Substrate holder, plating device, and method for introducing liquid into substrate holder

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to efficiently introduce a liquid into an internal space of a substrate holder.　This substrate holder is for holding a substrate and comprises: a first holding member and a second holding member that sandwich and hold the substrate therebetween; a seal that is disposed between the first holding member and the second holding member in a state in which the substrate is held by the first holding member and the second holding member, and that seals an outer peripheral section of the substrate, which is in contact with a contact of the substrate holder; a liquid injection port through which a liquid is injected into an internal space sealed by the seal; and an exhaust port through which gas is discharged from the internal space. The exhaust port is configured by combining a recessed section of the first holding member and a recessed section of the second holding member, and the flow passage area of the exhaust port is larger than the flow passage area of the liquid injection port.

Description

Substrate holder, plating apparatus, and method for introducing liquid into substrate holder

[0001] The present application relates to a substrate holder, a plating apparatus, and a method for introducing a liquid to a substrate holder.

[0002] In electrolytic plating, if some kind of defect (such as unevenness on the substrate or deterioration of the seal) causes the plating solution to leak into the substrate holder, the plating solution that has entered the holder may corrode and / or dissolve the seed layer of the substrate, causing poor conductivity and reducing the uniformity of the plating.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 7132135 (Patent Document 1) describes a method in which a liquid inlet and an exhaust port are provided on the top of a substrate holder, and when the substrate holder is immersed in liquid, the substrate holder is tilted with the liquid inlet positioned below the liquid level and the exhaust port positioned above the liquid level, and the air in the sealed space (internal space) within the substrate holder is exhausted through the exhaust port while the internal space is filled with liquid through the liquid inlet. Japanese Patent No. 7097522 (Patent Document 2) describes a method in which an inlet passage and an exhaust passage communicating with the internal space of the substrate holder are provided, a pressure reducing device is connected to the exhaust passage, and the internal space is depressurized by the pressure reducing device before the liquid is introduced into the internal space.

[0004] Patent No. 7132135 Specification Patent No. 7097522 Specification

[0005] The substrate holder described in Japanese Patent No. 7132135 (Patent Document 1) requires the addition of a mechanism for tilting the substrate holder when injecting liquid into the substrate holder, which may complicate the configuration of the plating apparatus. Furthermore, a sufficient pressure difference cannot be ensured between the liquid inlet and outlet of the substrate holder, which raises concerns that a sufficient liquid injection speed cannot be ensured. When a pressure reducing device is connected to the substrate holder as in Japanese Patent No. 7095722 (Patent Document 2), a process for connecting the pressure reducing device to the substrate holder must be added.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems. Another object of the present invention is to efficiently introduce a liquid into the internal space of a substrate holder. Another object of the present invention is to efficiently introduce a liquid into the internal space of a substrate holder with a simple configuration and / or process.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate holder for holding a substrate, comprising: a first holding member and a second holding member that sandwich and hold the substrate; a seal that is arranged between the first holding member and the second holding member when the substrate is held by the first holding member and the second holding member, and that seals the outer periphery of the substrate with which a contact of the substrate holder comes into contact; a liquid inlet that injects liquid into an internal space sealed by the seal; and an exhaust port that exhausts gas from the internal space, wherein the exhaust port is formed by combining a recess in the first holding member and a recess in the second holding member, and the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port is larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet.

[0008] 7A . An overall layout diagram of a plating apparatus according to an embodiment. A schematic diagram showing a plating module according to an embodiment. A front view of a substrate holder according to an embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along A-A in FIG. 3. A schematic diagram showing an enlarged cross section of the internal space of a substrate holder according to a comparative example. A front view of a substrate holder according to an example. A cross-sectional view taken along B-B in FIG. 6A. A front view of a substrate holder according to a comparative example. A cross-sectional view taken along C-C in FIG. 7A. A front view of a substrate holder according to an example when introducing liquid. A cross-sectional view taken along D-D in FIG. 8A. A cross-sectional view of a substrate holder according to an example when introducing liquid. A cross-sectional view taken along E-E in FIG. 9A. A front view of a substrate holder in a plating tank. An example of the configuration of an exhaust port of a substrate holder. An example of the configuration of an exhaust port of a substrate holder.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements are designated by identical or similar reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions of identical or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Furthermore, features shown in each embodiment may also be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

[0010] In this specification, the term "substrate" includes not only semiconductor substrates such as wafers, glass substrates, liquid crystal substrates, and printed circuit boards, but also magnetic recording media, magnetic recording sensors, mirrors, optical elements, micromechanical elements, partially fabricated integrated circuits, and any other object to be processed. Substrates include those of any shape, including polygonal (e.g., rectangular) and circular. Furthermore, although expressions such as "front," "rear," "front," "back," "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used in this specification, these are for convenience of explanation and indicate positions and directions on the paper of the illustrative drawings, and may differ in actual placement when the device is in use, etc.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an overall layout diagram of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. The plating apparatus 100 performs a plating process on a substrate held by a substrate holder 200 (FIG. 2). The plating apparatus 100 is broadly divided into a load / unload station 110 for loading and unloading substrates onto and from the substrate holder 200, a processing station 120 for processing the substrate, and a cleaning station 50a. The processing station 120 includes a pre-processing / post-processing module 120A for pre-processing and post-processing the substrate, and a plating module 120B for plating the substrate.

[0012] The load / unload station 110 has one or more cassette tables 25 and a substrate loading / unloading module 29. The cassette table 25 is equipped with a cassette 25a (e.g., FOUP) that stores one or more substrates. The substrate loading / unloading module 29 is configured to load and unload a substrate W onto and from a substrate holder 200 (see FIG. 2). A stocker 30 for accommodating the substrate holder 200 is provided near (e.g., below) the substrate loading / unloading module 29. The cleaning station 50a has a cleaning module 50 that cleans and dries the substrate W after plating.

