Substrate Contact Sealing in Plating to Protect the Seed Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing plating processes face issues such as plating failures due to air bubbles in substrate patterns, variations in plating film thickness, and seed layer deterioration caused by incomplete drying or contamination at contact areas, which are not adequately addressed by current substrate holding structures.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a substrate holder that forms a sealed space to protect contact locations from the plating solution, using a conductive liquid to cover the contact area during the plating process, thereby preventing air bubbles and maintaining uniformity and integrity of the seed layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact area of the substrate is dried before plating, then the plating solution can be properly applied, but air bubbles remain in the pattern openings causing plating failures
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate undergoes a pre-wet process before plating to ensure that water remains in the pattern openings. This preliminary action of wetting prevents air bubbles from forming during the subsequent plating process, thereby eliminating plating failures while maintaining proper plating solution application.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the contacts are completely dried after cleaning, then contamination is removed, but the seed layer is damaged during plating
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of contact moisture content from completely dry to partially wet state. By maintaining a controlled amount of moisture on the contacts after cleaning, the seed layer is protected from damage during plating while still achieving sufficient contamination removal. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between contamination removal and seed layer protection.
3Reliability
If cylindrical sealing members are provided for each contact, then contacts are protected from plating solution, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function from individual cylindrical members into a single planar sealing member that seals multiple contacts simultaneously. This planar sealing member integrates the protection function for all contacts, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable protection of contacts from plating solution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents plating failures and ensures consistent film thickness by maintaining the seed layer's integrity, reducing oxidation and variations in the plating process.
Implementation Method 1
a process of holding a substrate by a substrate holder, such that a sealed space is formed to protect a contact provided to supply electricity to the substrate, from a plating solution
Implementation Method 2
a process of performing a plating process of the substrate with supplying electric current between the substrate and the anode, in a state that the contact location between the substrate and the contact is covered with a liquid
Data Source
AI summary
One object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique of suppressing deterioration of a seed layer of a substrate. There is provided a method of plating, comprising: a process of holding a substrate by a substrate holder, such that a sealed space is formed to protect a contact provided to supply electricity to the substrate, from a plating solution while the substrate holder holds the substrate, and that a contact location between the substrate and the contact is locally covered with a liquid in the sealed space; a process of soaking the substrate held by the substrate holder in the plating solution and placing the substrate to be opposed to an anode; and a process of performing a plating process of the substrate with supplying electric current between the substrate and the anode, in a state that the contact location between the substrate and the contact is covered with a liquid.