Plating apparatus and plating method

Abstract

The present invention suppresses or prevents the shape, movement, or the like of each member that is disposed between a substrate and an anode from being transferred to a plating film.　Disclosed is a plating apparatus which comprises: a plating tank for retaining a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; an anode which is disposed so as to face the substrate; a diaphragm which is disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing the upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of openings having a first shape and a plurality of openings having a second shape, which are arranged on the outside of the plurality of openings having a first shape. The center of a circumscribing circle having the plurality of openings having a first shape is eccentric from the rotation center of the substrate holder.

Description

Plating apparatus and plating method

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

[0002] Known plating apparatuses capable of plating substrates include so-called face-down or cup-type plating apparatuses, such as those described in International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1). Such plating apparatuses include a plating tank that stores a plating solution and in which an anode is disposed, and a substrate holder (also referred to as a plating head) that is disposed above the anode and that holds the substrate as a cathode.

[0003] In such face-down plating apparatuses, the anode is located at the bottom of the plating tank due to its structure, so maintenance work such as anode replacement requires removing all parts above the anode. This series of operations is inefficient, time-consuming, and reduces the availability of the plating apparatus. To solve this problem, International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1) discloses a configuration in which a drawer unit that can be pulled out from the plating tank is provided and the anode is placed in the drawer unit.

[0004] International Publication No. 2003 / 079684

[0005] In addition to the anode, plating tanks sometimes contain a membrane (diaphragm) located above the anode, separating the anode-side anode chamber from the substrate-side cathode chamber. The diaphragm seals the plating solution in the anode and cathode chambers, allowing metal ions in the plating solution to pass from the anode chamber to the cathode chamber while preventing additives in the plating solution from passing from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber. Such diaphragms are consumable components that need to be replaced periodically. However, because they are located below components on the substrate holder side, such as resistors and paddles, and are attached to the plating tank via a sealing structure that separates and seals the chambers, their removal and installation are laborious. Furthermore, the separation between the diaphragm and the anode raises concerns about the increased height of the integrated unit. Furthermore, to improve the quality of the plating film formed on the substrate, it is necessary to suppress or prevent the shape and movement of components located between the substrate and the anode from being transferred to the plating film. Furthermore, to improve the quality of the plating film, it is also important to reduce residual air bubbles in the cathode chamber.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve at least some of the problems described above. One object of the present invention is to facilitate maintenance of diaphragms and other components disposed in a face-down plating apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to facilitate installation of diaphragms in a plating tank in a face-down plating apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to easily and reliably seal each chamber in a plating tank with a diaphragm in a face-down plating apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to suppress or prevent the shape, movement, etc. of each component disposed between the substrate and the anode from being transferred to the plating film. Another object of the present invention is to reduce residual air bubbles in the cathode chamber.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with its surface to be plated facing downward; an anode disposed opposite the substrate; a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down an upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, wherein the center of a circumscribed circle containing the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from the center of rotation of the substrate holder. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate; an anode disposed opposite the substrate; a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a front surface and a back surface and including a plurality of beams defining a plurality of openings penetrating between the front surface and the back surface, at least some of the beams being chamfered on the back surface side that comes into contact with the diaphragm.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating method for plating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing downward, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support member that presses down on the top surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support member having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape; and plating the substrate while rotating the substrate in a state where the center of rotation of the substrate is eccentric from the center of a circumscribed circle of the diaphragm support member that contains the plurality of openings of the first shape. Also, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating method for plating a substrate, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support member that presses down on the diaphragm, the diaphragm support member having a plurality of beams that define the plurality of openings, at least some of the beams being chamfered on a side that contacts the diaphragm; and plating the substrate using the plating tank.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plating module viewed from below on the front side; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical section of the plating module; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a horizontal section of the plating module; FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the anode holder assembly; FIG. 7 is an explanatory view illustrating the attachment structure of the diaphragm and the anode; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a vertical section of the plating module at the cathode liquid inlet; FIG. 9 is a plan view of the anode holder assembly; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly viewed from above; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly viewed from below; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly viewed from below with the anode fixing plate made transparent; FIG. 13 is a bottom view of a diaphragm support part; FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the diaphragm support part;

[0010] A plating apparatus 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are schematic illustrations to facilitate understanding of the features of the object, and the dimensional ratios of the components may not be the same as those in reality. Also, for reference, some drawings show an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system. In these Cartesian coordinate systems, the Z direction corresponds to the upward direction, and the -Z direction corresponds to the downward direction (the direction in which gravity acts).

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 according to this 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.

[0012] The load port 100 is a module for loading wafers (substrates) stored in a cassette such as a FOUP (not shown) into the plating apparatus 1000 and unloading substrates from the plating apparatus 1000 to the cassette. In this embodiment, four load ports 100 are arranged horizontally, but the number and arrangement of the load ports 100 are optional. The transfer robot 110 is a robot for transporting substrates and is configured to transfer substrates between the load ports 100, the aligner 120, the pre-wet module 200, and the spin rinse dryer 600. When transferring substrates between the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700, the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700 can transfer the substrates via a temporary stage (not shown).

[0013] The aligner 120 is a module for aligning the positions of the substrate's orientation flat, notch, and the like in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, two aligners 120 are arranged horizontally, but the number and arrangement of the aligners 120 are optional. The prewet module 200 wets the surface of the substrate to be plated with a treatment liquid such as pure water or degassed water before plating, thereby replacing air within a pattern formed on the substrate surface with the treatment liquid. The prewet module 200 is configured to perform a prewet process that replaces the treatment liquid within the pattern with a plating liquid during plating, thereby making it easier to supply the plating liquid within the pattern. In this embodiment, two prewet modules 200 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the prewet modules 200 are optional.

[0014] The presoak module 300 is configured to perform a presoak process, which involves etching away, for example, an oxide film with high electrical resistance present on the surface of a seed layer formed on the surface of a substrate to be plated before plating, using a treatment solution such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to clean or activate the surface of the substrate to be plated. In this embodiment, two presoak modules 300 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the presoak modules 300 are optional. The plating module 400 performs plating on the substrate. In this embodiment, two sets of 12 plating modules 400 are arranged vertically, three vertically and four horizontally, for a total of 24 plating modules 400, but the number and arrangement of the plating modules 400 are optional.

[0015] The cleaning module 500 is configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate to remove plating solution and the like remaining on the substrate after plating. In this embodiment, two cleaning modules 500 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the cleaning modules 500 are optional. The spin rinse dryer 600 is a module for drying the substrate after cleaning by rotating it at high speed. In this embodiment, two spin rinse dryers 600 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the spin rinse dryers 600 are optional. The transport device 700 is a device for transporting substrates between multiple modules within the plating apparatus 1000. The control module 800 is configured to control the multiple modules of the plating apparatus 1000 and can be configured, for example, as a general computer or a dedicated computer equipped with an input / output interface with an operator.

