such as the shape of the effective pattern area 210 of the substrate Wf, and / or according to the required criteria for in-plane uniformity of the film thickness distribution of the final plating film, the rotation speed of the substrate when implementing this film thickness control can be any percentage of the rotation speed of the substrate during normal plating (for example, 50% or less, 40% or less, 30% or less, or 20% or less). On the other hand, the second rotational speed in the position / range where the shielding effect should be reduced is preferably greater than the first rotational speed, and may be about the same as the third rotational speed, less than the third rotational speed, or greater than the third rotational speed.

[0058] This type of control makes it possible to achieve uniformity in the plating film thickness formed on each die D7 to D16 located on the outer periphery of the effective pattern region 210 (die array). Furthermore, since the substrate Wf is rotated, the stirring effect of the plating solution due to the rotation of the substrate Wf can be obtained, which is even more advantageous in improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film.

[0059] Furthermore, as the plating thickness increases, the effect of the terminal effect decreases, and the variation in plating thickness due to the asymmetry of the effective pattern region 210 (die arrangement) decreases. Therefore, after the thickness adjustment by electric field shielding by the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 while rotating the substrate (thickness adjustment period) is completed, the rotation speed of the substrate may be set to the rotation speed used during normal plating, and the stroke of the paddle 230 may be increased over the entire range of substrate rotation (0° to 360°) as shown in Figure 11(b) ST = 2X4 (> 2X3).

[0060] During the film thickness adjustment period, the stroke of the paddle 230 may be dynamically changed between ST=2X4 and ST=2X3 (see the lower graph in Figure 12), while the rotation speed of the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) may be fixed to the first rotation speed (< second rotation speed).

[0061] Figure 12 shows the operation chart of each part under the film thickness control (film thickness control example 2) in the second example. The explanation of the vertical and horizontal axes of the graph in Figure 12 is the same as in the film thickness control (film thickness control example 1) in the first example.

[0062] As shown in Figure 12, during a predetermined film thickness adjustment period from the start of plating, the substrate holder 30 (substrate Wf) is slowly rotated while dynamically changing the stroke of the paddle 230 to match the shape of the effective pattern region 210 (die array). As shown in Figure 11(a), in the position / range where the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf (set in part or all of the regions of dies D7~D9 and D12~14, see Figure 5) overlaps with the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230, the stroke of the paddle 230 is set to a short stroke indicated by ST=2X3, thereby reducing the rotation speed of the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) (first rotation speed) and increasing the electric field shielding effect in the suppressed region 220 (set in part or all of the regions of dies D7~D9 and D12~14, see Figure 5). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11(b), in the position / range where the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) on the substrate other than the suppressed region 220 overlap with the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230, the stroke of the paddle 230 is set to a long stroke indicated by ST = 2X4 (>2X3), increasing the rotational speed of the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) (second rotational speed > first rotational speed), thereby suppressing the shielding effect of the electric field on the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) other than the suppressed region 220, and preventing a decrease in the plating film thickness of the dies D (D10~D11, D15~D16) other than the suppressed region 220.

[0063] Furthermore, since there is a section where the suppressed region 220 and the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 partially overlap (the section between Figure 11(a) and Figure 11(b)), the period for setting the stroke of the paddle 230 to ST=2X3 and the period for setting ST=2X4 should be appropriately set based on prior simulations and test results to obtain a combination of periods that yield a favorable film thickness distribution. For example, the period for setting the stroke of the paddle 230 to ST=2X3 (the period during which the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 corresponds to the suppressed region 220) should correspond to the sections in Figure 10 where the rotation angle θ of the substrate Wf is 315°~45° and 135°~225°, and the period for setting the stroke of the paddle 230 to ST=2X4 (the period during which the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 corresponds to a region other than the suppressed region 220) should correspond to a section other than the above sections. During one rotation of the substrate Wf, the period during which the stroke of the paddle 230 is ST=2X3 may be longer (as in the example in Figure 12), shorter, or the same as the period during which the stroke of the paddle 230 is ST=2X4.

[0064] Note that the graph at the bottom of Figure 12 (paddle operation chart) only shows the operation of one rotation of the substrate Wf during the film thickness adjustment period and the period after the film thickness adjustment period. In reality, the operation of one rotation of the paddle 230 is repeated during each period.

[0065] Figure 13 shows a flowchart of film thickness control according to the second example. This control is performed, for example, by the control module 800.

