Correlating surface segregation and microstructural evolution of electrochemically deposited copper

Electroplating bath additives become problematic when incorporated into electrochemically deposited copper as impurities. The surface segregation of these impurities during spontaneous microstructural transformation was monitored by secondary ion mass spectrometry and found to be no different than the surface chemistry of the non-transforming plated samples or even sputtered copper. The results show that microstructural transformation of electroplated copper progresses despite the presence of impurities, suggesting foreign constituents are not in fact responsible for grain boundary pinning in these films.