Abstract: Techniques for performing bath metrology on electroplating mixtures are disclosed. In particular, the disclosed techniques can be used in conjection with traditional metrology methods such as cyclic voltammatric stripping (CVS), and are capable of detecting changes in bath components at a more sensitive level than CVS in some circumstances. In some instances, deviations in observed current values from potentiostatic methods vis-à-vis a calibration standard can provide indications of changes in the mixture, and provide an indicator when a depleted component has been sufficiently added to restore the mixture to a previous state.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods of electroplating copper onto at least one surface of a substrate in which more uniform electrical double layers are formed adjacent to the at least one surface being electroplated (i.e., the cathode) and an anode of an electrochemical cell, respectively. In one embodiment, the electroplated copper may be substantially-free of dendrites, exhibit a high-degree of (111) crystallographic texture, and/or be electroplated at a high-deposition rate (e.g., about 6 ?m per minute or more) by electroplating the copper under conditions in which a ratio of a cathode current density at the at least one surface to an anode current density at an anode is at least about 20. In another embodiment, a porous anodic film may be formed on a consumable copper anode using a long conditioning process that promotes forming a more uniform electrical double layer adjacent to the anode.

Abstract: A copper electroplating bath that includes an aqueous solution that comprises a copper salt and at least one acid and a container that comprises a copper salt in solid form, is disclosed. The container supplies copper ions to the aqueous solution to maintain the copper ion concentration of the aqueous solution at saturation levels while retaining the copper salt in solid form within the container.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a substrate holder comprises a base supporting a substrate that includes a surface having a peripheral region. A cover may be assembled with the base and includes at least one opening exposing only a portion of the surface therethrough. A seal assembly substantially seals a region between the cover and base and further adjacent to the peripheral region of the substrate. An electrode includes at least one contact portion positioned within the region and extending over at least a portion of the peripheral region of the substrate. A compliant member comprises a polymeric material and may be positioned within the region between the at least one contact portion and either the peripheral region of the substrate or the cover. In other embodiments, an electroplating system is disclosed that may employ such a substrate holder.

Abstract: A copper electroplating bath that includes an aqueous solution that comprises a copper salt and at least one acid and a container that comprises a copper salt in solid form, is disclosed. The container supplies copper ions to the aqueous solution to maintain the copper ion concentration of the aqueous solution at saturation levels while retaining the copper salt in solid form within the container.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing dialkyl carbonates by the reaction of one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds selected from urea, methyl carbamate and ethyl carbamate with methanol and/or ethanol in the presence of a catalyst under pressure at 100.degree. to 250.degree. C. and the process does not use poisonous phosgene or carbon monoxide as raw material and readily yields dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate in simple equipment.

Abstract: A distillable liquid containing non-volatile impurities is freed of those impurities by boiling the liquid to form vapors of the liquid, passing the vapors through a packed column heated to a temperature such that liquid entrained in the vapors is completely vaporized and the non-volatile impurities remain in the packed column, and condensing the vapors from the column.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing silica from silica sol which comprises preparing an acidic silica sol applied with a hydrogen peroxide treatment from an aqueous solution of alkali silicate, purifying the acidic silica sol by using a cationic exchange resin after pH adjustment and preparing silica from the silica sol obtained by neutralizing the thus purified acidic silica sol, that is, a production process for highly pure silica capable of removing, Ti as much as possible in the same manner as impurities such as Fe and Al.