[0066] In step S21, the application of plating current between the substrate Wf and the anode 11 is started, and the operation of the paddle 230 and substrate holder 30 is started under the operating conditions for the film thickness adjustment period (film thickness adjustment period in Figure 12).

[0067] In step S22, it is determined whether the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has reached the target film thickness adjustment amount. This determination can be made, for example, by determining whether the time required for the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf to reach the target film thickness adjustment amount has been reached, based on prior simulations or test results.

[0068] In step S22, if it is determined that the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has not reached the target film thickness adjustment amount (NO in S22), the process returns to step S21 and continues for the film thickness adjustment period.

[0069] In step S22, if it is determined that the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf has reached the target film thickness adjustment amount, the process proceeds to step S23, where the paddle 230 is stroked over the entire range of substrate rotation (0° to 360°) with a predetermined stroke length (in the example in Figure 12, ST after the film thickness adjustment period is 2x4), and the substrate Wf (substrate holder 30) is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed (a third rotational speed faster than the first rotational speed during the film thickness adjustment period, for example, the rotational speed of the substrate / substrate holder during the normal plating process described above), and plating is continued.

[0070] The stroke length ST of the paddle 230 may be changed depending on the shape of the effective pattern area 210 (the area where multiple dies D are arranged) on the substrate Wf.

[0071] Furthermore, in the examples shown in Figures 12 and 13, the film thickness adjustment period was terminated during the plating process, but the film thickness adjustment period may be performed continuously during the plating process. The proportion of the plating period allocated to the film thickness adjustment period should be set so that the in-plane uniformity of the final plating film thickness distribution is most desirable.

[0072] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 12, the paddle 230 operates within the same range of motion (X3, -X3) and (X4, -X4) on both the positive and negative sides. However, if, for example, the shape of the effective pattern region 210 is asymmetrical on the positive and negative sides, the paddle may be made to operate within different ranges of motion on the positive and negative sides.

[0073] In this film thickness control example, the electric field of the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf is shielded while the substrate Wf is rotated. This allows for the stirring effect of the plating solution due to the rotation of the substrate Wf, making it easier for metal ions in the plating solution to reach the substrate Wf more uniformly, which is further advantageous for improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film.

[0074] (Film thickness control example 3) Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating film thickness control according to the third example (film thickness control example 3). In this figure, contacts 140 (140-1 to 140-12) for substrate power supply are arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate Wf. Here, the example shows a case where there are 12 contacts 140, but the number of contacts 140 is arbitrary.

[0075] In the above-described example of film thickness control, by stopping the rotation of the substrate holder 130 (or limiting its rotational speed) and stroking the paddle 230 having the shielding portion 232 while plating the substrate Wf, the electric field reaching the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the film thickness of the suppressed region 220 on the substrate Wf. However, in order to increase the flow rate of the plating solution on the substrate surface and uniformly distribute metal ions to the substrate surface, it is preferable to shorten the stopping time (or rotational speed limiting time) of the substrate holder 130 as much as possible.

[0076] When performing electric field shielding using the paddle 230, stopping the rotation of the substrate holder 130 (or limiting its rotation speed) as described above results in a decrease in the substrate surface flow velocity compared to the normal rotation of the substrate holder 130 (the rotation speed during normal plating). Therefore, as described above, the stopping time (or rotation speed limiting time) of the substrate holder 130 is set to the point at which the desired film thickness adjustment is obtained.

[0077] In this film thickness control example, the amount of power supplied to the contacts for substrate power supply is controlled to assist in adjusting the film thickness (film thickness adjustment speed) by the paddle 230, thereby shortening the stopping time (or rotation speed limiting time) of the substrate holder 30 and further improving the ability to maintain the flow rate of the plating solution on the substrate surface and adjust the film thickness simultaneously.

[0078] In the film thickness control method described in this example, film thickness control example 1 (stroking the paddle 230 with the substrate stationary) or film thickness control example 2 (stroking the paddle 230 while rotating the substrate) is combined with control of the amount of power supplied to each contact 140. Specifically, the current supplied to contacts 140-3 to 140-4 and 140-9 to 140-10, which are located near the die (D7 to D9, D12 to D14) where the suppressed region 220 is set, is made smaller than the current supplied to the other contacts. This makes it possible to reduce the plating film thickness formed in the suppressed region 220 even by reducing the amount of power supplied.