[0013] A transfer robot 27 that transfers substrates between these units (modules) is disposed in a position surrounded by the cassette table 25, the substrate loading / unloading module 29, and the cleaning station 50a. The transfer robot 27 is configured to be movable by a traveling mechanism 28. The transfer robot 27 is configured, for example, to remove an unplated substrate from the cassette 25a and transport it to the substrate loading / unloading module 29, receive a plated substrate from the substrate loading / unloading module 29, transport the plated substrate to the cleaning module 50, and remove the cleaned and dried substrate from the cleaning module 50 to store it in the cassette 25a.

[0014] The pre-treatment / post-treatment module 120A includes a pre-wet module 32, a pre-soak module 33, a first rinse module 34, a blow module 35, and a second rinse module 36. The pre-wet module 32 wets the substrate surface before plating with a treatment liquid such as pure water or degassed water, thereby replacing the air inside the pattern formed on the substrate surface with the treatment liquid. The pre-wet module 32 is configured to perform a pre-wet treatment, which replaces the treatment liquid inside the pattern with a plating liquid during plating, thereby facilitating the supply of plating liquid inside the pattern. The pre-soak module 33 is configured to perform a pre-soak treatment, which uses a treatment liquid such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to etch away oxide films with high electrical resistance, such as those present on the surface of a seed layer formed on the substrate surface before plating, thereby cleaning or activating the surface of the plating base. In the first rinse module 34, the pre-soaked substrate is cleaned together with the substrate holder 200 with a cleaning liquid (such as pure water). In the blow module 35, the substrate after cleaning is drained. In the second rinse module 36, the plated substrate is washed with a cleaning liquid (pure water, etc.) together with the substrate holder 200. Note that the above configuration is an example, and the pre-treatment / post-treatment module 120A is not limited to the above configuration, and other configurations can be adopted.

[0015] The plating module 120B has multiple plating tanks 39 (also referred to as plating cells) and an overflow tank 38. Each plating tank 39 accommodates one substrate, and the substrate is immersed in the plating solution held therein to perform plating such as copper plating on the substrate surface. The type of plating solution is not particularly limited, and various plating solutions are used depending on the application. The configuration of this plating module 120B is one example, and other configurations can be adopted for the plating module 120B.

[0016] Plating apparatus 100 includes a transfer device 37, which is positioned to the side of each of these devices and which employs, for example, a linear motor system, for transferring substrate holder 200 together with substrates between these devices. This transfer device 37 is configured to transfer substrate holder 200 between substrate loading / unloading module 29, stocker 30, pre-wet module 32, pre-soak module 33, first rinse module 34, blow module 35, second rinse module 36, and plating module 120B. While FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which transfer device 37 includes one transporter, transfer device 37 may also be configured to include two or more transporters.

[0017] The plating apparatus 100 configured as described above includes a control module (controller) 175 as a control unit configured to control the above-described components. The controller 175 includes a memory 175B storing predetermined programs and a CPU 175A that executes the programs stored in the memory 175B. The storage medium constituting the memory 175B stores various setting data and various programs, including programs for controlling the plating apparatus 100. The programs include, for example, programs for controlling the transport of the transport robot 27, controlling the attachment and detachment of substrates to and from the substrate holder 200 in the substrate attachment / detachment module 29, controlling the transport of the transport device 37, controlling the processes in each processing module, controlling the plating process in each plating tank 39, and controlling the cleaning station 50a. The storage medium may include non-volatile and / or volatile storage media. Examples of storage media that may be used include well-known computer-readable memories such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory, as well as disk-shaped storage media such as hard disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and flexible disks.

[0018] The controller 175 is configured to be able to communicate with a host controller (not shown) that controls the plating apparatus 100 and other related devices, and can exchange data with a database held by the host controller. Some or all of the functions of the controller 175 can be configured with hardware such as an ASIC. Some or all of the functions of the controller 175 may be configured with a PLC, sequencer, or the like. Some or all of the controller 175 can be located inside and / or outside the housing of the plating apparatus 100. Some or all of the controller 175 is connected to each part of the plating apparatus 100 via wires and / or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with them.

[0019] (Plating Module) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a plating module 120B. As shown in the figure, the plating module 120B includes a plating tank 39 containing a plating solution Q therein, an anode 40 disposed opposite a substrate holder 200 in the plating tank 39, and an anode holder 60 that holds the anode 40. The substrate holder 200 detachably holds a substrate W serving as a cathode and is configured to immerse the substrate W in the plating solution Q in the plating tank 39. The plating apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an electrolytic plating apparatus that plates the surface of the substrate W with a metal by passing a current between the anode 40 and the substrate W via the plating solution Q. In other embodiments, the plating apparatus may be an electroless plating apparatus. The anode 40 is an insoluble anode that does not dissolve in the plating solution, such as titanium coated with iridium oxide or platinum. A soluble anode may also be used as the anode 40. For example, a soluble anode made of phosphorus-containing copper may be used as the soluble anode. The substrate W may be, for example, a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, a resin substrate, or any other object to be processed. The metal to be plated on the surface of the substrate W may be, for example, copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn), a Sn—Ag alloy, or cobalt (Co). The plating solution Q is an acidic solution containing the metal to be plated, and in the case of plating copper, for example, it is a copper sulfate solution.

[0020] The anode 40 and the substrate W are arranged to extend vertically and face each other in the plating solution. However, in other embodiments, a configuration in which the anode 40 and the substrate W are arranged to extend horizontally (referred to as a horizontal or cup type) may be employed. The anode 40 is connected to the positive terminal of a power supply 90 via an anode holder 60, and the substrate W is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply 90 via a substrate holder 200. When a voltage is applied between the anode 40 and the substrate W, a current flows through the substrate W, and a metal film is formed on the surface of the substrate W in the presence of the plating solution.

