Plating apparatus and plating method

A plating method for performing a plating process with a plating apparatus comprising:

• a plating tank configured to store a plating solution,
• a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate as a target on which the plating process is performed, and
• a rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder,
• the substrate holder comprising:
• a contact member configured to contact the substrate to be able to supply power to the substrate,
• a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the substrate holder and the substrate,
• a liquid holding portion including the contact member inside and being configured to be able to hold liquid when the gap between the substrate holder and the substrate is sealed with the sealing member, and
• a spout port that opens into the liquid holding portion or a space communicating with the liquid holding portion in the substrate holder, or that can be disposed on a side of the substrate holder, to spout the liquid,
• wherein the liquid holding portion includes an outer lateral surface of the pressing member, and an inner lateral surface and a bottom surface of a support member supporting the contact member,
• the plating method comprising:
• attaching the substrate to the substrate holder,
• spouting the liquid from the spout port,
• rotating the substrate holder to move the spouted liquid to the liquid holding portion or to distribute the liquid more uniformly in the liquid holding portion, and
• performing the plating process on the attached substrate.

A plating apparatus comprising:

• a plating tank configured to store a plating solution,
• a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate as a target on which a plating process is performed,
• a motor that rotates the substrate holder, and
• a control device,
• the substrate holder including:
• a contact member configured to contact the substrate to be able to supply power to the substrate,
• a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the substrate holder and the substrate,
• a pressing member disposed opposing the sealing member and configured to press the substrate against the sealing member,
• a liquid holding portion including the contact member inside and being configured to be able to hold liquid when the gap between the substrate holder and the substrate is sealed with the sealing member, and
• a spout port that is configured to open into the liquid holding portion or a space communicating with the liquid holding portion inside the substrate holder, or that can be disposed on a side of the substrate holder, to spout the liquid,
• wherein the substrate holder is configured to hold the substrate with a surface to be plated being oriented downward, and
• the motor rotates the substrate holder about an axis intersecting the surface to be plated, as a rotation axis, when the substrate is disposed in the substrate holder, and
• wherein the spout port is formed above the pressing member, and configured to spout the liquid to a back surface opposite to a surface on which the substrate is disposed in the pressing member.