Patent ID: 7160176

Claim:
A method for removing electrically conductive material from a face surface of a microelectronic substrate, comprising: spacing a first conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate; spacing a second conductive electrode apart from the microelectronic substrate; disposing an electrolyte between the microelectronic substrate and both the first and second electrodes, with both the first and second electrodes in fluid communication with the electrolyte; removing at least part of the conductive material from the microelectronic substrate by passing a varying current from at least one of the first and second electrodes through the electrolyte to the microelectronic substrate and to the other of the first and second electrodes while the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from the conductive material of the microelectronic substrate and the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to the microelectronic substrate only via the electrolyte; and removing gas from a region between the microelectronic substrate and at least one of the first and second electrodes while the conductive material is removed from the microelectronic substrate.