Patent ID: 6921551

Claim:
A method of plating a conductive top surface of a workpiece, the conductive top surface of the workpiece including a top portion and a cavity portion, the method comprising: applying, over the conductive top surface of the workpiece, an electrolyte solution with at least one additive disposed therein, a first portion of the additive becoming adsorbed on the top portion and a second portion of the additive becoming adsorbed on the cavity portion; using a workpiece-surface-influencing device to make physical contact with the top portion and establishing relative movement with the workpiece to change at least the first portion of the additive adsorbed onto the top portion; moving the workpiece-surface influencing device relatively away from the workpiece surface so that the physical contact between the workpiece-surface-influencing device and the workpiece no longer occurs; and plating the conductive top surface of the workpiece with a conductor obtained from the electrolyte solution at least during a period of time when at least some of the change is maintained and while the workpiece-surface-influencing device remains moved relatively away from the workpiece surface, thereby causing greater plating of the cavity portion relative to the top portion.