[0021] The plating module 120B further includes an overflow tank 38 adjacent to the plating tank 39. The plating solution in the plating tank 39 flows over the sidewall of the plating tank 39 and into the overflow tank 38. One end of a plating solution circulation line 58a is connected to the bottom of the overflow tank 38, and the other end of the circulation line 58a is connected to the bottom of the plating tank 39. The circulation line 58a is equipped with, for example, a circulation pump 58b, a thermostatic unit 58c, and a filter 58d. The plating solution Q overflows the sidewall of the plating tank 39 and flows into the overflow tank 38, and is then returned from the overflow tank 38 through the circulation line 58a to the plating tank 39. In this manner, the plating solution Q circulates between the plating tank 39 and the overflow tank 38 via the circulation line 58a.

[0022] The plating apparatus 100 may further include a regulation plate 14 that adjusts the potential distribution on the substrate W and a paddle 16 that agitates the plating solution in the plating tank 39. The regulation plate 14 is disposed between the paddle 16 and the anode 40 and has an opening 14a for limiting the electric field in the plating solution. The paddle 16 is disposed near the surface of the substrate W held by a substrate holder 200 in the plating tank 39. The paddle 16 is made of, for example, titanium (Ti) or resin. The paddle 16 reciprocates parallel to the surface of the substrate W to agitate the plating solution Q so that sufficient metal ions are uniformly supplied to the surface of the substrate W during plating of the substrate W.

[0023] The above-described configuration is an example, and other configurations may be adopted for the plating apparatus 100, plating module 120B, etc.

[0024] (Substrate Holder) <Configuration Example 1> Fig. 3 is a front view of a substrate holder according to one example. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate holder taken along line A-A in Fig. 3. This figure shows the substrate holder 200 in a plating solution Q.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4 , the substrate holder 200 includes a first holding member 210 and a second holding member 220, which sandwich and hold the substrate W from both sides. The first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220 have openings 211A formed therein, which expose both sides of the substrate W. The opening 211A may be provided in either the first holding member 210 or the second holding member 220. The first holding member 210 includes an inner seal 215 that seals between the substrate W and the first holding member 210, and an outer seal 216 that seals between the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220, outside the inner seal 215 in a front view ( FIG. 3 ). The second holding member 220 includes an inner seal 225 that seals between the substrate W and the second holding member 220. The space surrounded by the inner seals 215, 225 and the outer seal 216 is an internal space 240 that is sealed from the outside of the substrate holder.

[0026] The first holding member 210 also includes external connection terminals 218 ( FIG. 3 ), contacts 213 ( FIG. 4 ), and a bus bar 214 ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) connecting the external connection terminals 218 and the contacts 213. The contacts 213 are omitted from FIG. 3 . The contacts 213 are electrical contacts that contact the seed layer 401 of the substrate W to pass a plating current through the substrate W when the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220 sandwich and hold the substrate W. A plurality of contacts 213 are provided along the outer periphery of the substrate W. In the example of FIG. 4 , a resist pattern 402 defining a plating pattern is formed on the seed layer 401 (e.g., a Cu layer) of the substrate W. The substrate holder 200 also includes a handle 212 ( FIG. 3 ) for hanging the substrate holder 200 on the edge of the tank. In this embodiment, the external connection terminals 218 are provided at one end of the handle 212. In other embodiments, external connection terminals 218 may be provided on both ends of the handle 212 .

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4 , a liquid (in this example configuration, deionized water (DIW), a type of pure water) is introduced into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200. This configuration, in which the contacts 213 are covered with liquid, is referred to herein as a wet contact. The liquid injected into the internal space 240 may be a liquid other than DIW, as long as it does not corrode the components exposed to the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200. For example, a liquid that does not contain metal salts (a liquid with a metal salt concentration of less than a predetermined concentration (e.g., 5 g / L)) can be used. Examples of such liquids include tap water, natural water, and pure water. Pure water includes, for example, deionized water (DIW), distilled water, purified water, or RO water.

[0028] In the example of FIG. 4 , DIW is introduced into the internal space 240 through an introduction passage 231 provided in the substrate holder 200. The outlet of the introduction passage 231 is a liquid inlet 511 that opens into the internal space 240. A valve 231a is provided in the introduction passage 231 to control the on / off state of the introduction passage 231. The valve 231a may be, for example, a solenoid valve, and may be an on-off valve or a flow control valve that can control the flow rate. The valve 231a is controlled by the controller 175. The valve 231a may be provided inside or on the surface of the second holding member 220 of the substrate holder 200. Part or all of the introduction passage 231 may be provided as a passage formed inside the second holding member 220 of the substrate holder 200 and / or as a pipe disposed on the surface of the second holding member 220. The introduction passage 231 is preferably provided, for example, in the lower part of the substrate holder 200, particularly below the substrate W.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3 , an exhaust port 521 communicating with the internal space 240 is provided at the top of the substrate holder 200. The exhaust port 521 is configured in a shape (a slit shape similar to the exhaust port 521 in FIG. 12 ) extending in the width direction of the substrate holder at the upper end of the portion of the substrate holder 200 that holds the substrate W (the portion other than the handle). In this embodiment, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521 is formed larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511 (the outlet of the introduction passage 231). With this configuration, when liquid is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200, air in the internal space 240 can be efficiently discharged through the exhaust port 521, which has a relatively large flow path area, while the liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space 240 through the liquid inlet 511, thereby increasing the injection rate of the liquid into the internal space 240. The exhaust port 521 can be formed, for example, by combining a recess (not shown) provided in the first holding member 210 with a recess (not shown) provided in the second holding member 220. Forming exhaust port 521 in this manner makes it easy to increase the flow path area of ​​exhaust port 521. In plating tank 39, substrate holder 200 is immersed in the plating solution so that exhaust port 521 is located above the plating solution surface.

