A reactor for plating a metal onto a surface of a workpiece is set forth.
The reactor comprises a reactor bowl including an electroplating solution
disposed therein and an anode disposed in the reactor bowl in contact with
the electroplating solution. A contact assembly is spaced from the anode
within the reactor bowl. The contact assembly includes a plurality of
contacts disposed to contact a peripheral edge of the surface of the
workpiece to provide electroplating power to the surface of the workpiece.
The contacts execute a wiping action against the surface of the workpiece
as the workpiece is brought into engagement therewith The contact assembly
also including a barrier disposed interior of the plurality of contacts.
The barrier includes a member disposed to engage the surface of the
workpiece to assist in isolating the plurality of contacts from the
electroplating solution. In one embodiment, the plurality of contacts are
in the form of discrete flexures while in another embodiment the plurality
of contacts are in the form of a Belleville ring contact. A flow path may
be provided in the contact assembly for providing a purging gas to the
plurality of contacts and the peripheral edge of the workpiece. The
purging gas may be used to assist in the formation of the barrier of the
contact assembly. A combined electroplating/electroless plating tool and
method are also set forth.
