Plating apparatus, plating cup and cathode ring

Abstract

A plating apparatus ( 10 ) provided with: a plating vessel ( 61 a to 61 d ) having a cylindrical side wall ( 361 ) for containing a plating liquid; a substrate holding mechanism ( 74 a to 74 d ) for generally horizontally holding a generally round substrate (W) to be treated; a cathode ring ( 80 ) provided in the substrate holding mechanism and having substantially the same inner diameter as the plating vessel for sealing a peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of the substrate, the cathode ring having a cathode ( 83 ) to be brought into contact with the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism; and a rotative driving mechanism ( 45 ) for rotating the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism together with the cathode ring; wherein the plating vessel has an upper edge portion complementary in configuration to a portion of the cathode ring opposed to the plating vessel so that the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism can approach the plating vessel so as to be substantially flush with the upper edge of the plating vessel without interference between the upper edge portion of the plating vessel and the cathode ring.

1 - 48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . A plating apparatus for plating a substrate, the apparatus comprising: 
 a cassette stage for receiving thereon a cassette which is capable of accommodating a substrate to be treated;    a plating unit comprising a cathode ring having a cathode to be brought into contact with the substrate and rotatable together with the substrate kept in contact with the cathode, and a plating cup having an anode disposed therein and capable of containing a plating liquid which contains a plating accelerating additive, a plating retarding additive and chlorine as minor constituents thereof;    a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate;    a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the substrate between the cassette placed on the cassette stage, the plating unit and the cleaning unit;    a post-treatment agent supplying section for supplying a post-treatment agent to the cleaning unit;    a minor constituent managing section comprising an analyzing section for quantitatively analyzing the plating accelerating additive and the plating retarding additive in the plating liquid being used in the plating unit, and a minor constituent management controller for controlling the minor constituent managing section, the analyzing section comprising an analyzing cup capable of containing a part of the plating liquid to be analyzed, a plurality of reagent supply nozzles for supplying analytic liquid reagents into the analyzing cup, and a rotary electrode, a counter electrode and a reference electrode for a CVS analysis or a CPVS analysis;    an enclosure which houses therein a substrate treating section including the plating unit, the cleaning unit and the substrate transport mechanism; and    a system controller for controlling the entire apparatus,    wherein at least one of the plural reagent supply nozzles has an opening having an open diameter of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.    
   
   
       50 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 49 , wherein the analyzing cup has a drain port provided in a bottom thereof, wherein the bottom of the analyzing cup is inclined downward toward the drain port.  
   
   
       51 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 49 , wherein the analyzing section further comprises a deionized water nozzle for supplying deionized water into the analyzing cup.  
   
   
       52 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 49 , 
 wherein the plating cup comprises a plating vessel having a cylindrical side wall for containing a plating liquid; and    the cathode ring has substantially the same inner diameter as the plating vessel, the cathode ring being for sealing a peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of the substrate;    wherein the plating unit further comprises:    a substrate holding mechanism for generally horizontally holding a generally round substrate to be treated, the substrate holding mechanism comprising the cathode ring; and    a rotative driving mechanism for rotating the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism together with the cathode ring;    wherein the plating vessel has an upper edge portion complementary in configuration to a portion of the cathode ring opposed to the plating vessel so that the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism can approach the plating vessel so as to be substantially flush with an upper edge of the plating vessel without interference between the upper edge portion of the plating vessel and the cathode ring;    wherein the cathode ring includes a body and an abutment portion for abutting the lower surface of the substrate, the abutment portion being composed of a rigid material and projecting as tapered inwardly from the body of the cathode ring; and    the abutment portion has a sealing surface for sealing the peripheral edge portion of the lower surface of the substrate;    wherein the substrate holding mechanism further comprises a substrate back side press plate having a projection composed of a soft material, the substrate back side press plate opposing the abutment portion of the cathode ring; and    the substrate holding mechanism is constructed to hold a substrate by the sealing surface of the abutment portion and the projection of the substrate back side press plate.    
   
   
       53 . A plating apparatus for plating a substrate, the apparatus comprising: 
 a cassette stage for receiving thereon a cassette which is capable of accommodating a substrate to be treated;    a plating unit comprising a cathode ring having a cathode to be brought into contact with the substrate and rotatable together with the substrate kept in contact with the cathode, and a plating cup having an anode disposed therein and capable of containing a plating liquid which contains a plating accelerating additive, a plating retarding additive and chlorine as minor constituents thereof;    a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate;    a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the substrate between the cassette placed on the cassette stage, the plating unit and the cleaning unit;    a post-treatment agent supplying section for supplying a post-treatment agent to the cleaning unit;    a minor constituent managing section comprising an analyzing section for quantitatively analyzing the plating accelerating additive and the plating retarding additive in the plating liquid being used in the plating unit, and a minor constituent management controller for controlling the minor constituent managing section;    the analyzing section comprising an analyzing cup capable of containing a part of the plating liquid to be analyzed, a plurality of reagent supply nozzles for supplying analytic liquid reagents into the analyzing cup, and a rotary electrode, a counter electrode and a reference electrode for a CVS analysis or a CPVS analysis;    an enclosure which houses therein a substrate treating section including the plating unit, the cleaning unit and the substrate transport mechanism; and    a system controller for controlling the entire apparatus,    wherein the analyzing section further comprises a syringe pump for supplying the analytic reagent into the analyzing cup, wherein the syringe pump is controlled by the minor constituent management controller.    
   
   
       54 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 53 , wherein the analyzing cup has a drain port provided in a bottom thereof, wherein the bottom of the analyzing cup is inclined downward toward the drain port.  
   
   
       55 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 53 , wherein the analyzing section further comprises a deionized water nozzle for supplying deionized water into the analyzing cup.  
   
   
       56 . A plating apparatus as set forth in  claim 53 , 
 wherein the plating cup comprises a plating vessel having a cylindrical side wall for containing a plating liquid; and    the cathode ring has substantially the same inner diameter as the plating vessel, the cathode ring being for sealing a peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of the substrate;    wherein the plating unit further comprises:    a substrate holding mechanism for generally horizontally holding a generally round substrate to be treated, the substrate holding mechanism comprising the cathode ring; and    a rotative driving mechanism for rotating the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism together with the cathode ring;    wherein the plating vessel has an upper edge portion complementary in configuration to a portion of the cathode ring opposed to the plating vessel so that the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism can approach the plating vessel so as to be substantially flush with an upper edge of the plating vessel without interference between the upper edge portion of the plating vessel and the cathode ring;    wherein the cathode ring includes a body and an abutment portion for abutting the lower surface of the substrate, the abutment portion being composed of a rigid material and projecting as tapered inwardly from the body of the cathode ring; and    the abutment portion has a sealing surface for sealing the peripheral edge portion of the lower surface of the substrate;    wherein the substrate holding mechanism further comprises a substrate back side press plate having a projection composed of a soft material, the substrate back side press plate opposing the abutment portion of the cathode ring; and    the substrate holding mechanism is constructed to hold a substrate by the sealing surface of the abutment portion and the projection of the substrate back side press plate.