[0030] In FIG. 4 , an electrode 235A functioning as a sacrificial electrode and / or a leakage current detection electrode can be provided in the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200. Furthermore, a power supply 236A can be connected between the electrode 235A and the bus bar 214 in the plating tank 39. The power supply 236A can be configured as a DC power supply and / or an AC power supply. A current detector 237A may be provided in the power supply 236A or on the wiring from the power supply 236A. In this state, the controller 175 can detect leakage of plating solution into the internal space 240 by monitoring the current flowing between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 (bus bar 214) or the electrical resistance therebetween. If there is no leakage of plating solution, no current flows between the electrode 235A and the contact 213 due to the high resistance of the DIW. However, if there is leakage of plating solution, the resistance of the DIW decreases due to the plating solution, and current flows between the electrode 235A and the contact 213. Furthermore, when the electrode 235A functions as a sacrificial electrode, by dissolving the electrode 235A preferentially over the contact 213, corrosion of the contact 213 can be suppressed even when the plating solution leaks into the internal space 240.

[0031] The electrode 235A may be formed from a material having a higher natural potential (standard electrode potential) than the material of the seed layer, or may be an insoluble electrode coated with such a material. If the electrode 235A is made of the same material as the contact 213, the electrode 235A may be biased to a higher potential than the contact 213 to make the electrode 235A more soluble than the contact 213. Note that only the electrode 235A as a sacrificial electrode may be provided, or only the electrode 235A functioning as a leakage current detection electrode may be provided, or the electrode 235A and related components may be omitted. In the configuration examples described below, some or all of the above-described electrode 235A and related components may be provided, or the above-described electrode 235A and related components may not be provided.

[0032] 5 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged cross section of the internal space of a substrate holder according to a comparative example. This figure shows the substrate holder 200 immersed in plating solution Q. As shown in this figure, in the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example, the internal space 240A is hollow and contains air. In the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example, the contacts 213 are arranged in a dry state within the internal space 240. Such contacts 213 are referred to as dry contacts.

[0033] In the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example, the internal space 240A is hollow. Therefore, if a leak occurs in which the plating solution Q enters the internal space 240A (if a leak path exists), the hydraulic pressure of the plating solution Q compresses the air in the internal space 240A, and a large amount of the plating solution Q may enter the seal. Furthermore, if a leak of the plating solution Q occurs, the undiluted plating solution Q adheres to the exposed seed layer 401 near the contact 213. If the plating solution Q adheres to the seed layer 401 in the internal space 240A, the air present in the internal space 240A dissolves in the plating solution Q. This may result in the seed layer 401 dissolving due to a local cell effect caused by a dissolved oxygen concentration gradient in the plating solution Q and / or electrolytic corrosion caused by the shunting of the plating current, which may cause electrical insulation (causing a power supply failure).

[0034] On the other hand, if the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 is filled with liquid (DIW in this example) as shown in FIG. 4 , the following advantageous effects are achieved: (1) Reduced risk of leakage: Even if a leak path exists, the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 is filled with liquid, and the pressure inside and outside the seals 215 and 216 is balanced, so that the intrusion of plating solution Q into the internal space 240 is limited to the amount that diffuses. (2) Suppression of seed dissolution during leakage: Even in the event of leakage, the plating solution Q is diluted with the liquid, and there is no gas-liquid interface, so corrosion of the seed 401 of the substrate W is unlikely to occur. If the sacrificial electrode 235A is installed, even if a corrosion-causing amount of plating solution leaks, the sacrificial electrode 235A dissolves preferentially because the contact 213 and the seed layer 401 are biased nobler than the sacrificial electrode (e.g., Cu), thereby suppressing dissolution of the seed 401. (3) Leak detection: By installing a leak sensor (electrode 235A) near the seal, it is possible to detect leakage of plating solution into the internal space 240. (4) Reliability during mass production: Because liquid is supplied / discharged into the seal each time fixing is performed (each time a substrate is held by the substrate holder), it is possible to suppress the accumulation of contamination on the contacts due to residual water from cleaning solution. In addition, after automatic cleaning of the substrate holder, plating processing can be performed without drying the contacts.

[0035] <Configuration Example 2> Fig. 6A is a front view of a substrate holder according to one example. Fig. 6B is a cross-section taken along line B-B in Fig. 6A. In this substrate holder 200, the configuration of the outer seal 216 differs from that of the previously described substrate holder (Figs. 3 and 4). Furthermore, although omitted in Fig. 3, Figs. 6A and 6B show clamps (hooks 227, 217) that lock the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220 together. As the remaining configuration is similar to that of the previously described substrate holder, the following description will mainly focus on the differences and omit a description of the similar configuration.

[0036] The clamp includes a hook 217 provided on the first holding member 210 and a hook 227 provided on the second holding member 220. The hook 227 is biased by a spring in a direction in which it engages with the hook 217. When the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220 sandwich and hold the substrate W, the hook 227 engages with the hook 217, thereby locking the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 220 together.

[0037] In this configuration example, as shown in FIG. 6A , an exhaust port 521 is provided at one end of the substrate holder 200 in the left-right direction. The outer seal 216 is configured to be interrupted around the exhaust port 521 to match the configuration of the exhaust port 521. The exhaust port 521 fluidly connects the internal space 240 to the outside of the substrate holder 200. In the example of FIG. 6A , the exhaust port 521 can be provided at any location as long as it is located higher than the liquid inlet 511 described below. However, from the perspective of preventing the plating solution from entering through the exhaust port 521 when the substrate holder 200 is immersed in the plating solution Q (see FIG. 10 ), the exhaust port 521 must be located higher than the plating solution surface. Therefore, the exhaust port 521 is preferably located higher than the region that holds the substrate W, for example, at the upper end of the portion of the substrate holder 200 that holds the substrate W (other than the handle).

