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:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 23, 1999
Joseph J. Fatula, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert M. Browne, San Jose, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An electroplating system circulates solution between an anode and a workpiece mounted to a cathode. A shaped agitation paddle is reciprocated immediately adjacent to the cathode workpiece to improve performance of the system. The paddle is an elongated prism having a generally flat side that is parallel to the workpiece. The flat side has a fluid port connected to a pump. The solution may be pumped with either positive pressure to force the solution against the surface of the workpiece, or negative pressure to draw the solution away from the surface of the workpiece. In an alternate embodiment, the cathode workpiece is rotated in the solution above an anode with a stationary, shaped paddle in between them.