Plating apparatus and plating method

Abstract

A plating apparatus has an ashing unit ( 300 ) configured to perform an ashing process on a resist ( 502 ) applied on a surface of a seed layer ( 500 ) formed on a substrate (W), and a pre-wetting section ( 26 ) configured to provide hydrophilicity to a surface of the substrate after the ashing process. The plating apparatus includes a pre-soaking section ( 28 ) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into contact with a treatment solution to clean or activate a surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate. The plating apparatus also includes a plating unit ( 34 ) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into a plating solution in a plating tank while the resist is used as a mask so as to form a plated film ( 504 ) on the surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate.

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A plating method comprising:
 ashing a resist on a surface of a seed layer on a substrate by applying at least one of plasma, light, and an electromagnetic wave to the resist to reform a hydrophobic surface of the resist into a hydrophilic surface; and   bringing the substrate into contact with a plating solution in which an anode is disposed using the resist as a mask so as to form a plated film on the surface of the seed layer in a predetermined position where interconnect is formed.   
     
     
         62 . The plating method as recited in  claim 61 , further comprising:
 after said ashing, holding the substrate by a substrate holder while sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate with its surface exposed.   
     
     
         63 . The plating method as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising:
 performing a hydrophilic process on the surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder after said ashing.   
     
     
         64 . The plating method as recited in  claim 63 , wherein said hydrophilic process is performed by immersing the substrate in pure water or ejecting pure water onto the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         65 . The plating method as recited in  claim 64 , wherein the pure water is deaerated by a deaeration device. 
     
     
         66 . The plating method as recited in  claim 63 , wherein said hydrophilic process is performed substantially under vacuum or performed under a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         67 . The plating method as recited in  claim 63 , wherein said hydrophilic process comprises continuously performing two or more types of hydrophilic processes. 
     
     
         68 . The plating method as recited in claim  3 , further comprising:
 after said hydrophilic process, bringing the surface of the substrate, held by said substrate holder, into contact with a treatment solution to clean or activate the surface of the seed layer.   
     
     
         69 . The plating method as recited in  claim 68 , wherein the treatment solution comprises at least one of ozone water, an acid solution, an alkali solution, an acid degreasing agent, a solution containing a developer, a solution containing a resist stripping solution, and reduced water of an electrolytic solution. 
     
     
         70 . The plating method as recited in  claim 68 , wherein the treatment solution comprises an acid solution or an acid degreasing agent so as to perform an electrolytic process on the substrate in the treatment solution with the substrate serving as a cathode. 
     
     
         71 . A plating apparatus comprising:
 an ashing unit configured to perform an ashing process on a resist on a surface of a seed layer on a substrate by applying at least one of plasma, light, and an electromagnetic wave to the resist to reform a hydrophobic surface of the resist into a hydrophilic surface; and   a plating unit configured to bring the substrate into contact with a plating solution in which an anode is disposed using the resist as a mask so as to form a plated film on the surface of the seed layer in a predetermined position where interconnect is formed.   
     
     
         72 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 71 , further comprising:
 a substrate holder configured to detachably hold the substrate in a substrate loading/unloading unit after the ashing process while sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate with its surface exposed.   
     
     
         73 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 72 , further comprising:
 a substrate transfer device configured to transfer the substrate between said ashing unit and said substrate loading/unloading unit.   
     
     
         74 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 72 , further comprising:
 a pre-wetting section configured to perform a hydrophilic process on the surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder after the ashing process.   
     
     
         75 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 74 , wherein said pre-wetting section is configured to perform the hydrophilic process by immersing the substrate in pure water or ejecting pure water onto the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         76 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 75 , further comprising:
 a deaeration device configured to deaerate the pure water.   
     
     
         77 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 74 , wherein said pre-wetting section is substantially under vacuum or under a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         78 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 74 , wherein said pre-wetting section is comprises a plurality of pre-wetting portions having different functions. 
     
     
         79 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 74 , further comprising:
 a pre-soaking section configured to bring the surface of the substrate, held by said substrate holder, into contact with a treatment solution after said hydrophilic process to clean or activate the surface of the seed layer.   
     
     
         80 . The plating apparatus as recited in  claim 79 , further comprising:
 a substrate holder transfer device configured to transfer said substrate holder with the substrate held thereon between said substrate loading/unloading unit, said pre-wetting section, said pre-soaking section, and said plating unit.