Insoluble Anode With a Plurality of Switchable Conductive Elements Used to Control Current Density in a Plating Bath

An electrochemical deposition system, comprising:

• a cathode;
• an anode assembly disposed opposite said cathode;
• a power source coupled to said anode assembly and said cathode, and configured to supply an electrical current between said anode assembly and said cathode through an electrochemical medium, wherein said anode assembly comprises:
• an anode structure comprising a plurality of anodes, and
• a plurality of electrically controlled switches disposed between said power source and said plurality of anodes, each of said electrically controlled switches being configured to couple electrical current from said power source to said one or more of said plurality of anodes;
• and
• a controller coupled to said plurality of electrically controlled switches, and programmed to set said plurality of electrically controlled switches to a pre-determined configuration of on and off-state for each of said plurality of anodes.

A method for processing a substrate in an electrochemical deposition system, comprising:

• disposing an anode structure in an electrochemical deposition system opposite a substrate, and contacting said anode structure with an electrochemical medium contained between said anode structure and said substrate, said anode structure comprising a plurality of anodes;
• providing a plurality of electrically controlled switches coupled between a power source and said plurality of anodes, each of said electrically controlled switches being configured to couple electrical current from said power source to one or more of said plurality of anodes;
• determining a first configuration of an on and off-state for each of said plurality of anodes;
• spatially controlling an anode current at said anode structure by setting said plurality of electrically controlled switches to said first configuration of said on and off-state of said plurality of anodes;
• and
• electrochemically depositing a film on said substrate.