# US 2014/0151218 A1 · Electroplating processor with thin membrane support

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- Number: US 2014/0151218 A1
- Document ID: US20140151218A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/830,131
- Filed: 2013-03-14
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Daniel J. Woodruff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151218A1

## CPC

- C25D 17/001: {Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells}
- C25D 17/002: {Cell separation, e.g. membranes, diaphragms}
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR

## Abstract

An electroplating processor includes a thin lower membrane support for supporting a membrane. The lower membrane support may be provided as a flexible plastic sheet having a pattern of through-openings. The through-openings may be aligned with openings in a rigid upper membrane support. The perimeter of the lower membrane may be clamped in the same perimeter seal as used to clamp and seal the perimeter of the membrane. The lower membrane support supports the membrane without adding significantly to the overall height of the processor. The processor can be stacked in a two level processing system without requiring additional clean room space.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electroplating processor comprising:
a bowl;
a membrane in the bowl;
an upper membrane support in the bowl above the membrane; and
a lower membrane support in the bowl below the membrane, with the lower membrane support comprising a flexible sheet having a pattern of through openings.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1 with a perimeter of the membrane overlying a perimeter of the lower membrane support, and with both perimeters clamped together at a perimeter seal of the bowl.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1 with the lower membrane support having a thickness less than 10% of the thickness of the upper membrane support.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The processor of claim 3 with the upper membrane support comprising a rigid non-metal element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The processor of claim 4 with the upper membrane support having through-openings substantially aligned with the through-openings of the lower membrane support.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1 with the membrane held into up-facing conical shape between the upper and lower membrane supports.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1 further including a head having a rotor for holding a wafer, with the head movable to position the wafer into the bowl, and with the processor having a height of less than 18 inches.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The processor of claim 1 with the lower membrane support having a thickness of less than 0.40 inches.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The processor of claim 8 with the lower membrane support having a plurality of spaced apart radial arms and wedge shaped through-openings between the arms.

### Claim 10

An electroplating processor comprising:
a membrane in a bowl;
a rigid cup in the bowl above the membrane, with the rigid cup having a plurality of radial segments and through-openings between the segments;
a lower membrane support in the bowl below the membrane, with the lower membrane support comprising a flexible sheet having a pattern of through openings; and a perimeter of the membrane overlying a perimeter of the lower membrane support, and with both perimeters clamped together at a perimeter of the bowl.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The processor of claim 10 with the lower membrane support having a thickness less than 10% of the thickness of a minimum thickness of the rigid cup.