Appeal No. 2005-1680
Application No. 10/012,079
1. A cell assembly for electroplating a semiconductor
wafer using an electro plating solution, comprising:
an anode;
a cathode assembly for making electrical contact to the
wafer and for holding the wafer in a substantially
horizontal position;
a seal between the cathode assembly and the wafer to
prevent the solution from intruding into the region of
electrical contact between the cathode assembly and the
wafer;
a cell wall; and
a passageway disposed around the periphery of the
wafer, such that the electroplating solution, when forced
through said passageway into the cell assembly, is caused to
flow laminarly over the upper surface of the wafer, toward
the center of the water, and then upward within said cell
wall.
The prior art references applied by the examiner in
rejecting the claims are:
Swanson 3,616,396 Oct. 26, 1971
Suitor et al. (Suitor) 4,885,142 Dec. 5, 1989
Starinshak et al. (Starinshak) 5,100,517 Mar. 31, 1992
Poris 5,256,274 Oct. 26, 1993
Brinket et al. (Brinket) 5,514,258 May 7, 1996
Kosaki et al. (Kosaki) 6,033,540 Mar. 7, 2000
Keigler 6,540,899 Apr. 1, 2003
Davis et al. (Davis) 6,579,430 Jun. 17, 2003
Additionally, the examiner refers to the following on page
11 of his Answer:
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