Methods for controlling and/or measuring additive concentration in an electroplating bath

A method for measuring a suppressor of an electroplating solution using a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that operates as a pseudo-suppressor during an initial electrical energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first-time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• initiating a plating and/or stripping electroanalytical measurement cycle to measure the suppressor by providing an electrical energy input to at least one pair of electrodes disposed in the electroplating solution, the electrical energy input to the pair of electrodes being provided to either plate or strip a metal to or from at least one of the electrodes for at least a predetermined time period that extends beyond the first time period;
• taking an electroanalytical measurement of the energy output of the electroanalytical technique after the first time period has elapsed and before the predetermined time period has elapsed;
• using the electroanalytical measurement taken after the first time period has elapsed and before the predetermined time period has elapsed to determine an amount of the suppressor in the electroplating solution so as to reduce the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the pseudo-suppressor in calculating the amount of the suppressor.

A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that skews an initial plating and/or stripping response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) removing an amount of electroplating solution from an electroplating reactor;
• b) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the electroplating solution removed in Step a, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• c) adding an amount of the target constituent to the amount of electroplating solution;
• d) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the electroplating bath of Step c, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• e) repeating Steps c and d as necessary to generate a slope, or to otherwise gather enough data to answer a logic criteria;
• f) comparing the measurement results obtained during one or more cycles of Steps c and d to a calibration curve;
• and
• g) calculating the amount of the target constituent based on the comparison made in Step f whereby the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the by-product on the calculation is reduced.

A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using a plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that skews an initial plating and/or stripping response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) removing an amount of electroplating solution from an electroplating reactor;
• b) adding an amount of virgin make-up solution of the electroplating solution to the amount of electroplating solution removed in Step a;
• c) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the electroplating solution formed in Step b, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• d) adding an amount of the target constituent to the amount of electroplating solution;
• e) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the electroplating solution of Step d, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique measurement process after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• f) repeating Steps d and e as necessary to generate a slope, or to otherwise gather enough data to answer a logic criteria;
• g) comparing the measurement results obtained during one or more cycles of Steps d and e to a calibration curve;
• and
• h) calculating the amount of the target constituent based on the comparison made in Step g whereby the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the by-product on the calculation is reduced.

A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that skews an initial plating and/or stripping response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) removing an amount of electroplating solution from an electroplating reactor;
• b) providing an amount of virgin make-up solution;
• c) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the virgin make-up solution formed in Step b, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• d) adding an amount of the electroplating solution removed in Step b to the virgin make-up solution formed in Step b;
• e) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique measurement process using the electroplating solution of Step d, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique measurement process after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• f) repeating Steps d and e as necessary to generate a slope, or to otherwise gather enough data to answer a logic criteria;
• g) comparing the measurement results obtained during one or more cycles of Steps d and e to a calibration curve;
• and
• h) calculating the amount of the target constituent based on the comparison made in Step g whereby the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the by-product on the calculation is reduced.

A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that skews an initial plating and/or stripping response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) removing an amount of electroplating solution from an electroplating reactor;
• b) providing an amount of virgin make-up solution;
• c) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the virgin make-up solution formed in Step b;
• d) adding an amount of the electroplating solution removed in Step a to the virgin make-up solution formed in Step b;
• e) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the electroplating solution of Step d, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique measurement process after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• f) adding an amount of the target constituent to the solution formed in Step d;
• g) executing a metal plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique using the solution formed in of Step f, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique measurement process after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• h) repeating Steps f and g to generate a measurement curve;
• i) calculating the amount of the target constituent based on the measurement curve obtained in Step h whereby the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the by-product on the calculation is reduced.

A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique, the electroplating solution including one or more constituents that form a by-product that skews an initial plating and/or stripping response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique for a first time period beyond which such skewing is negligible, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) removing an amount of electroplating solution from an electroplating reactor;
• b) providing an amount of virgin make-up solution;
• c) executing an electroanalytical technique measurement process using the virgin make-up solution formed in Step b;
• d) adding an amount of virgin make-up solution to the amount of electroplating solution removed in Step a;
• e) executing a plating and/or stripping electroanalytical technique measurement process using the electroplating solution of Step d, ensuring that a measurement is taken during the electroanalytical technique measurement process after plating or stripping power has been provided for a predetermined period of time that extends beyond the first time period;
• f) calculating the slope of the measurements taken in Steps c and d whereby the effect of the skewing of the initial plating and/or stripping response caused by the byproduct on the calculation is reduced;
• g) comparing the measurement results obtained during Step f to a calibration curve to calculate the amount of the target constituent.