[0038] An expansion section 216A is provided in the outer seal 216 at the bottom of the substrate holder 200 so that the portion surrounded by the outer seal 216 (internal space 240) forms a portion that is expanded downward compared to the other portions when viewed from the front ( FIG. 6A ), and the internal space 240 is extended to the vicinity of the lower end of the substrate holder 200. The leading / lower end of the expansion section 216A serves as a liquid injection port 511 that is opened and closed by the outer seal 216. Note that if there is sufficient space between the inner seals 215, 225 and the outer seal 216 to allow the projection 330 ( FIGS. 8A and 8B ) and the pin 340 ( FIG. 9A ) to enter, the expansion section 216A may be omitted.

[0039] In this embodiment, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521 is larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511. With this configuration, when liquid is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200, air in the internal space 240 can be efficiently discharged through the exhaust port 521, which has a relatively large flow path area, while the liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space 240 through the liquid inlet 511, thereby increasing the injection rate of the liquid into the internal space 240. The exhaust port 521 can be formed, for example, by combining a recess (not shown) provided in the first holding member 210 with a recess (not shown) provided in the second holding member 220. Forming the exhaust port 521 in this manner makes it easy to increase the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521.

[0040] In this embodiment, the plating process is performed in a state where the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 is filled with a liquid (e.g., DIW) injected through the liquid injection port 511. Note that filling the internal space 240 with liquid means that it is sufficient if at least all of the contacts 213 in the internal space 240 are covered with the liquid.

[0041] FIG. 7A is a front view of a substrate holder according to a comparative example. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 7A . Similar to the configuration of FIG. 5 , the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example does not have a liquid inlet 511 or an exhaust outlet 521 for the internal space 240, and no liquid is injected into the internal space 240. Since the internal space 240 is not filled with liquid in this substrate holder 200A, the various problems described above with reference to FIG. 5 arise. On the other hand, the substrate holder 200 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B has the internal space 240 filled with liquid, which solves the problems of the substrate holder 200A according to the comparative example and provides the effects (1) to (4) described above.

[0042] FIG. 8A is a front view of the substrate holder 200 during liquid introduction according to an example. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 8A . The configuration of the substrate holder 200 is similar to that described in FIGS. 6A and 6B . Here, an example will be described in which liquid is introduced into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 in the pre-wet module 32. That is, during the pre-wet process (degassed water immersion), liquid (DIW) is introduced into the contact area (internal space 240). Note that instead of the pre-wet module 32, liquid may be introduced into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 in the first rinse module 34 or another module capable of accommodating liquid.

[0043] In this configuration example, the pre-wet module 32 includes a pre-wet tank 320 and an overflow tank 321 that receives DIW that overflows from the pre-wet tank 320. The DIW in the overflow tank 321 is configured to be circulated to the pre-wet tank 320 via a pump and a degassing module. A convex portion 330 for opening the liquid inlet 511 is provided on the bottom surface of the pre-wet tank 320 as a protrusion that protrudes approximately perpendicularly from the bottom surface.

[0044] In this configuration example, the liquid inlet 511 is provided in the first holding member 210. As shown in Fig. 8B , the liquid inlet 511 is located at the lower end of the outer seal 216 (the tip of the expansion section 216A) when the substrate holder is upright, and in a region corresponding to the tip side of the lip portion of the outer seal 216 (a region corresponding to the gap between the outer seal 216 and the protrusion 330), and is opened by the protrusion 330.

[0045] When the substrate holder 200 is immersed in the liquid (DIW in this configuration example) in the pre-wet tank 320, the exhaust port 521 may be located above or below the liquid level. Even when the exhaust port 521 is located in the liquid, it is possible to inject liquid into the internal space 240 through the liquid inlet 511 and the exhaust port 521 while exhausting air from the internal space 240 through the exhaust port 521. Even in this case, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521 is larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511 located below, so that it is possible to efficiently inject liquid into the internal space 240 while efficiently exhausting air from the exhaust port 521.

[0046] When the exhaust port 521 is located above the liquid surface, liquid does not flow into the internal space 240 from the exhaust port 521, so that air can be more efficiently exhausted from the internal space 240. In addition, the liquid that flows in from the exhaust port 521 can entrain air, reducing the possibility that air will remain in the internal space 240.

[0047] As shown in the left and right diagrams of FIG. 8B , when the substrate holder 200 is immersed in the DIW in the pre-wet tank 320, the convex portion 330 deforms the outer seal 216 at the lower end of the expanded section 216A at the bottom of the substrate holder 200, forming a gap between the outer seal 216 and the convex portion 330 and opening the liquid inlet 511. The DIW in the pre-wet tank 320 is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 through the opened liquid inlet 511. The flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511 is the flow path area of ​​the gap between the outer seal 216 and the convex portion 330. After the liquid is injected into the internal space 240, the substrate holder 200 is moved upward and the convex portion 330 is disengaged from the outer seal 216. The outer seal 216 returns to its original state, and the internal space 240 is sealed again. The outer seal 216 functions as a valve that opens and closes the liquid inlet 511.

[0048] When liquid is injected into internal space 240 through liquid inlet 511, air within internal space 240 is discharged through upper exhaust port 521. As described above, the flow path area of ​​exhaust port 521 is larger than the flow path area of ​​liquid inlet 511, so liquid can be efficiently injected into internal space 240 from the liquid inlet (introduction passage 231) while efficiently discharging air within internal space 240 through exhaust port 521, which has a relatively large flow path area, and the injection speed of liquid into internal space 240 can be increased.

[0049] Furthermore, since the liquid is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 from below, the possibility of air remaining in the internal space 240 can be reduced.

[0050] In the above configuration, an internal passage extending longitudinally inside the convex portion 330 and opening into the pre-wet layer 320 and the internal space 240 at the base end and tip end may be provided, and DIW injection may also be performed through the internal passage.