[0016] An example of a series of plating processes performed by the plating apparatus 1000 will be described. First, a substrate stored in a cassette is loaded into the load port 100. Next, the transfer robot 110 removes the substrate from the cassette in the load port 100 and transfers the substrate to the aligner 120. The aligner 120 aligns the positions of the orientation flat, notch, and the like of the substrate to 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.

[0017] The pre-wet module 200 performs a pre-wet process on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the substrate that has been subjected to the pre-wet process to the pre-soak module 300. The pre-soak module 300 performs a pre-soak process on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the substrate that has been subjected to the pre-soak process to the plating module 400. The plating module 400 performs a plating process on the substrate.

[0018] The transfer device 700 transfers the substrate after plating to the cleaning module 500. The cleaning module 500 performs a cleaning process on the substrate. The transfer device 700 transfers the substrate after cleaning to the spin rinse dryer 600. The spin rinse dryer 600 dries the substrate. The transfer robot 110 receives the substrate from the spin rinse dryer 600 and transfers the dried substrate to a cassette on the load port 100. Finally, the cassette containing the substrate is removed from the load port 100.

[0019] It should be noted that the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is merely an example, and the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 is not limited to the configurations shown in FIGS.

[0020] [Plating Module] Next, a description will be given of the plating module 400. Since the multiple plating modules 400 included in the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment have the same configuration, only one plating module 400 will be described.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plating module as seen from below the front side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical cross section of the plating module. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a horizontal cross section of the plating module. FIG. 6A is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the anode holder assembly. FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the attachment structure of the diaphragm and the anode. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a vertical cross section of the plating module at the cathode solution inlet. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the anode holder assembly. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly as seen from above. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly as seen from below. The direction indicated by arrow Y in FIG. 3 indicates the front-to-rear direction of the plating module 400, with the front plate (lid portion) 640 side of the anode holder 610 being the front side and the opposite side being the rear side.

[0022] 4, the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment is a type of plating apparatus known as a face-down or cup type, in which a substrate Wf is held horizontally for plating. The plating module 400 of the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment mainly includes a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 20 also called a plating head that holds the substrate Wf, a rotation mechanism, a tilt mechanism, and a lift mechanism (not shown) that rotate, tilt, and lift the substrate holder 20, a diaphragm 50 that divides the interior of the plating tank 10 into a cathode chamber Cc and an anode chamber Ca, and an anode 60 that is disposed below the substrate Wf and faces the substrate Wf. However, the tilt mechanism may be omitted.

[0023] The plating tank 10 according to this embodiment is configured as a bottomed container with an opening at the top. The plating tank 10 according to this embodiment includes an upper tank 11 and a lower tank 12. The upper tank 11 and the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 form a generally cylindrical internal space for storing a plating solution. The plating solution may be any solution containing ions of metal elements that constitute the plating film, and specific examples thereof are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, copper plating is used as an example of a plating process, and a copper sulfate solution is used as an example of a plating solution. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plating solution contains a predetermined additive. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the plating solution may also be configured to contain no additive.

[0024] A paddle 30 is disposed near the substrate Wf inside the plating tank 10. The paddle 30 reciprocates in a direction generally parallel to the surface to be plated of the substrate Wf, generating a strong flow of plating solution on the surface of the substrate Wf. 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 surface of the substrate Wf.

[0025] A porous resistor 40 is disposed below the paddle 30 within the plating tank 10. Specifically, the resistor 40 is configured as a porous plate member having a plurality of holes (pores). The plating solution below the resistor 40 can pass through the resistor 40 and flow above the resistor 40. The resistor 40 is a member provided to homogenize the electric field formed between the anode 60 and the substrate Wf. By disposing the resistor 40 in the plating tank 10, the thickness of the plating film (plating layer) formed on the substrate Wf can be easily homogenized. Note that the resistor 40 is not an essential component in this embodiment, and the present embodiment may also be configured without the resistor 40.

[0026] In this embodiment, an anode holder assembly 6 is disposed in the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10, and the anode holder assembly 6 is configured to include a diaphragm 50, an anode 60, and a variable anode mask 650. That is, by inserting and attaching the anode holder assembly 6 into the plating tank 10, the diaphragm 50, the anode 60, and the variable anode mask 650 are disposed in the plating tank 10.

[0027] In this embodiment, the diaphragm 50 and the anode 60 are disposed below the variable anode mask 650 inside the plating tank 10 ( FIGS. 5 and 6A ). This embodiment employs a configuration in which the anode 60 is disposed in close contact below the diaphragm 50. The diaphragm 50 vertically divides / separates the interior of the plating tank 10 into an anode chamber Ca (a chamber below the diaphragm 50) and a cathode chamber Cc (a chamber above the diaphragm 50). The diaphragm 50 is configured, for example, by stacking a neutral membrane and an ion exchange membrane. The configuration of the diaphragm 50 is merely an example, and other configurations may be employed. The diaphragm 50 is fixed by being pressed against the holder main body 620 from below by a seal pressing ring 51 with a seal 704 sandwiched between the diaphragm 50 and the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 ( FIGS. 6A and 6B ). A sealing surface 704A is formed between the lower surface of the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the upper surface of the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50. The seal 704 can be disposed, for example, in a seal groove provided annularly around the entire periphery of the lower surface of the annular portion 621 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610. As described above, in the present embodiment, the anode holder assembly 6 can be configured such that the interior of the plating tank 10 is partitioned into upper and lower compartments by the diaphragm 50. Therefore, by sealing the space between the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the plating tank 10, the interior of the plating tank 10 is partitioned into an anode chamber Ca and a cathode chamber Cc, with the diaphragm 50 as the boundary.

[0028] The anode chamber Ca is supplied with an anode fluid (plating solution) through an anode fluid inlet 12C provided in the bottom wall of the plating tank 10 and is discharged from an anode fluid outlet (not shown) provided in, for example, a side wall of the plating tank 10. The cathode chamber Cc is supplied with a cathode fluid (plating solution) through a cathode fluid inlet 680 and is discharged from a cathode fluid outlet (not shown). A plating solution (cathode fluid) containing an additive such as an accelerator is introduced into the cathode chamber Cc, while a plating solution (anode fluid) containing no additives or with a low additive concentration is introduced into the anode chamber Ca. The diaphragm 50 allows metal ions in the plating solution to pass from the anode chamber Ca to the cathode chamber Cc and prevents the additives in the plating solution from passing from the cathode chamber Cc to the anode chamber Ca.

