Patent ID: 7311809

Claim:
A plating apparatus for a substrate, comprising: a substrate holder for holding a substrate; a cathode unit having a seal member for abutting against and sealing, in a water-tight manner, a peripheral portion of a surface, to be plated, of the substrate held by said substrate holder, and a cathode electrode which is brought into contact with the substrate to supply current to the substrate; an anode vertically moveable disposed in confronting relation to the surface, to be plated, of the substrate; a plating solution impregnated material disposed between said anode and the surface, to be plated, of the substrate, said plating solution impregnated material being made of a water-retentive material and being constructed of a plurality of separate members; and a porous member disposed between said plating solution impregnated material and the surface, to be plated, of the substrate; and a plurality of pressing mechanisms, each of said pressing mechanisms being operable to independently press a respective one of said separate members of said plating solution impregnated material against said porous member during a plating process.