Patent ID: 6599412
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: C25D,H01L

Abstract:
A method for in-situ cleaning an electrode used to conduct current between a semiconductor workpiece and an electrical power supply in an electroplating reactor, the method comprising:establishing electrical contact between at least one surface of the semiconductor workpiece and the electrode; placing the at least one surface of the semiconductor workpiece along with a portion of the electrode into electrical contact with an electrolyte within a reactor base; passing a current through the electrode and the at least one surface of the semiconductor workpiece using the electrical power supply to electroplate a metal from the electrolyte onto the at least one surface of the semiconductor and on at least a portion of the electrode; removing the semiconductor workpiece from electrical contact with the electrode; placing the electrode into the electrolyte within the reactor base without a semiconductor workpiece without manual removal of the electrode; passing a reverse current between the electrode and the electrolyte using the electrical power supply to thereby clean the electrode of metal plated thereon for subsequent use in electroplating a further set of one or more semiconductor workpieces; rotating the electrode at an angular velocity about an axis of rotation in the approximate range from about 1 revolution per minute to about 300 revolutions per minute during cleaning thereof; and changing the direction of said rotating at least once during a cleaning cycle.