Patent ID: 7297210

Claim:
A plating apparatus comprising: a plating solution supply system for constantly circulating a plating solution while heating the plating solution in a circulation tank provided with a heating apparatus, and for supplying a predetermined amount of plating solution stored in a plating solution storage tank disposed above a plating treatment section by free fall to the plating treatment section when carrying out plating treatment of a substrate; a plating solution recovery system for recovering the plating solution after the plating treatment in the plating treatment section and for returning the plating solution to the circulation tank; and a plating solution replenishment system for replenishing the circulation tank with fresh plating solution or a plating solution component; wherein the plating solution supply system includes a main flow path for allowing the plating solution to pass through the plating solution storage tank, and then for allowing the plating solution to return to the circulation tank for circulation or for supplying the plating solution to the plating treatment section, and a bypass flow path that branches off from the main flow path upstream of the plating solution storage tank so as to bypass the plating solution storage tank and re-joins the main flow path downstream of the plating solution storage tank.