[0051] Configuration Example 3 FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a substrate holder according to another example during liquid introduction, taken at a position similar to D-D in FIG. 8A . FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along E-E in FIG. 9A . In this configuration example, a pin 340 for opening a liquid inlet 511 is provided on the bottom surface of the pre-wet tank 320, instead of the protrusion 330, and protrudes substantially perpendicularly from the bottom surface. A passage 341 extending along the longitudinal direction and opening to the base end and the tip end is provided inside the pin 340. Furthermore, in the substrate holder 200 of this configuration example, in the configuration of the substrate holder described above, a thick portion 216B is provided in the outer seal 216 of the expansion section 216A, and the thick portion 216B has a notch 512 through which the pin 340 can pass. In this configuration example, the liquid inlet 511 is provided in the first holding member 210. 9A and 9B , the liquid inlet 511 corresponds to the lower end of the outer seal 216 (the tip of the expansion section 216A) in a plan view of the substrate holder, and also corresponds to the area of ​​the thick portion 216B of the outer seal 216 that is opened by the passage 341 of the pin 340. The other configurations are the same as those of the first configuration example described above.

[0052] In this configuration example, when the substrate holder 200 is immersed in the DIW in the pre-wet tank 320, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the pins 340 push open the notches 512 in the outer seal 216, penetrate through them, and enter the internal space 240. The passages 341 in the pins 340 open the notches 512 (liquid inlet 511), and the DIW in the pre-wet tank 320 is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 through the passages 341 of the pins 340. The flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511 is the flow path area of ​​the passages 341 of the pins 340. After the liquid is injected into the internal space 240, the substrate holder 200 is moved upward, and the pins 340 are disengaged from the notches 512 in the outer seal 216. The notches 512 return to their original state, and the internal space 240 is sealed again. The outer seal 216 functions as a valve that opens and closes the liquid inlet 511 at the notch 512 .

[0053] In this configuration example, the notch 512 in the outer seal 216 is configured to allow the pin 340 having the passage 341 to pass through, opening the liquid inlet 511. In this configuration, the liquid inlet 511 may be considered to be the lower end (the tip of the expansion section 216A) of the outer seal 216 when viewed from the front of the substrate holder, and also the region in the thick portion 216B of the outer seal 216 that is opened by the passage 341 of the pin 340.

[0054] In this configuration example as well, the flow path area of ​​exhaust port 521 ( FIG. 8A ) is formed larger than the flow path area of ​​liquid inlet 511. With this configuration, when liquid is injected into internal space 240 of substrate holder 200, air in internal space 240 can be efficiently discharged from exhaust port 521, which has a relatively large flow path area, while liquid can be efficiently injected into internal space 240 from liquid inlet 511, thereby increasing the injection speed of liquid into internal space 240.

[0055] Even in this configuration, the liquid is injected into the internal space 240 of the substrate holder 200 from below, so the possibility of air remaining in the internal space 240 can be reduced.

[0056] (Substrate Holder in Plating Tank) Figure 10 is a front view of the substrate holder placed in the plating tank. The substrate holder 200 according to the embodiment described above is immersed in the plating solution Q in the plating tank 39 with the internal space 240 filled with liquid (with the contacts covered with liquid). In the plating tank 39, the liquid inlet 511 is closed, and the plating solution does not enter the internal space 240 through the liquid inlet 511. In addition, the exhaust port 521 is positioned higher than the liquid level S of the plating solution Q, and the plating solution does not enter the internal space 240 through the exhaust port 521.

[0057] (Other Exhaust Port Configuration Examples) FIGS. 11 and 12 show other configuration examples of the exhaust port of the substrate holder. The exhaust port 521 of the substrate holder 200 may be provided in multiple locations (two or more locations) ( FIG. 11 ). In this case, the total flow path area of ​​the multiple exhaust ports 521 may be larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511. Adjusting the number of exhaust ports 521 makes it easy to form the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521 larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511. Furthermore, the exhaust port 521 of the substrate holder 200 may be formed as a slit extending in the left-right direction ( FIG. 12 ). By forming the exhaust port 521 as a slit extending in the width direction of the substrate holder, it makes it easy to form the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port 521 larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet 511. The exhaust port configurations of FIGS. 11 and 12 are applicable to any of the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, two or more of the configuration of the outlet according to any of the above-described embodiments, the configuration of the outlet in FIG. 11, and the configuration of the outlet in FIG. 12 may be combined.

[0058] (Other Embodiments) (1) In the above embodiment, a substrate holder for rectangular substrates was described as an example, but the above embodiment can be applied to substrate holders for circular, polygonal, or other arbitrary shaped substrates. (2) In the above embodiment, a substrate holder in which a substrate is sandwiched and held between first and second holding members was described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to substrate holders of any configuration as long as the substrate holder has an internal space with sealed contacts. (3) In the above embodiment, pure water is injected into the internal space of the substrate holder in the pre-wet module, but pure water may be injected into the internal space of the substrate holder in another module (e.g., the first rinse module), or a separate module for injecting a liquid such as pure water into the internal space of the substrate holder may be provided.

[0059] The present invention can also be described as the following aspects: [1] According to one aspect, there is provided a substrate holder for holding a substrate, comprising: a first holding member and a second holding member that sandwich and hold the substrate; a seal that is disposed between the first holding member and the second holding member when the substrate is held by the first holding member and the second holding member and that seals an outer periphery of the substrate with which a contact of the substrate holder comes into contact; a liquid inlet that injects liquid into an internal space sealed by the seal; and an exhaust port that exhausts gas from the internal space, wherein the exhaust port is configured by combining a recess of the first holding member and a recess of the second holding member, and a flow path area of ​​the exhaust port is larger than a flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet.

