Method of sealing wafer backside for full-face processing

A deposition apparatus for applying a conductor from an electrolyte to a front face of a substrate, the apparatus also using a vacuum, and comprising:

• an electrochemical deposition apparatus adapted to apply the conductor from the electrolyte to the front face of the substrate;
• and
• a substrate holder adapted to hold the substrate from a back face of the substrate in a proper position when the electrochemical deposition apparatus applies the conductor to the front face of the substrate and prevent the electrolyte from reaching an inner region of the base and a backside inner region of the substrate, the substrate holder including:
• a base for placing the substrate thereon;
• a vacuum inlet disposed within the inner region of the base, the vacuum inlet connectable to the vacuum to allow the backside of the substrate to be held on the base;
• and
• a sealing member having a durometer rating of less than 70 disposed on the base and defining the inner region of the base, the sealing member adapted to contact the back side of the substrate to thereby establish the backside inner region of the substrate, and, upon application of the vacuum, hold the substrate to the base, and wherein the sealing member is adapted to prevent the solution from reaching the backside inner region of the substrate during the processing of the substrate.

A method of processing a frontside of a substrate using a processing solution and cleaning a peripheral backside of a substrate using a cleaning solution comprising the steps of:

• attaching the substrate to a wafer holder, the wafer holder including inner and outer sealing mechanisms, such that the inner sealing mechanism provides a continuous permanent seal during processing and cleaning and the outer sealing mechanism can intermittently apply a permanent seal;
• applying the permanent seal to the outer sealing mechanism;
• processing the frontside of the substrate using the processing solution when the permanent seal is applied to the outer sealing mechanism, thereby substantially preventing the processing solution from reaching the inner sealing mechanism;
• upon completion of processing the frontside of the substrate, removing the permanent seal from the outer sealing mechanism;
• and
• cleaning the peripheral backside of the substrate using the cleaning solution when the permanent seal remains removed from the outer sealing mechanism.