[0029] The anode 60 is disposed in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 50. There are no particular limitations on the specific type of anode 60, and a soluble anode or an insoluble anode can be used. In this embodiment, an insoluble anode is used as the anode 60. There are no particular limitations on the specific type of insoluble anode, and platinum, iridium oxide, or the like can be used.

[0030] In this embodiment, a variable anode mask 650 is provided on the upper surface side (substrate Wf side) of the anode 60 and the diaphragm 50. The variable anode mask 650 has openings that expose the anode 60 inside blades 651, and is an electric field adjusting member that adjusts the electric field directed from the anode 60 to the substrate Wf by adjusting the range of exposure of the anode 60 using the blades 651. As shown in FIG. 5 , the variable anode mask 650 of this embodiment has a plurality of blades 651, and adjusts the opening dimensions of the openings that expose the anode 60 using a mechanism similar to the aperture of a camera.

[0031] <Anode Holder Assembly> The anode holder assembly (also referred to as a drawer unit) 6 will now be described in detail. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 50, anode 60, and variable anode mask 650 are attached to the anode holder 610, and these are integrally configured as the anode holder assembly 6 ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). In other embodiments, the variable anode mask 650 may be omitted or may be provided separately from the anode holder assembly 6. The anode holder assembly 6 is removably attached to the plating tank 10 (lower tank 12). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the anode holder assembly 6 is inserted into the plating tank 10 through an opening 12B provided on the front side of the plating tank 10 and attached to the plating tank 10. The opening 12B of the plating tank 10 is closed by a front plate (lid) 640 of the anode holder 610 and is liquid-tightly sealed by seals 702 and 703 (described below).

[0032] The anode holder assembly 6 includes an anode holder 610, a diaphragm 50 attached to the anode holder 610, an anode 60, and a variable anode mask 650. In other embodiments, the variable anode mask 650 may be omitted or may be provided separately from the anode holder assembly 6.

[0033] (Anode Holder) The anode holder 610 includes a holder body 620 and a front plate 640. The holder body 620 is a member that holds the diaphragm 50, the anode 60, and the variable anode mask 650. The front plate 640 is a member that closes the opening 12B of the plating tank 10 and liquid-tightly seals the interior of the plating tank 10 from the outside. Because the holder body 620 is a part that forms the main part of the anode holder 610, the outer periphery of the anode holder 610 refers to the outer periphery of the holder body 620, and the outer periphery of the holder body 620 refers to the outer periphery of the anode holder 610.

[0034] Holder Main Body The holder main body 620 includes an annular portion 621, a diaphragm support portion 622 integrally provided inside the annular portion 621, and a flange 623 provided on the upper surface of the annular portion 621. The annular portion 621 and the flange 623 form the outer periphery of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610. The annular portion 621 and the flange 623 may be collectively referred to as the outer periphery of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610, or each may be referred to as the outer periphery of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610.

[0035] 4, the annular portion 621 constitutes the lower part of the outer periphery of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610, and a diaphragm support portion 622 having a plurality of openings exposing the diaphragm 50 (the region corresponding to the anode 60) is disposed inside the annular portion 621. In another embodiment, the diaphragm support portion 622 may be omitted, and the portion of the diaphragm support portion 622 may be a single opening.

[0036] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the diaphragm support portion 622 is a mesh portion including a plurality of openings, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, it abuts against the upper surface of the diaphragm 50 to support the diaphragm 50 from above. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the diaphragm support portion 622 includes a honeycomb structure (inside the circumscribed circle Rm) in which hexagonally arranged beams 622A are arranged in a honeycomb shape and have a plurality of honeycomb-shaped openings, and a plurality of beams 622B extending radially from the vertices of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure and connected to the annular portion 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610. Rm in Figure 8 indicates the circumscribed circle of the honeycomb structure, and the inside of this circumscribed circle Rm generally indicates the honeycomb structure. The circumscribed circle Rm generally corresponds to the outer shape (projected shape) of the substrate Wf. 8, the center of the honeycomb structure, i.e., the center Cm of the circumscribed circle Rm, is eccentric from the center of rotation / rotation axis Cw of the substrate holder 20 (substrate Wf). This configuration prevents the plating film formed on the substrate Wf from picking up the pattern of the diaphragm support portion 622, thereby suppressing or preventing a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness. If the center Cm of the honeycomb structure and the center of rotation Cw of the substrate Wf were not eccentric (offset), there is a high possibility that a region in which a high proportion of the electric field is shielded by the beams 622A would be created even if the substrate Wf was rotated.

[0037] The flange 623 forms the upper outer periphery of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 and serves as an attachment portion to the interior of the plating tank 10. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the flange 623 is an annular member having an opening in the center that exposes the diaphragm 50 (the region corresponding to the anode 60). The flange 623 is firmly and liquid-tightly fixed to the annular portion 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 by a fastening member, welding, bonding, or other fixing method. A seal may be disposed between the flange 623 and the annular portion 621 to liquid-tightly fix the two together. In this embodiment, the flange 623 is provided separately from the annular portion 621. However, if the variable anode mask 650 is not attached to the anode holder 610, the flange 623 may be provided integrally with the annular portion 621. An annular seal groove is formed around the entire periphery on the upper surface of the flange 623, and an annular seal 701 is disposed in the seal groove. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, an annular protrusion that is slightly higher than the other portions is provided on the inner portion of the upper surface of the flange 623, and the seal 701 is arranged on this annular protrusion.

[0038] Front Plate As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the front plate 640 includes a front plate main body 641 and a frame member 642. The frame member 642 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate main body 641. The front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642 are fitted to each other with sufficient strength to prevent them from coming off. As shown in FIG. 4 , an annular seal 703 is disposed around the entire outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641, for example, and provides a liquid-tight seal between the front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642. The seal 703 is disposed, for example, in a seal groove formed annularly around the entire outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641. The seal 703 may also be disposed in a seal groove formed annularly around the entire inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642. A flange 12A protruding downward and left-right is provided around the opening 12B of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10. An annular seal 702 is disposed around the entire periphery of the opening 12B on the front surface of the flange 12A, and the seal 702 provides a seal between the flange 12A and the front plate 640 (frame member 642). The seal 702 is disposed, for example, in an annular seal groove provided around the entire periphery of the opening 12B on the front surface of the flange 12A. The flange 12A constitutes a part of the lower tank 12, but may be provided integrally with the lower tank 12, or may be provided separately from other parts of the lower tank 12 and fixed in a liquid-tight manner to other parts by fastening members, welding, bonding, or the like. The seal 702 may also be disposed in an annular seal groove provided around the entire periphery on the back surface of the frame member 642.