[0079] In this way, by combining the effect of reducing the film thickness in the suppressed region 220 by the shielding portion 232 of the paddle 230 and the effect of reducing the film thickness in the suppressed region 220 by suppressing the amount of power supplied by the contact 140, the film thickness adjustment effect can be obtained in a shorter time, and the film thickness adjustment period can be shortened. As a result, the film thickness adjustment period, that is, the time during which the rotation of the substrate is stopped or the rotation speed is reduced, can be shortened, and the improvement in the stirring effect of the plating solution due to the increase in the substrate rotation speed can be obtained earlier.

[0080] (Electric field analysis) Figure 15 is a model configuration diagram showing the model used for the electric field analysis. In this figure, the Patterned area indicates a pattern region where multiple dies D are arranged. Note that the pattern region in Figure 15 is used for the electric field analysis and is slightly different from the effective pattern region 210 in Figure 4, etc. In this specification, the pattern region in Figure 15 is referred to as a stepped pattern region. Paddle shielding indicates the region where the electric field is shielded by the stroke of the shielding region 132 of the paddle 230. Contact invalid indicates a contact 140 where power supply is suppressed or stopped. In this model, the aperture ratio of the plating pattern was 3%, the current density was 7ASD, and the target thickness was 60 μm.

[0081] Using the above model and conditions, the following electric field analysis was performed. (1) Shielding with paddle 230 (stopping substrate rotation) was performed for only 50% of the plating time, and all contacts 140 were enabled (current density 7ASD). (2) After disabling the contact 140 corresponding to the suppressed region 220 (setting the current density to 0), we investigated what percentage of the plating time should be shielded by the paddle 230 (stopping substrate rotation or limiting the substrate rotation speed) in order to obtain the same film thickness distribution as in (1). This allowed us to investigate to what extent the negative effects of the paddle (reduced agitation) could be suppressed by disabling the contacts.

[0082] Figure 16 is a graph showing the results of the electric field analysis. In this graph, the horizontal axis represents the position on the substrate Wf, and the vertical axis represents the variation in plating film thickness. This graph plots the result of subtracting the result of the plating film thickness distribution when (2) contact deactivation + paddle shielding (stopping substrate rotation) was performed for 25% of the plating time from the result of the plating film thickness distribution when (1) paddle shielding (stopping substrate rotation) was performed for 50% of the plating time, and dividing by the average film thickness. In other words, when the contact 140 corresponding to the suppressed region 220 was deactivated and paddle shielding was performed for 25% of the plating time, a film thickness distribution similar to that of paddle shielding (50% of the plating time) was obtained (in other words, almost the same suppression effect was obtained). Therefore, it was found that when contact deactivation is combined, the time of paddle shielding (film thickness adjustment period) can be reduced (halved) from 50% to 25% of the plating time.

[0083] (Other embodiments) In the above example, the film thickness was adjusted by limiting the plating rate in an area overlapping some dies on the outer periphery of the pattern area (die array) on the substrate, which was designated as a restricted area. However, the above embodiment can also be applied when it is necessary to adjust the film thickness by limiting the plating rate in any area on the substrate that is designated as a restricted area. In that case, a shielding portion of the paddle can be configured to correspond to the arbitrary area where the plating rate should be limited, and / or the current of some contacts can be stopped or limited.

[0084] At least the following technical concepts can be understood from the above embodiments. [1] According to one embodiment, a plating apparatus for plating a substrate is provided, comprising: a plating tank for stirring a plating solution; an anode disposed in the plating tank; a substrate holder for holding the substrate so as to face the anode; and a paddle disposed between the anode and the substrate holder for stirring the plating solution, the paddle having a passing portion having a plurality of through-openings and a shielding portion having one or more electric fields in one or more suppressed regions on the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the plating film formation rate should be reduced.

[0085] This configuration makes it possible to suppress or prevent some areas of the pattern region on the substrate from becoming thicker than other areas, thereby ensuring uniformity of the plating film thickness on the substrate. In particular, it makes it possible to suppress or prevent some dies from having a thicker plating film thickness than others, thereby ensuring uniformity of the plating film thickness on the substrate. As a result, even when the diameter of the dies on the substrate is increased and / or the die arrangement becomes asymmetrical, the in-plane uniformity of the plating film can be maintained or improved.

[0086] Asymmetrical die arrangements can be, for example, cross-shaped (Figure 5), stepped (Figure 15), or any other asymmetrical shape that may affect the in-plane uniformity of the plating film. Here, symmetry refers to the symmetry of shape and dimensions over the entire circumference of the substrate, while asymmetry refers to the fact that a part of the substrate in the circumferential direction has a different shape and / or dimensions from other parts.