[0060] According to this aspect, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port is relatively larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet. Therefore, air in the internal space of the substrate holder can be efficiently discharged through the exhaust port, which has a relatively large flow path area, while liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space through the liquid inlet, thereby increasing the injection rate of the liquid into the internal space. Furthermore, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port is relatively larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet, which is a simple configuration. Furthermore, liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space through a simple process without the need to tilt the substrate or connect a pressure reducing device. Furthermore, the exhaust port is formed by combining the recess of the first holding member and the recess of the second holding member, which makes it easy to increase the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port. On the other hand, since the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet is relatively smaller than the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port, the liquid inlet may be provided in either the first holding member or the second holding member.

[0061] [2] According to one embodiment, the liquid inlet is provided in the first holding member or the second holding member.

[0062] This configuration allows greater freedom in selecting the position of the liquid inlet.

[0063] [3] According to one embodiment, the liquid inlet is provided at a lower portion of the substrate holder when the substrate holder is in an upright position.

[0064] According to this aspect, the liquid inlet is provided at the bottom of the substrate holder, where the liquid pressure is relatively high when the substrate holder is immersed in the liquid, so that the liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space of the substrate holder. Furthermore, since the liquid is injected from below, the possibility of air remaining in the internal space can be reduced. Furthermore, the liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space through the lower liquid inlet, and gas (air) in the internal space can be efficiently exhausted through the upper exhaust port without tilting the substrate holder.

[0065] [4] According to one aspect, the liquid inlet is provided below an area of ​​the substrate holder where the substrate is placed, and the exhaust port is provided above an area of ​​the substrate holder where the substrate is placed.

[0066] This configuration allows liquid to be efficiently injected into the internal space through the lower liquid inlet and gas (air) to be exhausted from the upper exhaust port without tilting the substrate holder. Furthermore, when the substrate is immersed in the plating solution, it is easy to position the exhaust port above the plating solution surface. This configuration suppresses or prevents the plating solution from entering through the exhaust port.

[0067] [5] According to one embodiment, the seal has a valve portion that opens the liquid inlet by elastically deforming.

[0068] According to this aspect, the liquid inlet is opened when the liquid is injected and closed after the liquid is injected, so that when the substrate holder is immersed in the plating solution, the intrusion of the plating solution through the liquid inlet can be suppressed or prevented. Furthermore, since the valve of the liquid inlet can be configured using the seal that seals the internal space of the substrate holder, there is no need to provide a separate valve for closing the liquid inlet.

[0069] [6] According to one embodiment, a protrusion is inserted between the seal and the first or second holding member, so that the liquid injection port is opened as a gap formed between the first or second holding member and the protrusion portion.

[0070] According to this configuration, a protrusion is provided on the bottom surface of a tank that holds liquid (e.g., a pre-wet tank or a rinse tank), and the liquid inlet can be opened by immersing the substrate holder in the liquid in the tank, thereby reducing or preventing the need for additional processes.

[0071] [7] According to one embodiment, the seal has an expansion section arranged to expand a part of the internal space more than the other part, and the protrusion is inserted into a tip end of the expansion section.

[0072] According to this embodiment, it is easy to ensure a space within the internal space for inserting the protrusion that opens the liquid inlet.

[0073] [8] According to one embodiment, the seal has a thick portion with a notch formed therein, and the liquid injection port is opened by inserting a pin having a passage passing through the interior into the notch.

[0074] With this configuration, a pin is provided on the bottom surface of a tank (e.g., a pre-wet tank or a rinse tank) that holds the liquid, and the liquid inlet can be opened by immersing the substrate holder in the liquid in the tank, thereby reducing or preventing additional processes. Also, the flow path area of ​​the passage inside the pin is the same as the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet, ensuring a stable flow path area.

[0075] [9] According to one embodiment, the seal has an expansion section arranged to expand a portion of the internal space more than the other portion, and the pin is inserted into a tip end of the expansion section.

[0076] According to this embodiment, it is easy to ensure a space within the internal space for inserting a pin that opens the liquid injection port.

[0077]

[10] According to one embodiment, the discharge section has a plurality of exhaust ports, and a total flow path area of ​​the plurality of exhaust ports is larger than a flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet section.

[0078] According to this aspect, by adjusting the number of exhaust ports, it is easy to form the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid injector.

[0079]

[11] According to one embodiment, the discharge portion has a slit extending in a width direction of the substrate holder.

[0080] According to this aspect, by forming the exhaust port as a slit extending in the width direction of the substrate holder, it becomes easy to form the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid injection port.

[0081]

[12] According to one embodiment, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: the substrate holder; and a plating tank that accommodates the substrate holder.

[0082] According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a plating apparatus that exhibits the above-mentioned effects.

[0083]

[13] According to one embodiment, the substrate holder further includes a first tank having a protrusion protruding from a bottom surface and configured to hold a liquid, and the substrate holder is configured such that when the substrate holder is accommodated in the first tank, the protrusion is inserted between the seal and the first or second holding member, thereby opening the liquid inlet as a gap formed between the first or second holding member and the protrusion.

[0084] According to this configuration, by providing a protrusion on the bottom surface of a tank (e.g., a pre-wet tank or a rinse tank) that holds the liquid and immersing the substrate holder in the liquid in the tank, the liquid inlet can be opened, thereby reducing or preventing the need for additional processes. Also, the structure for injecting liquid into the substrate holder can be easily configured.

[0085]

[14] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a first tank for holding a liquid, the first tank having a pin protruding from the bottom surface and having a passage passing through the interior, the seal having a thick portion with a notch, and the substrate holder being configured such that when the substrate holder is accommodated in the first tank, the pin is inserted into the notch, thereby opening the liquid inlet as the passage.

[0086] According to this configuration, by providing pins on the bottom surface of a tank (e.g., a pre-wet tank or a rinse tank) that holds the liquid and immersing the substrate holder in the liquid in the tank, the liquid inlet can be opened, thereby reducing or preventing additional steps and enabling a simple configuration of the structure for injecting liquid into the substrate holder.