[0039] If a sufficient area can be secured on the side wall (front surface) of the lower tank 12 for the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 to abut, the flange 12A may be omitted.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front plate 640 is fixed to the flange 12A of the lower tank 12 by a plurality of fastening members 802 that penetrate the frame member 642. The fastening members 802 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening member. However, from the perspective of maintenance of the anode holder assembly 6 (anode holder 610), fastening members that are easily removable are preferred. The frame member 642 of the front plate 640 is fixed to the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 by the fastening members 802, thereby forming a seal between the frame member 642 and the flange 12A by a seal 702. At this time, the frame member 642 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate main body 641, allowing the seal 702 to appropriately elastically deform and thereby fully exhibiting the sealing performance of the seal 702. As a result, when the anode holder 610 (anode holder assembly 6) is attached to the plating tank 10, the seal 702 between the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 and the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 liquid-tightly seals the inside of the plating tank 10 from the outside.

[0041] (Diaphragm) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6A , the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 is attached to the underside of the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 via a seal 704. As shown in FIG. 6A , a plurality of fastening members 803 penetrate the seal press ring 51, the diaphragm 50, and the seal 704 and thread into the annular portion 621, thereby attaching the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 while being sealed by the seal 704. The seal 704 can be disposed, for example, in a seal groove formed annularly around the entire periphery on the underside of the annular portion 621 ( FIG. 6A ). The multiple fastening members 803 may be bolts, screws, or any other suitable fastening members, and are, for example, evenly disposed around the entire periphery of the seal press ring 51. The diaphragm support portion 622 and the annular portion 621 may be collectively referred to as the diaphragm support portion.

[0042] (Anode) As shown in FIG. 6B , the anode 60 is attached to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 so as to be in close contact with the underside of the diaphragm 50 by the anode fixing plate 62 and diaphragm presser 810. The anode 60 is supported from below and held in place by multiple diaphragm presser 810 that penetrate the anode fixing plate 62 and abut against the underside of the anode 60, pressing the anode 60 against the diaphragm 50. At this time, although not shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the upper surface of the diaphragm 50 is pressed from above by diaphragm support parts 622 ( FIG. 5 , etc.) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, so that the diaphragm 50 and anode 60 are sandwiched and held between the upper diaphragm support parts 622 and the lower diaphragm presser 810. The anode fixing plate 62 is also referred to as a back plate.

[0043] The diaphragm holder 810 may be a bolt, a spacer, or any other support member. Note that Fig. 6B is depicted in a schematic representation in order to emphasize the gap between the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 formed by the multiple diaphragm holders 810.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6A , the anode fixing plate 62 is fixed to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 outside the seal pressing ring 51 via multiple spacers 804A (only one is shown in FIG. 6A ). The anode fixing plate 62 is fixed to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 by multiple fastening members 804 that penetrate the anode fixing plate 62 and the spacers 804A and screw into the annular portion 621. This forms gaps between the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the anode fixing plate 62 (between the seal pressing ring 51 and the anode fixing plate 62, and between the annular member 621 and the anode fixing plate 62). Gas (e.g., oxygen) generated at the anode 60 can move to the outside of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 through these gaps.

[0045] The plurality of fastening members 804 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members, and are, for example, evenly spaced around the entire outer periphery of the seal pressing ring 51 .

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6B , a predetermined gap is formed between the underside of the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 by the tip of the diaphragm presser 810. Furthermore, at one or more circumferential locations on the outer periphery of the anode 60, gaps are provided between the seal pressing ring 51 and the anode fixing plate 62 and between the annular member 621 and the anode fixing plate 62. Gas accumulated between the underside of the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 is discharged through these gaps. The anode fixing plate (rear plate) 62 regulates the amount of gas accumulated on the underside of the anode 60 to a predetermined amount and prevents a large amount of gas from escaping from the underside of the anode at once, which would cause fluctuations in the anode voltage. This prevents a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0047] In this embodiment, the anode 60 is a plate-like member having a large number of through-holes (not shown). The anode 60 may be a plate-like member having a lath (wire mesh) structure or other through-hole-provided structures (see International Publication No. WO 2023 / 188371). Because the anode 60 has a large number of through-holes, the upper surface of the anode 60 is constantly kept wet with the plating solution (anode solution) supplied through the through-holes even during the electrode reaction. The diaphragm 50 is an ion-permeable membrane that allows the plating solution to penetrate and be wetted. Therefore, the anode 60 reacts with the plating solution on the surface facing the substrate (at or near the portion where the diaphragm 50 is in close contact) to produce cations (e.g., hydrogen ions H ＋ ) is transmitted through the diaphragm 50 to the cathode chamber Cc, i.e., the substrate side. Therefore, an ion conduction path (current path) is formed that runs from the substrate-side surface of the anode 60 (the portion where the diaphragm 50 is in close contact with or near that portion) through the inside of the diaphragm 50 to the substrate Wf. On the other hand, gas bubbles generated on the surface of the anode 60 cannot pass through the diaphragm 50 and move to the back surface (lower surface) of the anode 60 through the numerous through-holes in the anode 60. The gas bubbles accumulate on the lower surface of the anode 60 (between the anode 60 and the back plate 62), then move to the outside of the seal press ring 51 and are discharged to the outside of the plating tank 10 through an exhaust passage (not shown).

[0048] Because the upper surface of the anode 60 is in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 50, the gas generated from the anode 60 is suppressed or prevented from accumulating between the anode 60 and the diaphragm 50 and from migrating to the cathode chamber, thereby suppressing or preventing the gas from affecting the electric field between the anode 60 and the substrate Wf and reducing the uniformity of the plating film thickness formed on the substrate Wf.

[0049] (Variable Anode Mask) As shown in Fig. 4, the variable anode mask 650 is attached to the annular portion 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 at a position slightly higher than the diaphragm support portion 622 (Fig. 5, etc.). The variable anode mask 650 includes a plurality of blades 651 and an annular drive member 652 to which the plurality of blades 651 are attached and which adjusts the aperture (opening diameter) formed by these blades 651. A drive shaft 670 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is attached to the drive member 652, and the drive shaft 670 is moved in the front-to-rear direction by an actuator (not shown), thereby rotating the drive member 652 and adjusting the aperture (opening diameter) formed by the plurality of blades 651. In one example, an actuator (not shown) is disposed on the side of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 adjacent to the front plate 640 (opening 12B of the lower tank 12) of the anode holder 610, and the shaft of this actuator extends parallel to the drive shaft 670. The actuator shaft and the drive shaft 670 are connected at their tips via a connecting member 671 (see International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1)). The space between the drive shaft 670 and the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) is sealed with an appropriate seal (not shown; see Patent Document 1, for example). The actuator can be configured using a known linear actuator (e.g., a motor and a ball screw).

