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:
Jul. 28, 2009
Filed:
Nov. 12, 2004
Stephen Mazur, Wilmington, DE (US);
Charles E. Jackson, Jr., Middletown, DE (US);
Gary W. Foggin, Wilmington, DE (US);
Stephen Mazur, Wilmington, DE (US);
Charles E. Jackson, Jr., Middletown, DE (US);
Gary W. Foggin, Wilmington, DE (US);
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
This invention provides a membrane-mediated electropolishing apparatus for polishing and/or planarizing metal work-pieces. The work-piece is wetted with a low-conductivity fluid. The wetted work-piece is contacted with a first side of a charge-selective ion-conducting membrane, wherein the second side contacts a conductive electrolyte solution in electrical contact with a electrode. Current flow between the electrode and the work-piece electropolishes metal from the work-piece. This invention also provides a half-cell adapted for use in membrane-mediated electropolishing having a fully or partially enclosed volume, a conductive electrolyte which partially or essentially fills the enclosed volume, an electrode which is in contact with the electrolyte, and a charge-selective ion-conducting membrane which seals one surface of the enclosed volume, cavity or vessel in such a way that the internal surface of said membrane contacts the electrolyte solution or gel and the external surface is accessible to contact the work-piece.