Revolution member supporting apparatus and semiconductor substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A revolution member supporting apparatus holds and rotates a disc-shaped object (object to be rotated) such as a semiconductor wafer. The revolution member supporting apparatus includes a rotatable member which rotates about an axis of rotation, and a plurality of holding members which are disposed along a circle having a center corresponding to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member, and which revolve around the axis of rotation when the rotatable member rotates, wherein the holding members are allowed to swing about their own central axes.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
     
     
         40 . A method for processing a substrate, said method comprising: 
 providing a substrate having fine grooves in a surface of the substrate and a seed layer on a surface of the fine grooves;    forming a plated film on the seed layer by electroplating with applying a voltage to the seed layer;    etching the plated film by reversing the voltage; and    annealing the plated film after said etching.    
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein said annealing is conducted at a temperature of 300 to 400° C.  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41 , further comprising cooling the substrate by a cooling device after said annealing.  
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein said annealing is conducted in an inert gas atmosphere.  
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 43 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen gas.  
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein said annealing is conducted while flowing an antioxidant gas.  
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 45 , wherein the antioxidant gas flows along a surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 40 , further comprising bevel-etching the substrate to remove the plated film only on a peripheral portion of the substrate before said annealing.  
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 47 , wherein an edge cut width of the substrate is set in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm in said bevel-etching.  
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 40 , further comprising chemical mechanical polishing the substrate to remove the plated film on the substrate while leaving the plated film in the fine grooves of the substrate after said annealing.  
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 49 , wherein said chemical mechanical polishing is conducted by using a fixed abrasive.  
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 49 , further comprising forming a protective film on a polished surface of the plated film in the fine grooves.  
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 40 , further comprising reinforcing the seed layer in the fine grooves by plating.  
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 52 , wherein the plating is electroplating.  
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 52 , wherein the plating is electroless plating.  
     
     
         55 . A method according to  claim 40 , further comprising measuring a thickness of the plated film on the substrate after said etching or after said annealing.  
     
     
         56 . A method according to  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 transferring the substrate having the plated film by a first hand of a robot to a cleaning unit;    cleaning and then drying the substrate by the cleaning unit after said annealing; and    transferring the cleaned and dried substrate by a second hand of the robot.    
     
     
         57 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the electroplating is conducted in a plating liquid in a plating container, a concentration of components in the plating liquid is adjusted in a regulating tank, and then supplied from the regulating tank to the plating container.  
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 57 , wherein the concentration of components in the plating liquid in the regulating tank is measured.  
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the electroplating is conducted with regulating electric current flowing in a vicinity of a peripheral portion of the substrate.  
     
     
         60 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the plated film is copper.  
     
     
         61 . A method for processing a substrate, said method comprising: 
 providing a substrate having fine grooves in a surface of the substrate and a seed layer on a surface of the fine grooves;    forming a plated film on the seed layer by electroplating with supplying a first current by a voltage to the seed layer and then supplying a second current to the seed layer; and    annealing the substrate having the plated film.    
     
     
         62 . A method according to  claim 61 , wherein the second current is larger than the first current.  
     
     
         63 . A method according to  claim 61 , further comprising etching the plated film formed on the substrate by reversing the voltage applied to the seed layer.  
     
     
         64 . A method according to  claim 61 , wherein said annealing is conducted at a temperature of 300 to 400° C.  
     
     
         65 . A method according to  claim 64 , further comprising cooling the substrate by a cooling device after said annealing.  
     
     
         66 . A method according to  claim 64 , wherein said annealing is conducted in an inert gas atmosphere.  
     
     
         67 . A method according to  claim 66 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen gas.  
     
     
         68 . A method according to  claim 64 , wherein said annealing is conducted while flowing an antioxidant gas.  
     
     
         69 . A method according to  claim 68 , wherein the antioxidant gas flows along a surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         70 . A method according to  claim 62 , further comprising bevel-etching the substrate to remove the plated film only on a peripheral portion of the substrate before said annealing.  
     
     
         71 . A method according to  claim 70 , wherein an edge cut width of the substrate is set in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm in said bevel-etching.  
     
     
         72 . A method according to  claim 62 , further comprising chemical mechanical polishing the substrate to remove the plated film on the substrate while leaving the plated film in the fine grooves of the substrate after said annealing.  
     
     
         73 . A method according to  claim 72 , wherein said chemical mechanical polishing is conducted by using a fixed abrasive.  
     
     
         74 . A method according to  claim 72 , further comprising forming a protective film on a polished surface of the plated film in the fine grooves.  
     
     
         75 . A method according to  claim 61 , further comprising reinforcing the seed layer in the fine grooves by plating.  
     
     
         76 . A method according to  claim 75 , wherein the plating is electroplating.  
     
     
         77 . A method according to  claim 75 , wherein the plating is electroless plating.  
     
     
         78 . A method according to  claim 61 , further comprising measuring a thickness of the plated film on the substrate after etching or after said annealing.  
     
     
         79 . A method according to  claim 62 , further comprising: 
 transferring the substrate having the plated film by a first hand of a robot to a cleaning unit;    cleaning and then drying the substrate by the cleaning unit after said annealing; and    transferring the cleaned and dried substrate by a second hand of the robot.    
     
     
         80 . A method according to  claim 61 , wherein the electroplating is conducted in a plating liquid in a plating container, a concentration of components in the plating liquid is adjusted in a regulating tank, and then supplied from the regulating tank to the plating container.  
     
     
         81 . A method according to  claim 80 , wherein the concentration of components in the plating liquid in the regulating tank is measured.  
     
     
         82 . A method according to  claim 61 , wherein the electroplating is conducted with regulating electric current flowing in a vicinity of a peripheral portion of the substrate.  
     
     
         83 . A method according to  claim 61 , wherein the plated film is copper.  
     
     
         84 . A method for processing a substrate, said method comprising: 
 providing a substrate having fine grooves in a surface of the substrate and a seed layer on a surface of the fine grooves;    forming a plated film on the seed layer by electroplating with applying a voltage to the seed layer;    etching the plated film by reversing the voltage so as to suppress action of an additive and prevent formation of a protuberance on the fine grooves; and    annealing the plated film after said etching.    
     
     
         85 . A method according to  claim 84 , wherein said etching achieves uniformity of the plated film.