Patent ID: 6413389
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: C22B,Y02P

Abstract:
An assembly for recovering a metal from by-products produced in a plasma processing chamber, said assembly comprising a liquid; by-products containing a metal, wherein said byproducts were recovered from a plasma processing chamber and disposed in said liquid; an electrode assembly disposed in said liquid and including a working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter electrode, wherein said working electrode is in the shape of a cylinder formed from a conductive net or mesh, which working electrode surrounds said reference and said counter electrode; a potential change selecting means, electrically connected to said working electrode and to said reference electrode and to said counter electrode, for selecting and maintaining a desired change in potential of said reference electrode with respect to said working electrode by causing a current to flow in response to a selected desired change in potential through said working electrode and through said counter electrode of a magnitude sufficient to effect said selected desired change in potential of said reference electrode with respect to said working electrode and cause said metal to be removed from said liquid and to deposit on said working electrode.