[0050] (First Sealing Surface) As shown in Fig. 9 , the flange 623 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 is an annular member having an opening in the center that exposes the diaphragm 50 (the region corresponding to the anode 60). A seal 701 is disposed around the entire periphery of the upper surface of the flange 623, as shown in Figs. 4 , 5 , 8 , and 9 . This seal 701 provides a seal between the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 and the lower surface of the flange 12D of the plating tank 10. A sealing surface 701A that provides a seal between the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 and the plating tank 10 is formed between the upper surface of the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 and the lower surface of the flange 12D of the plating tank 10, which face each other across the seal 701 (see Fig. 4 ). 4 and 5 , a plurality of fastening members 801 pass through the flange 11A of the upper tank 11 and the flange 12D of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 and are fastened to the flange 623 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610. When the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12D of the plating tank 10 by the fastening members 801, the seal 701 is elastically deformed under appropriate pressure to provide sealing properties. The plurality of fastening members 801 are, for example, evenly spaced around the entire circumference. The fastening members 801 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members.

[0051] (Second Sealing Surface) As shown in FIG. 4 , an annular seal 702 is disposed on the front surface of the flange 12A of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10, surrounding the entire periphery of the opening 12B. This seal 702 provides a seal between the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 and the frame member 642 of the front plate 640. In other words, it provides a liquid-tight seal for the opening 12B of the plating tank 10. A sealing surface 702A that provides a seal between the front plate 640 and the plating tank 10 is formed between the front surface of the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 and the back surface of the frame member 642 of the front plate 640, which face each other across the seal 702 (see FIG. 4 ). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , when the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 with multiple fastening members 802, the seal 702 is elastically deformed under appropriate pressure to provide sealing properties. At this time, because the frame member 642 of the front panel 640 is movable in the front-to-rear direction relative to the front panel main body 641, the frame member 642 can be moved relative to the front panel main body 641 so that the frame member 642 elastically deforms the seal 702 with an appropriate pressure depending on the degree of fastening of the multiple fastening members 802. The multiple fastening members 802 can be evenly arranged around the entire periphery, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0052] Here, when the flange 623 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12D of the plating tank 10 with the fastening members 801, i.e., when the seal 701 is elastically deformed, the flange 12D of the plating tank 10 is subjected to a vertical force by the fastening members 801. This causes the seal 702 disposed on the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 to be subjected to a vertical force, which may result in an inadequate seal between the flange 12A and the frame member 642. Therefore, in this embodiment, the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate main body 641, and the frame member 642 is pressed against the flange 12A independently of the front plate main body 641 by tightening the fastening members 802. This causes the seal 703 to be appropriately compressed and elastically deformed, thereby achieving an appropriate sealing state. For example, by varying the degree of tightening of the upper and lower fastening members 802, the seal 702 can be elastically deformed with an appropriate pressing force at the upper and lower parts.

[0053] (Third Sealing Surface) In addition, the gap between the front plate body 641 and the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 is sealed by an annular seal 703. A sealing surface 703A that seals the gap between the front plate body 641 and the frame member 642 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the front plate body 641 and the inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642, which face each other across the seal 703 (see FIG. 4). As a result, the interior of the plating tank 10 is properly sealed from the outside. The frame member 642 is fastened to the front plate body 641 with enough strength to prevent it from falling off. The seal 703 is disposed, for example, in an annular sealing groove provided around the entire outer peripheral surface of the front plate body 641. Alternatively, the seal 703 may be disposed in an annular sealing groove provided around the entire inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642.

[0054] 7 and 10 , the anode holder 610 is provided with a cathode passage 681 in communication with a cathode passage inlet 680 of the front plate 640 at the lower part of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610. The cathode passage 681 is defined by removing a portion of the thickness at the lower part of the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610, and by the underside of the thin-walled portion of the annular portion 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610, the front plate main body 641, the bottom wall 613, and the side walls 614 to 617. The side wall 614 is shaped to follow the outer periphery of the diaphragm support part 622 ( FIGS. 7 and 10 ), and one or more notches 614 a are provided in the upper part of the side wall 614 ( FIG. 7 ). The cutout 614a constitutes the outlet of the cathode fluid passage 681. That is, the cathode fluid passage 681 has an inlet that communicates with the cathode fluid inlet 680, and an outlet (cutout 614a) that opens above the diaphragm 50. The cathode fluid that flows in from the cathode fluid inlet 680 passes through the cathode fluid passage 681 and is supplied from the cutout 614a to above the diaphragm support part 622 (i.e., to the cathode chamber Cc above the diaphragm 50).

[0055] 7, the cathode fluid inlet 680 is located at the bottom of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, at the bottom of the cathode chamber Cc, thereby minimizing the amount of residual cathode fluid remaining in the cathode chamber Cc. The bottom surface (bottom wall 613) of the cathode fluid passage 681 is also located below the anode fixing plate 62, at the bottom of the cathode chamber Cc.

[0056] (Bus Bar) A bus bar 660 is disposed near the center of the width of the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ). As shown in FIG. 10 , the bus bar 660 extends rearward from the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) to near the center of the underside of the anode 60, and is electrically and mechanically connected, for example, by a fastening member 805, to a boss 60A (terminal portion) that is electrically and mechanically connected to the anode 60 and protrudes downward near the center of the underside of the anode 60. The gap between the bus bar 660 and the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) is sealed by an appropriate seal (not shown; see, for example, Patent Document 1). The fastening member 805 may be a bolt, a screw, or any other fastening member.

[0057] Fig. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the anode holder assembly 6 with the anode fixing plate 62 made transparent. Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the diaphragm support part 622. Fig. 13A is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the diaphragm support part 622. Fig. 13B is a further enlarged perspective view of a portion of the diaphragm support part 622.

[0058] When the anode holder assembly 6 is viewed from below, the diaphragm support member 622 is disposed behind the anode 60 and the diaphragm 50 ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). However, for the sake of convenience, in FIG. 11 , the diaphragm support member 622 is depicted as if it can be seen through to the position of the anode 60. In FIG. 11 , an example of the arrangement of a fastening member 803 ( FIG. 6A ) that fastens the seal pressing ring 51 and the diaphragm 50, a fastening member 804 ( FIG. 6A ) that fastens the anode fixing plate 62, and a diaphragm presser 810 ( FIG. 6B ) that presses the diaphragm 50 from below via the anode 60 can also be seen.

[0059] As shown in Figures 12, 13A, and 13B, the lower surface of the beams 622A of the diaphragm support part 622, i.e., the side that contacts the diaphragm 50, is chamfered to form a chamfered portion 624A. The upper and lower surfaces of the diaphragm support part 622 may also be referred to as the front and back surfaces, respectively. In this example, the chamfered portion 624A is a C-chamfer. As shown in Figure 12, the outermost beams 622A of the honeycomb structure may be chamfered only on the side facing the honeycomb structure. In other words, the chamfered portion 624A provided on the outermost beams 622A of the honeycomb structure may be provided only on the side facing the honeycomb structure. In other words, the chamfered portion 624A may be provided on the diaphragm contact side of the beams 622A of the diaphragm support part 622 that also faces the honeycomb opening. In another embodiment, the chamfered portions 624A provided on the outermost beams 622A of the honeycomb structure may be provided on both the side facing the honeycomb structure and the side not facing the honeycomb structure.