[0087] [2] In one embodiment, the plating apparatus is equipped with a control module for controlling each part of the apparatus, and the control module causes the paddle to stroke such that the shielding portion of the paddle covers the area to be suppressed on the substrate.

[0088] In this configuration, the paddle's stroke causes the shielding portion of the paddle to cover the area to be suppressed on the substrate. Therefore, even if the shielding portion of the paddle is smaller than the area to be suppressed, the electric field in the area to be suppressed can be reduced, and the plating thickness in the area to be suppressed can be reduced.

[0089] [3] In one embodiment, the control module strokes the paddle while the substrate holder is stationary or rotating at a predetermined speed during the film thickness adjustment period from the start of plating of the substrate for a first hour, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, the substrate holder is rotated at a speed faster than the predetermined speed.

[0090] In this configuration, by stroking the paddle while the substrate is stationary or slowly rotating during the film thickness adjustment period, the shielding portion of the paddle can effectively cover the area of ​​the substrate to be suppressed. After the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotating the substrate at a high speed allows for the stirring effect of the plating solution due to the substrate rotation, enabling the uniform supply of metal ions to the substrate surface during plating.

[0091] [4] In one embodiment, the control module keeps the substrate holder stationary and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a first stroke length during the film thickness adjustment period, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotates the substrate holder and maintains the stroke length of the paddle to the first stroke length or to a second stroke length greater than the first stroke length.

[0092] In this configuration, since the paddle is stroked while the substrate is stationary, the coverage area of ​​the paddle's shielding portion can be made to correspond well with the area of ​​the substrate to be restrained.

[0093] [5] In one embodiment, the control module rotates the substrate holder during the film thickness adjustment period, and during the rotation of the substrate, the stroke length of the paddle is set to a first stroke length during the period when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions of the substrate, and the stroke length of the paddle is set to a second stroke length which is greater than the first stroke length during periods other than the period when the one or more shielding portions correspond to the one or more suppressed regions.

[0094] This configuration allows for the stirring effect of the plating solution due to the rotation of the substrate, which is further advantageous in improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film. In addition, it is possible to suppress the reduction in the film deposition rate of areas on the substrate other than the restricted area due to the shielding portion of the paddle.

[0095] [6] In one embodiment, the control module sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a first rotation speed during the period in which the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions of the substrate, and sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a second rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed during periods other than the period in which the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions.

[0096] With this configuration, the combination of a relatively large stroke length and substrate rotation speed makes it possible to more effectively suppress the reduction in the deposition rate of the plating film in areas of the substrate other than the area to be suppressed, which is caused by the shielding portion of the paddle.

[0097] [7] In one embodiment, the control module sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a third rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a third stroke length greater than the first stroke length at all times. The third rotational speed and third stroke length can be, for example, the rotational speed and stroke length used during normal plating. The third rotational speed and / or third stroke length may be approximately the same as the second rotational speed and / or second stroke length.

[0098] In this configuration, the rotation speed of the substrate is increased after the film thickness adjustment period, allowing the stirring effect of the plating solution by the substrate rotation to be utilized. Furthermore, by increasing the stroke of the paddle after the film thickness adjustment period, the stirring effect of the plating solution on the substrate surface by the paddle can be further improved.

[0099] [8] In one embodiment, the substrate holder has a plurality of contacts that contact the outer periphery of the substrate and supply power, and the control module reduces the amount of power supplied to the contact corresponding to the suppressed region to less than or zero than the amount of power supplied to the other contacts, at least during the film thickness adjustment period.

[0100] This configuration combines the effect of reducing film thickness in the restricted area by the shielding portion of the paddle with the effect of reducing film thickness in the restricted area by suppressing the amount of power supplied by the contact, thereby enabling film thickness adjustment in a shorter time and shortening the film thickness adjustment period. This reduces the time during which the substrate is stationary or the rotation speed of the substrate is reduced, and allows for earlier improvement in the stirring effect of the plating solution by increasing the substrate rotation speed after the film thickness adjustment period.

[0101] [9] In one embodiment, the film thickness adjustment period is determined from prior simulation or test results as the time until the suppressed region on the substrate reaches the target film thickness adjustment amount.

[0102] Since the film thickness adjustment period is determined by prior simulation or test results, the film thickness in the suppressed area on the substrate can be adjusted with good reproducibility according to the individual plating equipment and / or substrate.

