Method of operating an electroless plating apparatus

Abstract

A method of operating an electroless plating apparatus is disclosed. The operating method includes: storing in the electroless plating apparatus an order of priority of the plurality of processes which has been predetermined based on a stability of a processed substrate with respect to pure water; supplying pure water into the holder storage bath when any of the plurality of processing baths malfunctions; determining whether or not a relieving process can be performed, the relieving process being a process of performing a higher-priority process on a substrate; if the relieving process can be performed, performing the relieving process and then immersing the substrate holder holding the substrate in the pure water in the holder storage bath; and if the relieving process cannot be performed, immersing the substrate holder, holding the substrate, in the pure water held in the holder storage bath without performing the relieving process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating an electroless plating apparatus having a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a plurality of processing baths for performing a plurality of processes including electroless plating, and a holder storage bath for storing the substrate holder when holding no substrate, comprising:
 storing in the electroless plating apparatus an order of priority of the plurality of processes which has been predetermined based on a stability of a processed substrate with respect to pure water;   supplying pure water into the holder storage bath when any of the plurality of processing baths malfunctions;   determining whether or not a relieving process can be performed, the relieving process being a process of performing a higher-priority process on a substrate;   if the relieving process can be performed, performing the relieving process and then immersing the substrate holder holding the substrate in the pure water in the holder storage bath; and   if the relieving process cannot be performed, immersing the substrate holder, holding the substrate, in the pure water held in the holder storage bath without performing the relieving process.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pure water is deaerated water having a low concentration of dissolved oxygen. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the relieving process is an electroless plating process of forming a metal film, having a thickness larger than a preset target thickness, on a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the metal film is a cobalt film. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of processes include pre-cleaning of the substrate, an activation process of the substrate, and electroless plating of the substrate.