[0060] The chamfered portion 624A is provided to improve the problem of residual air bubbles that may be trapped in the portion of the beam that contacts the diaphragm 50 (between the diaphragm and the beam) when the cathode chamber Cc is filled with the solution. Such residual air bubbles may cause defects in plating quality, such as adhesion of air bubbles to the substrate and localized uneven plating.

[0061] As described above, by providing the chamfered portion 624A on the underside of the beam 622A arranged on the cathode chamber Cc side of the diaphragm 50, the contact area of ​​the beam 622A with the diaphragm 50 can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of air bubbles remaining in the cathode chamber Cc. This can effectively prevent defects in plating quality, such as air bubbles adhering to the substrate and localized plating unevenness. Furthermore, by providing the chamfered portion 624A only on the underside of the beam 622A, it is possible to achieve both beam strength and a reduction in the amount of air bubbles remaining.

[0062] Since the circumscribing circle Rm shown in FIG. 8 roughly corresponds to the projection of the substrate Wf, providing a chamfered portion 624B on the honeycomb-structured beam 622A inside the circumscribing circle Rm can be expected to prevent plating quality defects such as air bubble adhesion to the substrate Wf and localized plating unevenness. However, a similar chamfered portion may also be provided on the beam 622B. It goes without saying that the above-described chamfered portion can reduce residual air bubbles regardless of whether the center Cm of the honeycomb structure and the rotation center / rotation axis Cw of the substrate holder 20 (substrate Wf) are eccentric or not. The above-described chamfered portion can also be applied to the diaphragm support portion of a vertical plating apparatus. The above-described chamfering is not limited to a C-chamfer, and any shape of chamfer can be used as long as it is effective in preventing air bubble adhesion, etc.

[0063] The above embodiment provides the following advantageous effects. (1) In the anode holder 610, the seal 704 can appropriately seal between the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 and the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610. (2) The seal 701 can appropriately seal between the outer periphery of the anode holder 610 and the interior of the plating tank 10 so as to divide the interior of the plating tank 10 into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber and cathode chamber). (3) According to the above configurations (1) and (2), by attaching the anode holder 610 to the plating tank 10, the interior of the plating tank 10 can be divided and sealed into a cathode chamber and an anode chamber above and below the diaphragm 50. (4) The seal 702 can appropriately seal between the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 and the periphery of the opening 12B of the plating tank 10. At this time, the seal 702 can be appropriately elastically deformed by moving the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 in the forward and backward directions. (5) The gap between the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 and the front plate main body 641 can be appropriately sealed by the seal 703. (6) By using the above configurations (4) and (5), the inside of the plating tank 10 can be appropriately sealed from the outside by attaching the anode holder 610 to the plating tank 10.

[0064] (Other Embodiments) (1) When the seal 704 between the front plate 640 and the plating tank 10 can liquid-tightly seal the inside of the plating tank 10 from the outside by means of, for example, devising a configuration for the seal 704, the front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642 may be integrated into the front plate 640, and the seal 703 may be omitted. (2) In the above embodiment, the back plate 62 that adjusts the amount of gas accumulated on the underside of the anode 60 is provided. However, instead of the back plate 62, a bubble buffer ring that is provided to surround the anode 60 may be provided, and the amount of bubbles generated from the anode and accumulated on the underside may be adjusted by the height of the bubble buffer ring (WO 2023 / 188371).

[0065] At least the following aspects can be understood from the above-described embodiments. [1] According to one aspect, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with its surface to be plated facing downward; and an anode holder assembly mounted in the plating tank so as to be horizontally retractable through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank, the anode holder having one or more openings in its center, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode, wherein the anode holder assembly has one or more sealing surfaces that seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers. For convenience of explanation, the one or more sealing surfaces that seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside may be referred to as sealing surfaces for sealing the plating tank, and the one or more sealing surfaces that divide the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers may be referred to as sealing surfaces for dividing the interior of the plating tank.

[0066] According to this aspect, in a face-down plating apparatus, the diaphragm and the anode, which require periodic maintenance, can be integrated into a removable anode holder, facilitating maintenance of the diaphragm and the anode. That is, the anode holder assembly, which holds the anode and the diaphragm and is disposed in the lower part of the plating tank, can be removed from the plating tank, and the anode and the diaphragm can be replaced (including replacing the entire anode holder assembly) outside the plating tank.

[0067] According to this embodiment, by attaching the anode holder assembly (anode holder) to the plating tank, the inside of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside and can be divided into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber and cathode chamber). That is, the inside of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside by one or more sealing surfaces for sealing the plating tank, and the inside of the plating tank can be divided into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber and cathode chamber) by another one or more sealing surfaces for dividing the inside of the plating tank.

[0068] Furthermore, since the diaphragm is attached to the plating tank by mounting the anode holder in the plating tank, the diaphragm can be easily attached to the plating tank.

[0069] [2] According to one embodiment, the one or more sealing surfaces that divide the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers include a first sealing surface that seals between the diaphragm and the anode holder, and a second sealing surface that seals between an outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank.

[0070] According to this aspect, the diaphragm is attached to the anode holder in a sealed state before the anode holder assembly is installed in the plating tank. Therefore, by sealing the gap between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank when the anode holder assembly is installed in the plating tank, the interior of the plating tank can be divided into upper and lower chambers.

[0071] [3] According to one aspect, the diaphragm is attached at an outer periphery of the diaphragm to an outer periphery of the anode holder via a first seal member, and the first seal surface is formed between the outer periphery of the diaphragm and the outer periphery of the anode holder.

[0072] According to this embodiment, the gap between the diaphragm and the anode holder can be sealed with a simple structure.

[0073] [4] According to one embodiment, the plating tank has a first flange having a lower surface exposed to the space within the plating tank, the anode holder has a second flange provided on an upper part of an outer periphery, the anode holder is attached to the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank via an annular second seal on the upper surface of the second flange, and the second seal surface is formed between the upper surface of the second flange of the anode holder and the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank.

[0074] According to this embodiment, the anode holder and the plating tank can be reliably sealed over the entire circumference via the opposing surfaces of the anode holder and the plating tank in the vertical direction, thereby ensuring a reliable seal over the entire circumference between the anode holder and the plating tank without being affected by the sealing surfaces that close the opening in the side wall of the plating tank.

