Patent ID: 7704367

Claim:
An apparatus for electroplating a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a wafer support having a top surface configured to hold a wafer; a first electrode disposed at a first location proximate to a periphery of the wafer support, wherein the first electrode is configured to move through a range of motion extending between a first position above and proximate to the top surface of the wafer support and a second position outside a perimeter of the top surface of the wafer support, such that an entirety of the first electrode at the second position is located outside a vertically projected region within the perimeter of the top surface of the wafer support; a second electrode disposed at a second location proximate to the periphery of the wafer support, the second location being substantially opposite from the first location of the first electrode relative to the top surface of the wafer support, wherein the second electrode is configured to move through a range of motion extending between a third position above and proximate to the top surface of the wafer support and a fourth position outside the perimeter of the top surface of the wafer support, such that an entirety of the second electrode at the fourth position is located outside the vertically projected region within the perimeter of the top surface of the wafer support; and an anode disposed over the top surface of the wafer support, the anode having a rectangular surface area defined to be substantially parallel with and proximate to the top surface of the wafer support, the rectangular surface area having a long dimension that is at least equal to a diameter of the wafer to be held on the top surface of the wafer support, the rectangular surface area further defined by a second dimension that is less than the diameter of the wafer to be held on the top surface of the wafer support, wherein the anode and the wafer support are configured to move with respect to one another in a linear direction such that the anode linearly traverses over an entirety of a diametric chord extending through a center of the top surface of the wafer support between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the proximity of the rectangular surface area of the anode to the upper surface of the wafer is sufficiently close to allow the rectangular surface area of the anode to contact a meniscus of electroplating solution to be applied to the upper surface area of wafer.