Electroless plating apparatus and electroless plating method

Abstract

A plate is placed near a substrate held by a substrate holding section. A treating liquid is ejected from a treating liquid ejecting section, thereby plating the substrate electrolessly. The treating liquid flows through the gap between the substrate and the plate. Therefore a flow of the treating liquid occurs on the substrate. As a result, a fresh treating liquid can be supplied onto the substrate. Thus, a plating film can be formed very uniformly on the substrate even if the amount of treating liquid is small.

1 . An electroless plating apparatus, comprising: 
 a substrate supporting unit for supporting a substrate;    a plate disposed to face the substrate supported by the substrate supporting unit;    a processing solution discharge unit, formed on a surface of the plate which faces the substrate, for discharging a processing solution; and    a gap adjusting unit for changing a gap between the plate and the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating unit for heating the plate.  
     
     
         3 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an inclination adjusting unit for changing inclinations of the substrate and the plate as a unit.  
     
     
         4 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a solution supply unit for supplying a processing solution to the plate after adjusting the temperature thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the solution supply unit supplies the processing solution in turn.  
     
     
         6 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the solution supply mechanism has a processing solution producing unit for producing a processing solution by mixing plural chemicals.  
     
     
         7 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second plate disposed to face a second surface of the substrate different from a surface thereof facing the plate;    a liquid discharge unit, formed on a surface of the second plate facing the second surface of the substrate, for discharging a liquid at a controlled temperature; and    a second gap adjusting unit for changing a gap between the second plate and the substrate.    
     
     
         8 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a solution supply unit for supplying a liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit into the second plate after adjusting the temperature thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The electroless plating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an operational nozzle for discharging a processing solution onto the substrate.  
     
     
         10 . An electroless plating method, comprising: 
 a supporting step for supporting a substrate;    a disposing step for disposing a plate to face the substrate supported at the supporting step; and    a coating forming step for forming a coating on the substrate by supplying a processing solution between the plate and the substrate disposed to face the plate at the disposing step.    
     
     
         11 . The electroless plating method of  claim 10 , wherein the disposing step includes a gap adjusting step for adjusting a gap between the substrate and the plate, such that the gap gets smaller than a thickness of the processing solution when the processing solution is kept on the substrate by a surface tension.  
     
     
         12 . The electroless plating method of  claim 10 , wherein the coating forming step includes a processing solution generation step for producing a processing solution by mixing plural chemicals.  
     
     
         13 . The electroless plating method of  claim 10 , further comprising an inclining step for inclining the substrate supported at the supporting step, prior to the coating forming step.  
     
     
         14 . The electroless plating method of  claim 10 , further comprising a heating step for heating the substrate supported at the supporting step, prior to the coating forming step.