[0075] [5] According to one embodiment, the second flange of the anode holder is attached to the first flange of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and when the fastening members are tightened, the second seal member is elastically deformed between the first flange and the second flange.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the outer periphery of the anode holder can be fixed at a predetermined position in the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the second seal member can be elastically deformed to reliably seal the gap between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank.

[0077] [6] According to one embodiment, the one or more sealing surfaces that seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside include a third sealing surface that seals the anode holder against the periphery of the opening of the plating tank.

[0078] According to this embodiment, the interior of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside around the opening in the side wall of the plating tank through which the anode holder assembly is inserted.

[0079] [7] According to one embodiment, the anode holder has a front plate provided at one end side and closing the opening of the plating tank, the front plate having a front plate main body and a frame member slidably fitted around the front plate main body, the frame member being attached to a side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or a third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank via a third seal, a third sealing surface being formed between the frame member and the side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank, and the frame member being fitted to the front plate main body via a fourth seal, a fourth sealing surface being formed between the inner peripheral surface of the frame member and the outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body. When a third flange is provided, the third flange is considered to be part of the plating tank.

[0080] According to this configuration, even if the third seal member is displaced by a vertical force, the frame member can be pressed in the front-rear direction against the plating tank side wall / third flange, ensuring that the third seal member can be reliably elastically deformed between the plating tank and the frame member to provide a seal. This allows the third seal member to reliably seal between the plating tank and the frame member. Furthermore, the fourth seal member can provide a seal between the front plate body and the frame member. As a result, the plating tank interior can be reliably sealed from the outside.

[0081] [8] According to one embodiment, the frame member is attached to the side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and when the fastening members are tightened, the third sealing member is elastically deformed between the frame member and the side wall or the third flange.

[0082] According to this embodiment, the front plate can be attached to the side wall of the plating tank using one or more fastening members, and the third seal member can be deformed to reliably seal between the opening of the plating tank and the front plate.

[0083] [9] According to one embodiment, the frame member is fitted to the front panel body, so that the fourth seal member is configured to be elastically deformed between the frame member and the front panel body.

[0084] According to this aspect, by fitting the frame member to the front panel body, the fourth seal member can be elastically deformed so as to reliably seal the gap between the frame member and the front panel body.

[0085]

[10] According to one embodiment, the anode holder has an outer periphery and a diaphragm support part that has a plurality of openings inside the outer periphery and supports an upper surface of the diaphragm.

[0086] According to this aspect, the upper surface of the diaphragm can be appropriately pressed by the diaphragm support portion of the anode holder, and the diaphragm can be prevented from bending upward.

[0087]

[11] According to one embodiment, the plurality of openings of the diaphragm support part include a plurality of first-shaped openings and a plurality of second-shaped openings arranged outside the plurality of first-shaped openings, and the center of a circumscribed circle that includes the plurality of first-shaped openings is eccentric from the rotation center of the substrate holder.

[0088] According to this embodiment, the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, which prevents the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part from being transferred to the plating film, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0089]

[12] According to one embodiment, the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

[0090] According to this configuration, the diaphragm support part can provide sufficient strength to support the diaphragm at the center, where bending is more likely to occur, while ensuring a larger opening area. In other words, it is possible to suppress bending of the diaphragm and to suppress the effect on the electric field between the substrate and the anode.

[0091]

[13] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second-shaped openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from the apex of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure to connect to the outer periphery.

[0092] According to this embodiment, a larger opening area can be secured while ensuring the necessary support strength in the region near the outer periphery of the diaphragm where bending is unlikely to increase.

[0093]

[14] According to one embodiment, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes, and is disposed in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm. The anode further includes a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode, and the back plate adjusts the amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the lower surface of the anode.

[0094] According to this configuration, the anode and the diaphragm are in close contact with each other, which reduces the height dimension of the anode holder assembly incorporating the anode and the diaphragm, thereby enabling the anode holder assembly to be compact. According to this configuration, the anode is in close contact with the diaphragm, which reduces or prevents gas generated at the anode from accumulating between the diaphragm and the anode, thereby reducing or preventing the electric field between the anode and the substrate from being affected by the gas and affecting the uniformity of the plating film thickness. Furthermore, the amount of gas remaining on the underside of the anode through the multiple through-holes is adjusted by the back plate, which reduces or prevents fluctuations in the anode voltage due to a large amount of gas simultaneously escaping from the underside of the anode. This reduces or prevents a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0095]

[15] According to one embodiment, the anode holder has a catholyte inlet for supplying a plating solution as a catholyte to the cathode chamber.

[0096] According to this embodiment, since the cathode liquid inlet is provided in the anode holder, the plating tank can be made more compact.

[0097]

[16] According to one aspect, the cathode fluid inlet is disposed below the diaphragm, and the anode holder is provided with a cathode fluid passage having an inlet communicating with the cathode fluid inlet below the diaphragm and an outlet opening above the diaphragm.

[0098] According to this configuration, the cathode fluid inlet is located below the diaphragm and at the lowest part of the cathode chamber, thereby minimizing the amount of residual cathode fluid remaining in the cathode chamber. Furthermore, because the cathode fluid is introduced from the bottom of the anode holder and supplied above the diaphragm (to the cathode chamber), it is easy to form a sealing surface with respect to the plating tank at the top of the outer periphery of the anode holder. This structure makes it easy to form a sealing surface between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank with a simple configuration, and it is easy to ensure a sufficient volume for the anode chamber.

[0099]

[17] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.

[0100] According to this embodiment, the variable anode mask can also be integrated into the removable anode holder, facilitating maintenance of the variable anode mask.

[0101]

[18] According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for dividing a plating tank into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, the method including: preparing an anode holder to which an anode and a diaphragm are attached, the anode holder having one or more sealing surfaces that seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers; attaching the anode holder to the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank, and closing the opening of the plating tank with the anode holder to seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside, and dividing the interior of the plating tank into the anode chamber and the cathode chamber above and below the diaphragm.

[0102] [A1] According to one embodiment, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; an anode disposed opposite the substrate; a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down an upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, wherein the center of a circumscribed circle containing the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from the center of rotation of the substrate holder.

[0103] According to this embodiment, the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, which prevents the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part from being transferred to the plating film, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0104] [A2] According to one embodiment, the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

[0105] According to this configuration, the diaphragm support part can provide sufficient strength to support the diaphragm at the center, where bending is more likely to occur, while ensuring a larger opening area. In other words, it is possible to suppress bending of the diaphragm and to suppress the effect on the electric field between the substrate and the anode.

[0106] [A3] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second-shaped openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from the apex of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure to connect to the outer periphery.

[0107] According to this embodiment, a larger opening area can be secured while ensuring the necessary support strength in the region near the outer periphery of the diaphragm where bending is unlikely to increase.

