Plating apparatus and plating method

Abstract

A plating apparatus securely carries out a flattening plating of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface without using a costly mechanism, and without applying an extra plating to the substrate. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder; a cathode section having a seal member for watertightly sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate, and a cathode electrode for supplying an electric current to the substrate; an anode disposed in a position facing the surface of the substrate; a porous member disposed between the anode and the surface of the substrate; a constant-voltage control section for controlling a voltage applied between the cathode electrode and the anode at a constant value; and a current monitor section for monitoring an electric current flowing between the cathode electrode and the anode, and feeding back a detection signal to the constant-voltage control section.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
   
   
       38 . A plating method for plating a surface, to be plated, of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface while embedding fine recesses for interconnects with the plated film, the plating method comprising:
 providing a porous member composed of a water-retentive material between the substrate and an anode;   filling a space between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode with a plating solution;   carrying out plating by repeating contact and non-contact between the porous member and the surface, to be plated, of the surface and applying a constant voltage to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode during one of the contact time and the non-contact time while detecting an electric current flowing between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode; and   stopping supplying an electric current to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode after elapse of a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the electric current becomes constant.   
   
   
       39 . The plating method according to  claim 38 , wherein the plating is carried out by applying a constant voltage to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while keeping the porous member in contact with the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and motionless relative to the surface to be plated. 
   
   
       40 . A plating method for plating a surface, to be plated, of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface while embedding fine recesses for interconnects with the plated film, the plating method comprising:
 providing a porous member composed of a water-retentive material between the substrate and an anode;   filling a space between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode with a plating solution;   carrying out plating by repeating contact and non-contact between the porous member and the surface, to be plated, of the surface and applying constant voltages, which differ between the contact time and the non-contact time, to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while detecting an electric current flowing between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode; and   stopping supplying an electric current to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode after elapse of a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the electric current becomes constant.   
   
   
       41 . The plating method according to  claim 40 , wherein the plating is carried out by applying a constant voltage to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while keeping the porous member in contact with the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and motionless relative to the surface to be plated. 
   
   
       42 . A plating method for plating a surface, to be plated, of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface while embedding fine recesses for interconnects with the plated film, the plating method comprising
 providing a porous member composed of a water-retentive material between the substrate and an anode;   filling a space between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode with a plating solution;   carrying out plating by repeating contact and non-contact between the porous member and the surface, to be plated, of the surface and passing a constant electric current between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode during one of the contact time and the non-contact time while detecting a voltage value between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode; and   stopping supplying an electric current to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode after elapse of a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the voltage value becomes constant   
   
   
       43 . The plating method according to  claim 42 , wherein the plating is carried out by passing a constant electric current between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while keeping the porous member in contact with the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and motionless relative to the surface to be plated. 
   
   
       44 . A plating method for plating a surface, to be plated, of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface while embedding fine recesses for interconnects with the plated film, the plating method comprising:
 providing a porous member composed of a water-retentive material between the substrate and an anode;   filling a space between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode with a plating solution;   carrying out plating by repeating contact and non-contact between the porous member and the surface, to be plated, of the surface and passing constant electric currents which differ between the contact time and the non-contact time, between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while detecting a voltage value between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode; and   stopping supplying an electric current to between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode after elapse of a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the voltage value becomes constant.   
   
   
       45 . The plating method according to  claim 44 , wherein the plating is carried out by passing a constant electric current between the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and the anode while keeping the porous member in contact with the surface, to be plated, of the substrate and motionless relative to the surface to be plated.