The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 13, 1997
Jonathan David Reid, Sherwood, OR (US);
Steve Taatjes, West Linn, OR (US);
Novellus Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for depositing an electrical conductive layer on the surface of a wafer includes a virtual anode located between the actual anode and the wafer. The virtual anode modifies the electric current flux and plating solution flow between the actual anode and the wafer to thereby modify the thickness profile of the deposited electrically conductive layer on the wafer. The virtual anode can have openings through which the electrical current flux passes. By selectively varying the radius, length, or both, of the openings, any desired thickness profile of the deposited electrically conductive layer on the wafer can be readily obtained.