[0108] [A4] According to one embodiment, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes, and is disposed in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm. The anode further includes a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode, and the back plate adjusts the amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the lower surface of the anode.

[0109] According to this configuration, the anode and the diaphragm are in close contact with each other, which reduces the height dimension of the anode holder assembly incorporating the anode and the diaphragm, thereby enabling the anode holder assembly to be compact. According to this configuration, the anode is in close contact with the diaphragm, which reduces or prevents gas generated at the anode from accumulating between the diaphragm and the anode, thereby reducing or preventing the electric field between the anode and the substrate from being affected by the gas and affecting the uniformity of the plating film thickness. Furthermore, the amount of gas remaining on the underside of the anode through the multiple through-holes is adjusted by the back plate, which reduces or prevents fluctuations in the anode voltage due to a large amount of gas simultaneously escaping from the underside of the anode. This reduces or prevents a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0110] [A5] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.

[0111] According to this embodiment, the exposed area of ​​the anode can be adjusted by using the variable anode mask, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0112] [A6] According to one embodiment, the plurality of first-shaped openings and the plurality of second-shaped openings are defined by a plurality of beams, and at least some of the beams are chamfered on a side that contacts the diaphragm.

[0113] According to this embodiment, by providing a chamfer on the shape of the beam arranged on the cathode chamber side of the diaphragm, the contact area of ​​the beam with the diaphragm can be reduced, and air bubbles remaining in the cathode chamber can be reduced. This can effectively prevent defects in plating quality, such as air bubbles adhering to the substrate and partial plating unevenness. Furthermore, by providing a chamfer only on the lower surface of the beam, it is possible to achieve both beam strength and a reduction in air bubbles remaining.

[0114] [A7] According to one embodiment, the beams that define the plurality of first-shaped openings are chamfered.

[0115] The remaining air bubbles can be effectively reduced in the area of ​​the multiple first-shape openings that roughly correspond to the projection of the substrate, which can have the effect of preventing defects in plating quality such as air bubbles adhering to the substrate and partial plating unevenness.

[0116] [A8] According to one embodiment, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate; an anode disposed opposite the substrate; a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a front surface and a back surface and including a plurality of beams defining a plurality of openings penetrating between the front surface and the back surface, at least some of the beams being chamfered on the back surface side that comes into contact with the diaphragm. The diaphragm support part can be disposed on the substrate side and / or the anode side with respect to the diaphragm.

[0117] According to this embodiment, by providing a chamfer on the side of the beam of the diaphragm support that comes into contact with the diaphragm, the contact area of ​​the beam with the diaphragm can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of air bubbles remaining in the plating solution. This can have the effect of preventing defects in plating quality, such as air bubbles adhering to the substrate and localized plating unevenness. Furthermore, by providing a chamfer only on the contact side of the beam, it is possible to achieve both beam strength and a reduction in the amount of air bubbles remaining.

[0118] [A9] There is provided a plating method for plating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing downward, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support member for pressing down an upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support member having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape; and plating the substrate while rotating the substrate in a state where the center of rotation of the substrate is eccentric from the center of a circumscribed circle of the diaphragm support member that includes the plurality of openings of the first shape.

[0119] According to this embodiment, the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, which prevents the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part from being transferred to the plating film, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0120] [A10] According to one embodiment, there is provided a plating method for plating a substrate, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support portion for holding down the diaphragm, the diaphragm support portion having a plurality of beams defining a plurality of openings, at least some of the beams being chamfered on a side that comes into contact with the diaphragm; and plating the substrate using the plating tank. The diaphragm support portion can be disposed on the substrate side and / or the anode side with respect to the diaphragm.

[0121] According to this embodiment, by providing a chamfer on the side of the beam of the diaphragm support that comes into contact with the diaphragm, the contact area of ​​the beam with the diaphragm can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of air bubbles remaining in the plating solution. This can have the effect of preventing defects in plating quality, such as air bubbles adhering to the substrate and localized plating unevenness. Furthermore, by providing a chamfer only on the contact side of the beam, it is possible to achieve both beam strength and a reduction in the amount of air bubbles remaining.

[0122] 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 do not limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. 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 WO 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1) and WO 2023 / 188371, including the specifications, claims, drawings, and abstracts, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0123] 6 Anode holder assembly 10 Plating tank 11 Upper tank 12 Lower tank 12A Flange 12B Opening 12C Anode liquid inlet 12D Flange 20 Substrate holder 30 Paddle 40 Resistor 50 Diaphragm 51 Seal pressing ring 60 Anode 60A Boss 62 Anode fixing plate 400 Plating module 610 Anode holder 613 Bottom wall 614 to 617 Side wall 614a Notch 620 Holder body 621 Annular portion 622 Diaphragm support portion 622A Beam 622B Beam 623 Flange 640 Front plate 641 Front plate body 642 Frame member 650 Variable anode mask 651 Blade 652 Drive member 660 Bus bar 670 Drive shaft 671 Connecting member 680 Cathode liquid inlet 681 Cathode liquid passage 701 to 704 Seals 701A to 704A Sealing surfaces 801 to 805 Fastening member 804A Spacer 810 Diaphragm presser 1000 Plating device Rm Circumscribed circle Cm Center of circumscribed circle Cw Center of rotation (rotation central axis) Wf Substrate

Claims

1. A plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with the surface to be plated facing downward; an anode arranged opposite the substrate; a diaphragm arranged between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down on the upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape arranged outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, wherein the center of a circumscribed circle containing the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from the center of rotation of the substrate holder.

2. A plating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

3. A plating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of second-shaped openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from the apex of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure to connect to the outer periphery.

4. A plating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes and is placed in close contact with the underside of the diaphragm, and further comprising a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode, the back plate adjusting the amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the underside of the anode.

5. The plating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a variable anode mask disposed above said diaphragm.

6. A plating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first-shaped openings and the plurality of second-shaped openings are defined by a plurality of beams, and at least some of the beams are chamfered on the side that comes into contact with the diaphragm.

7. A plating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the beams defining the plurality of first-shaped openings are chamfered.

8. A plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate; an anode disposed opposite the substrate; a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing down the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a front surface and a back surface and including a plurality of beams defining a plurality of openings penetrating between the front surface and the back surface, at least some of the beams being chamfered on the back surface side that comes into contact with the diaphragm.

9. A plating method for plating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing downward, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support member for pressing down on the upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support member having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape; and plating the substrate while rotating the substrate with its center of rotation eccentric from the center of a circumscribed circle of the diaphragm support member that contains the plurality of openings of the first shape.

10. A plating method for plating a substrate, comprising: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support part for holding down the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of beams defining a plurality of openings, at least some of the beams being chamfered on the side that comes into contact with the diaphragm; and plating the substrate using the plating tank.

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