Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein that relate to characterizing a plating gap between an anode structure and a cathode in an electrodeposition tool. One example provides a fixture for characterizing a spacing of a plating gap of an electrodeposition tool. The fixture comprises a substrate holder interface configured to contact a seal of a substrate holder of the electrodeposition tool. The fixture further comprises a protrusion comprising a contact surface configured to contact the anode structure of the electrodeposition tool during a plating gap characterization process. A thickness dimension comprising a distance between a plane of the substrate holder interface and the contact surface of the protrusion corresponds to a preselected plating gap spacing.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus comprises an anode chamber flow loop. The anode chamber flow loop comprises an anode chamber that contains an anolyte solution and an anode. A flow meter doses anolyte solution components into the anode chamber flow loop. A first valve manifold supplies components of the anolyte solution to the flow meter. The first valve manifold comprises a first shutoff valve operable to selectively fluidly couple a source of water to the flow meter, and a second shutoff valve operable to fluidly couple sources of acid and bulk inorganic plating components to the flow meter. A second valve manifold is fluidly coupled to the second shutoff valve and comprises a third shutoff valve operable to fluidly couple the source of bulk inorganic plating components to the first valve manifold, and a fourth shutoff valve operable to fluidly couple the source of acid to the first valve manifold.

Abstract: A wetting tool that provides improved wettability and debris removal from features defined by a patterned resist layer on a substrate. The substrate wetting tool relies on a wetting solution having a pH of 2.0 or less and/or a temperature ranging from 20 to 50° C. With a pH of 2.0 or less, the resist material used to form features chemically reacts, making it more hydrophilic. The wetting solution is therefore attracted into the features, beneficially reducing the chance of bubble formation and removing debris. At elevated temperatures, the heated wetting solution improves particle de-lamination and aids in dissolving debris and oxides from the substrate surface.