US 11,987,897 B2
Systems and methods for shielding features of a workpiece during electrochemical deposition
Eric J. Bergman, Kalispell, MT (US); Jeffrey J. Dennison, Columbia Falls, MT (US); and Marvin L. Bernt, Kalispell, MT (US)
Assigned to APPLIED Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by APPLIED Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/400,586.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/275,674, filed on Jan. 6, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2017/0191180 A1, Jul. 6, 2017
Int. Cl. C25D 17/00 (2006.01); C25D 5/02 (2006.01); C25D 5/04 (2006.01); C25D 21/10 (2006.01)
CPC C25D 17/002 (2013.01) [C25D 5/022 (2013.01); C25D 5/04 (2013.01); C25D 17/008 (2013.01); C25D 21/10 (2013.01); C25D 17/005 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electroplating system for depositing a metal onto a surface of a substrate, comprising:
(a) an electroplating chamber configured to receive an electrolyte containing metal ions;
(b) the substrate configured to serve as a cathode of the electroplating system, wherein a surface of the substrate:
is disposed in contact with the electrolyte; and
includes an anomaly region at or near the outer perimeter of the surface of the substrate;
(c) an anode disposed in the electroplating chamber;
(d) a shielding device disposed between the cathode and the anode, the shielding device corresponding to the shape of the cathode and configured to shield the anomaly region of the substrate, wherein the shielding device is free from attachment to the anode;
(e) a bidirectional oscillator drivingly connected to the shielding device, the oscillator imparting a bidirectional oscillation motion to the shielding device relative to the substrate by imparting bidirectional alternating rotational movement to the shielding device over a partial revolution of the shielding device in a first rotational direction and then in the opposite rotational direction; and
(f) wherein the shielding device comprises a first side with a plurality of elongated spaced apart side by side channels extending in the direction along the radial axis of the shielding device for receiving and circulating the electrolyte to be delivered to the cathode, the plurality of elongated spaced apart side by side channels disposed over the entire surface of the first side of the shielding device, except for a shielding section of the shielding device corresponding to the anomaly region of the substrate, the shielding section extending inwardly from the outer perimeter of the shielding device.