Patent ID: 8795480

Claim:
An electroplating apparatus comprising: (a) a plating chamber configured to contain an electrolyte and an anode while electroplating metal onto a substantially planar substrate; (b) a substrate holder configured to hold the substantially planar substrate such that a plating face of the substrate is separated from the anode during electroplating; (c) a flow shaping element comprising a substrate-facing surface that is substantially parallel to and separated from a plating face of the substrate during electroplating, the flow shaping element comprising an ionically resistive material with a plurality of non-communicating channels made through the flow shaping element, wherein said non-communicating channels allow for transport of the electrolyte through the flow shaping element during electroplating to create an impinging flow of electrolyte in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plating surface of the substrate; and (d) a flow diverter on the substrate-facing surface of the flow shaping element, said flow diverter comprising a wall structure partially following the circumference of the flow shaping element, and having a vent region comprising one or more gaps, wherein the angle subtended by the vent region is about 20 to 120 degrees and wherein the wall structure defines a pseudo chamber between the flow shaping element and said substantially planar substrate during electroplating, wherein the flow diverter is configured to divert the impinging flow of electrolyte in a direction that is parallel to the plating surface of the substrate and towards the one or more gaps of the flow diverter at least at the center of the substrate, thereby creating a transverse electrolyte flow across the center point of the substrate.