[0103]

[10] In one embodiment, the substrate is circular and includes a die array consisting of a plurality of square dies, and the suppressed region overlaps with some of the dies on the outer periphery of the die array.

[0104] This configuration allows for adjustment of the plating thickness in the outer periphery of a rectangular die arrangement on a circular substrate, where the distance between the outer edge of the substrate and the pattern area tends to vary, thereby improving in-plane uniformity across the entire substrate surface.

[0105]

[11] In one embodiment, the one or more shielding parts include shielding parts arranged on both sides of the passage part.

[0106] This configuration allows for the aforementioned effects to be achieved with respect to die arrangements on a substrate that have symmetry on both sides of the paddle passage (such as the die arrangement in Figure 5).

[0107]

[12] In one embodiment, a method for plating a substrate is provided, comprising: preparing a paddle for stirring a plating solution, which is disposed between a substrate holder that holds the substrate and an anode, and having a passing portion having a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions that reduce the electric field from the anode to the substrate; and stroking the paddle during the plating of the substrate such that the one or more shielding portions cover one or more areas to be suppressed in which the rate of film formation of the plating film thickness on the substrate should be reduced.

[0108] This configuration makes it possible to suppress or prevent the plating thickness of some dies from becoming thicker than that of others, thereby ensuring uniformity of the plating thickness on the substrate. As a result, even when the diameter of the dies on the substrate is increased and / or the die arrangement becomes asymmetrical, the in-plane uniformity of the plating film can be maintained or improved.

[0109] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above based on several examples, the embodiments described above are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, its equivalents are included. Furthermore, any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible to the extent that at least some of the above-mentioned problems can be solved or at least some of the effects can be achieved.

[0110] The specifications, claims, drawings, and abstracts of Japanese Patent No. 7079388 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent No. 6317299 (Patent Document 2) are incorporated into this application as a whole by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 10 Plating tanks 11 Anodes 12 Ion Resistors 20 Overflow tank 30 PCB holders 31 Rings 210 Pattern Area 215 Non-patterned areas 220 Suppressed area 230 paddles 231 Passage section 231A Through opening 232 Shielding part 140 Contacts 400 Plating Modules 800 Control Module D Wf substrate ST Stroke Length

Claims

1. A plating apparatus for plating substrates, A plating tank for stirring the plating solution, an anode placed in the aforementioned plating tank, A substrate holder that holds the substrate so as to face the anode, A paddle disposed between the anode and the substrate holder and stroked along a first direction to agitate the plating solution, comprising a through portion having a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions that reduce the electric field of one or more suppressed regions on the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the plating film formation rate should be reduced, wherein the dimension of the shielding portion in the first direction is smaller than the dimension of the through portion in the first direction, A plating apparatus equipped with the following features.

2. In the plating apparatus according to claim 1, The plating apparatus includes a control module that controls each part of the plating apparatus, The control module is a plating apparatus that strokes the paddle such that the one or more shielding portions of the paddle cover the one or more suppressed areas on the substrate.

3. In the plating apparatus according to claim 2, The control module is a plating apparatus that, during a film thickness adjustment period of one hour from the start of plating the substrate, strokes the paddle while the substrate holder is stationary or while the substrate holder is rotating at a predetermined speed, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotates the substrate holder at a speed faster than the predetermined speed.

4. In the plating apparatus according to claim 3, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, keeps the substrate holder stationary and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a first stroke length, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotates the substrate holder and maintains the stroke length of the paddle at the first stroke length, or sets it to a second stroke length greater than the first stroke length.

5. In the plating apparatus according to claim 3, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, rotates the substrate holder, and during the rotation of the substrate, sets the stroke length of the paddle to a first stroke length during the period when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed areas of the substrate, and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a second stroke length which is greater than the first stroke length during periods other than the period when the one or more shielding portions correspond to the one or more suppressed areas.

6. In the plating apparatus according to claim 5, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a first rotation speed during the period when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions of the substrate, and sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a second rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed during periods other than when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions.

7. In the plating apparatus according to claim 6, The control module, after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a third rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed, and the stroke length of the paddle to a third stroke length greater than the first stroke length at all times, in a plating apparatus.

8. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7, The substrate holder has a plurality of contacts that contact the outer periphery of the substrate to supply power, The control module is a plating apparatus that, at least during the film thickness adjustment period, reduces the power supply amount to the contact corresponding to the one or more suppressed regions to less than or zero than the power supply amount to the other contacts.

9. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7, The aforementioned film thickness adjustment period is determined from prior simulation or test results as the time it takes for the one or more suppressed regions on the substrate to reach the target film thickness adjustment amount, in a plating apparatus.

10. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The substrate is circular and includes a die array consisting of multiple square dies. The one or more suppressed regions overlap with some of the dies located on the outer periphery of the die array. Plating equipment.

11. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The plating apparatus wherein the one or more shielding portions include shielding portions arranged on both sides of the passage portion.

12. A method for plating a substrate, A paddle is prepared which is positioned between a substrate holder that holds the substrate and an anode and is stroked along a first direction to agitate the plating solution, and which has a through portion having a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions that reduce the electric field from the anode to the substrate, wherein the dimension of the shielding portion in the first direction is smaller than the dimension of the through portion in the first direction, A method of stroking a paddle during plating of the substrate such that the one or more shielding portions of the paddle cover one or more areas on the outer periphery side of the substrate where the rate of deposition of the plating film thickness should be reduced.

13. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The aforementioned passage section has an elliptical shape, and is a plating apparatus.

14. A plating apparatus for plating substrates, A plating tank for stirring the plating solution, an anode placed in the aforementioned plating tank, A substrate holder that holds the substrate so as to face the anode, A paddle for stirring the plating solution, which is placed between the anode and the substrate holder, and has a passing portion having a plurality of through-openings and one or more shielding portions without through-openings. A control module that controls each part of the plating apparatus, Equipped with, The control module strokes the paddle such that the one or more shielding portions of the paddle cover one or more areas on the outer periphery of the substrate where the plating rate should be reduced. Plating apparatus, wherein the control module strokes the paddle while the substrate holder is stationary or rotates at a predetermined speed during a film thickness adjustment period of one hour from the start of plating on the substrate, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotates the substrate holder at a speed faster than the predetermined speed, the film thickness adjustment period being determined from prior simulation or test results as the time until the one or more suppressed regions on the substrate reach a target film thickness adjustment amount.

15. In the plating apparatus according to claim 14, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, keeps the substrate holder stationary and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a first stroke length, and after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, rotates the substrate holder and maintains the stroke length of the paddle at the first stroke length, or sets it to a second stroke length greater than the first stroke length.

16. In the plating apparatus according to claim 14, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, rotates the substrate holder, and during the rotation of the substrate, sets the stroke length of the paddle to a first stroke length during the period when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed areas of the substrate, and sets the stroke length of the paddle to a second stroke length which is greater than the first stroke length during periods other than the period when the one or more shielding portions correspond to the one or more suppressed areas.

17. In the plating apparatus according to claim 16, The plating apparatus comprises a control module which, during the film thickness adjustment period, sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a first rotation speed during the period when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions of the substrate, and sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a second rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed during periods other than when the one or more shielding portions of the paddle correspond to the one or more suppressed regions.

18. In the plating apparatus according to claim 17, The control module, after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, sets the rotation speed of the substrate holder to a third rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed, and the stroke length of the paddle to a third stroke length greater than the first stroke length at all times, in a plating apparatus.

19. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18, The substrate holder has a plurality of contacts that contact the outer periphery of the substrate to supply power, The control module is a plating apparatus that, at least during the film thickness adjustment period, reduces the power supply amount to the contact corresponding to the one or more suppressed regions to less than or zero than the power supply amount to the other contacts.

20. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18, The substrate is circular and includes a die array consisting of multiple square dies. The one or more suppressed regions overlap with some of the dies located on the outer periphery of the die array. Plating equipment.

21. In the plating apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18, The plating apparatus wherein the one or more shielding portions include shielding portions arranged on both sides of the passage portion.

22. A method for plating a substrate, A paddle is prepared for stirring the plating solution, which is placed between a substrate holder that holds the substrate and an anode, and the paddle has a through portion having a plurality of through openings and one or more shielding portions without through openings. A method comprising: during the plating of the substrate, stroking the paddle such that the one or more shielding portions of the paddle cover one or more suppressed regions on the outer periphery of the substrate where the rate of film formation of the plating thickness should be reduced; stroking the paddle while the substrate holder is stationary or rotating at a predetermined speed during a film thickness adjustment period of first hour from the start of plating the substrate; and rotating the substrate holder at a speed faster than the predetermined speed after the film thickness adjustment period has elapsed, wherein the film thickness adjustment period is determined from prior simulation or test results as the time until the one or more suppressed regions on the substrate reach a target film thickness adjustment amount.

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