[0087]

[15] According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for introducing a liquid into a substrate holder that holds a substrate, the method including: sandwiching and holding the substrate between a first holding member and a second holding member of the substrate holder; injecting a liquid from a liquid inlet into an internal space of the substrate holder in which the outer periphery of the substrate is sealed by a seal; and discharging gas from the internal space from an outlet having a flow area larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet, wherein the exhaust port is formed by combining a recess of the first holding member and a recess of the second holding member.

[0088] According to this aspect, air in the internal space of the substrate holder can be efficiently exhausted through the exhaust port, which has a relatively large flow path area, while liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space through the liquid inlet, thereby increasing the injection rate of the liquid into the internal space. Furthermore, liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space with a simple configuration in which the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port is relatively larger than the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet. Furthermore, liquid can be efficiently injected into the internal space through a simple process without the need to tilt the substrate or connect a pressure reducing device or the like. Furthermore, since the exhaust port is formed by combining the recess of the first holding member and the recess of the second holding member, the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port can be easily increased. On the other hand, since the flow path area of ​​the liquid inlet is relatively smaller than the flow path area of ​​the exhaust port, the liquid inlet may be provided in either the first holding member or the second holding member.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, equivalents are included in the present invention. Furthermore, any combination of embodiments and modifications is possible within the scope of solving at least part of the above-described problems or achieving at least part of the effects, and any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and specification is possible. The entire disclosures of Japanese Patent No. 7,132,135 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent No. 7,095,722 (Patent Document 2), including the specifications, claims, drawings, and abstracts, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0090] 32 Pre-wet module 33 Pre-soak module 34 First rinse module 35 Blow module 36 Second rinse module 38 Overflow tank 39 Plating tank 100 Plating apparatus 120 Treatment station 120A Pre-treatment / post-treatment module 120B Plating module 175 Controller 200 Substrate holder 210 First holding member 211A Opening 212 Handle 213 Contact 214 Bus bar 215 Inner seal 216 Outer seal 216A Expanded section 216B Thick portion 217 Hook 218 External connection terminal 220 Second holding member 225 Inner seal 227 Hook 231 Introduction passage 231A Valve 235A Electrode 236A Power supply 237A Current detector 240 Internal space 320 Pre-wet tank 330: convex portion (protrusion) 340: pin 341: passage 401: seed layer 402: resist pattern 511: liquid inlet 512: notch 521: outlet Q: plating liquid S: liquid surface

Claims

1. A substrate holder for holding a substrate, comprising: a first holding member and a second holding member that sandwich and hold the substrate; a seal that is disposed between the first holding member and the second holding member in a state where the substrate is held by the first holding member and the second holding member, and seals an outer peripheral portion of the substrate with which a contact of the substrate holder comes into contact; a liquid injection port for injecting a liquid into an internal space sealed by the seal; and an exhaust port for discharging a gas from the internal space, wherein the exhaust port is formed by combining a recess of the first holding member and a recess of the second holding member, and a flow passage area of the exhaust port is larger than a flow passage area of the liquid injection port. Substrate holder.

2. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the liquid injection port is provided in the first holding member or the second holding member. Substrate holder.

3. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the liquid injection port is provided at a lower portion of the substrate holder in a state where the substrate holder is stood upright. Substrate holder.

4. The substrate holder according to claim 3, wherein the liquid injection port is provided below a region where the substrate of the substrate holder is disposed, and the exhaust port is provided above a region where the substrate of the substrate holder is disposed. Substrate holder.

5. The substrate holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the seal has a valve portion that opens the liquid injection port by elastic deformation. Substrate holder.

6. The substrate holder according to claim 5, wherein a protrusion is inserted between the seal and the first or second holding member, and the liquid injection port is configured to be opened as a gap formed between the first or second holding member and the protrusion. Substrate holder.

7. The substrate holder according to claim 6, wherein the seal has an expansion section disposed so as to expand a part of the internal space more than other parts, and the protrusion is inserted into a tip portion of the expansion section. Substrate holder.

8. The substrate holder according to claim 5, wherein the seal has a thick portion provided with a cut, and a pin having a passage penetrating therethrough is inserted into the cut so that the liquid injection port is opened. Substrate holder.

9. The substrate holder according to claim 8, wherein the seal has an extended section arranged to extend a part of the internal space more than other parts, and the pin is inserted into a tip of the extended section.

10. The substrate holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge part has a plurality of exhaust ports, and a total flow passage area of the plurality of exhaust ports is larger than a flow passage area of the liquid injection port.

11. The substrate holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge part has a slit extending in a width direction of the substrate holder.

12. A plating apparatus comprising the substrate holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and a plating bath for accommodating the substrate holder.

13. The plating apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a first bath having a protrusion protruding from a bottom surface and holding a liquid, wherein when the substrate holder is accommodated in the first bath, the protrusion is inserted between the seal and the first or second holding member, and the liquid injection port is configured to be opened as a gap formed between the first or second holding member and the protrusion.

14. The plating apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a first bath having a pin protruding from a bottom surface and having a passage penetrating therethrough and holding a liquid, wherein the seal has a thick portion provided with a notch, and when the substrate holder is accommodated in the first bath, the pin is inserted into the notch, and the liquid injection port is configured to be opened as the passage.

15. A method of introducing a liquid into a substrate holder for holding a substrate, comprising sandwiching and holding the substrate with a first holding member and a second holding member of the substrate holder, injecting the liquid from a liquid injection port into an internal space of the substrate holder in which an outer peripheral portion of the substrate is hermetically sealed by a seal, and discharging gas in the internal space from a discharge port having a flow passage area larger than a flow passage area of the liquid injection port, wherein the exhaust port is formed by combining a recess of the first holding member and a recess of the second holding member.

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