Plating apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electroless plating apparatus which can reduce an amount of a plating liquid to be used, maintain a stable plating process, be downsized, reduce an apparatus cost, form a film having a uniform thickness over an entire surface, and prevent a plating liquid from being deteriorated due to a temperature rise. The present invention comprises: a holding device for holding a substrate with a surface, to be plated, facing upwardly; a plating liquid holding mechanism for sealing a periphery of the surface, to be plated, of the substrate held by the holding device; an electroless plating treatment liquid supply device for supplying an electroless plating liquid to the surface, to be plated, of the substrate sealed by the plating liquid holding mechanism to allow supplied electroless plating liquid to be held on the substrate; and a heating apparatus provided below the substrate.

1 . An electroless plating method comprising: 
 using a transfer apparatus to transfer a substrate from a load and unload section to a pretreatment section;    at said pretreatment section removing an oxide film from a metal on a surface of said substrate,    using an electroless plating apparatus to form an electroless-plated film on said metal on said surface of said substrate so as to form an electroless-plated substrate;    transferring said electroless-plated substrate from said electroless plating apparatus to a cleaning and drying treatment section;    cleaning and drying said electroless-plated substrate at said cleaning and drying treatment section so as to provide a cleaned and dried substrate; and    returning said cleaned and dried substrate to said load and unload section.    
     
     
         2 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 depositing catalyst on said metal on said surface of said substrate after removing said oxide film from said metal on said surface of said substrate; and    rinsing said surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         3 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 neutralizing said surface of said substrate at a plating pretreatment section after rinsing said surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         4 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 supplying a cleaning liquid to said electroless-plated substrate, thereby stopping an electroless plating reaction.    
     
     
         5 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said substrate is a semiconductor substrate and said surface of said substrate comprises said metal and an insulating film.    
     
     
         6 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 5 , wherein said electroless-plated film on said metal is a protective film.  
     
     
         7 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 6 , wherein a thickness of said protective film is in a range of from  0 . 1  to  500  nm.  
     
     
         8 . The electroless plating method according to  claim 6 , wherein cleaning said electroless-plated substrate comprises using a sponge to clean said electroless-plated substrate.