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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1997
Thomas L. Ritzdorf, Kalispell, MT (US);
Jeffrey I. Turner, Kalispell, MT (US);
Robert W. Berner, Kalispell, MT (US);
Semitool Inc., Kalispell, MT (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor workpiece holder used in electroplating systems for plating metal layers, such as copper, onto a semiconductor workpiece. The workpiece holder includes electrodes which extend and are partially submerged in a liquid plating bath. The electrodes have a contact face which bears against the workpiece and conducts current therebetween. The submersible portions of the electrodes are partially covered with a dielectric layer or surface and partially covered with a conductive layer or surface. The conductive surface is preferably spaced from the contact face and placed in direct contact with the plating bath to allow diversion of some of the plating current directly between the electrode and plating bath. Associated methods are also described.