	US 7,524,406 B2
	Processing apparatus including a reactor for electrochemically etching microelectronic workpiece
Daniel Woodruff, Kalispell, Mont. (US); Steve Eudy, Kalispell, Mont. (US); James Erickson, Columbia Falls, Mont. (US); Thomas Oberlitner, Kalispell, Mont. (US); and Matthew Egloff, Kalispell, Mont. (US)
Assigned to Semitool, Inc., Kalispell, Mont. (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/745,190.
Application 10/745190 is a division of application No. 09/782216, filed on Feb. 13, 2001, granted, now 6,773,559.
Application 09/782216 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/476526, filed on Jan. 03, 2000, granted, now 6,547,937.
Prior Publication US 2004/0134774 A1, Jul. 15, 2004
Int. Cl. C25D 17/00 (2006.01); C25D 21/12 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 204—224M [204/224 R; 204/230.2]

15 Claims

1. A reactor for electrochemically processing a microelectronic workpiece, the reactor comprising:

a reactor head assembly including a workpiece contact for providing electrochemical processing power to a surface of a workpiece held by the reactor head assembly, the reactor head assembly being movable between a workpiece loading/unloading position and a workpiece processing position;

a reactor base assembly including a movable electrode assembly having an electrode surface that is movable along a plane that is generally parallel to the surface of a workpiece held by the reactor head assembly when the reactor head assembly is in the workpiece processing position; and

a gap adjustment assembly disposed on the reactor base assembly to mechanically adjust the spacing that is present between the electrode surface and the surface of the microelectronic workpiece, including a central region of the workpiece surface, during processing thereof.