Plating cup with contoured cup bottom

{
  "publication_number": "US2013062197A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Plating cup with contoured cup bottom",
  "abstract": "Disclosed herein are cups for engaging wafers during electroplating in clamshell assemblies and supplying electrical current to the wafers during electroplating. The cup can comprise an elastomeric seal disposed on the cup and configured to engage the wafer during electroplating, where upon engagement the elastomeric seal substantially excludes plating solution from a peripheral region of the wafer, and where the elastomeric seal and the cup are annular in shape, and comprise one or more contact elements for supplying electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the one or more contact elements attached to and extending inwardly towards a center of the cup from a metal strip disposed over the elastomeric seal. A notch area of the cup can have a protrusion or an insulated portion on a portion of a bottom surface of the cup where the notch area is aligned with a notch in the wafer.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cup for engaging a wafer during electroplating in a clamshell assembly and supplying electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the cup comprising: an elastomeric seal disposed on the cup and configured to engage the wafer during electroplating, wherein upon engagement the elastomeric seal substantially excludes plating solution from a peripheral region of the wafer, wherein the elastomeric seal and the cup are annular in shape; one or more contact elements configured to supply electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the one or more contact elements attached to and extending inwardly towards a center of the cup from a metal strip disposed over the elastomeric seal; and a protrusion attached to and extending from a portion of a bottom surface of the cup, wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the cup is an angular portion for alignment with a notch in the wafer during electroplating. 2. The cup of claim 1, wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the cup corresponds to a notch area in the cup, wherein the notch area defines an area of the cup in which the distance from the center of the wafer to the edge of the elastomeric seal is less than in non-notch areas of the cup. 3. The cup of claim 1, wherein a height of the protrusion is between about 600 micrometers and about 1000 micrometers. 4. The cup of claim 1, wherein the protrusion tapers in width along a length of the protrusion, wherein the length of the protrusion is perpendicular to the width of the protrusion. 5. The cup of claim 4, wherein the protrusion is widest proximate to the center of the length of the protrusion. 6. The cup of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is aligned with the notch of the wafer, and wherein the current density distribution around the perimeter of the wafer is substantially uniform. 7. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric seal has a diameter that is configured to engage the peripheral region of the wafer. 8. A cup for engaging a wafer during electroplating in a clamshell assembly and supplying electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the cup comprising: an elastomeric seal disposed on the cup and configured to engage the wafer during electroplating, wherein upon engagement the elastomeric seal substantially excludes plating solution from a peripheral region of the wafer, wherein the elastomeric seal and the cup are annular in shape; one or more contact elements configured to supply electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the one or more contact elements attached to and extending inwardly towards a center of the cup from a metal strip disposed over the elastomeric seal; and an insulated portion on a portion of a bottom surface of the cup, wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the cup is an angular portion for alignment with a notch in the wafer during electroplating. 9. The cup of claim 8, wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the cup is provided in a notch area of the cup, wherein the notch area corresponds to an area of the cup in which the distance from the center of the wafer to the edge of the elastomeric seal is less than in non-notch areas of the cup. 10. The cup of claim 9, wherein the notch area comprises an electrically insulating coating and the non-notch areas comprise an electrically conductive material. 11. The cup of claim 8, wherein the insulated portion has a lower electronic conductivity than the rest of the bottom surface of the cup. 12. The cup of claim 11, wherein the insulated portion comprises a plastic. 13. The cup of claim 12, wherein the insulated portion extends along an entirety of a width of the bottom surface of the cup. 14. The cup of claim 8, wherein the insulated portion comprises a protrusion with a height between about 600 micrometers and about 1000 micrometers. 15. The cup of claim 8, wherein the insulated portion is aligned with the notch of the wafer, and wherein the current density distribution around the perimeter of the wafer is substantially uniform. 16. The cup of claim 8, wherein the elastomeric seal has a diameter that is configured to engage the peripheral region of the wafer. 17. A cup for engaging a wafer during electroplating in a clamshell assembly and supplying electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, the cup comprising: an elastomeric seal disposed on the cup and configured to engage the wafer during electroplating, wherein upon engagement the elastomeric seal substantially excludes plating solution from a peripheral region of the wafer, wherein the elastomeric seal and the cup are annular in shape; a plurality of contact elements for supplying electrical current to the wafer during electroplating, each of the contact elements attached to and extending inwardly towards a center of the cup from a metal strip disposed over the elastomeric seal; and wherein each of the contact elements in a notch area of the cup is longer than each of the contact elements in a non-notch area of the cup, wherein the notch area corresponds to an area of the cup in which the distance from the center of the wafer to the edge of the elastomeric seal is less than in non-notch areas of the cup."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "C25D 17/001",
    "C25D 17/004",
    "C25D 17/005",
    "C25D 17/007",
    "C25D 17/06",
    "C25D 17/12",
    "C25D 7/123",
    "C25D 7/126"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "HE ZHIAN",
    "FENG JINGBIN",
    "GHONGADI SHANTINATH",
    "WILMOT FREDERICK D"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-09-10",
  "publication_date": "2013-03-14",
  "priority_date": "2008-12-10",
  "application_number": "US-201213609037-A",
  "family_id": "47828847",
  "citations": [
    "US2005189213A1",
    "US2010155254A1",
    "US6726826B2"
  ]
}