An electroplating system has a vessel assembly holding an electrolyte. A weir thief electrode assembly in the vessel assembly includes a plenum inside of a weir frame. The plenum divided into at least a first, a second and a third virtual thief electrode segment. A plurality of spaced apart openings through the weir frame lead out of the plenum. A weir ring is attached to the weir frame and guides flow of current during electroplating. The electroplating system provides process determined radial and circumferential current density control and does not require changing hardware components during set up.

A nano-twinned crystal film and a method thereof are disclosed. The method of fabricating a nano-twinned crystal film includes utilizing an electrolyte solution including copper salt, acid, and a water or alcohol-soluble organic additive, and performing electrodeposition, under conditions of a current density of 20˜100 mA/cm.sup.2, a voltage of 0.2˜1.0V, and a cathode-anode distance of 10˜300 mm, to form the nano-twinned crystal film on a surface at the cathode. The nano-twinned crystal film formed by the method includes a plurality of nano-twinned copper grains and a region of random crystal phases between some of adjacent nano-twinned copper grains, wherein at least some of the nano-twinned copper grains have a pillar cap configuration with a wide top and a narrow bottom.

A nano-twinned crystal film and a method thereof are disclosed. The method of fabricating a nano-twinned crystal film includes utilizing an electrolyte solution including copper salt, acid, and a water or alcohol-soluble organic additive, and performing electrodeposition, under conditions of a current density of 20˜100 mA/cm.sup.2, a voltage of 0.2˜1.0V, and a cathode-anode distance of 10˜300 mm, to form the nano-twinned crystal film on a surface at the cathode. The nano-twinned crystal film formed by the method includes a plurality of nano-twinned copper grains and a region of random crystal phases between some of adjacent nano-twinned copper grains, wherein at least some of the nano-twinned copper grains have a pillar cap configuration with a wide top and a narrow bottom.

There is provided an apparatus for plating a substrate as an object to be plated. The apparatus comprises an anode and a thief tunnel arranged to be located between the substrate and the anode when the substrate is placed to be opposed to the anode. The thief tunnel comprises a body placed away from the substrate and provided with an opening; a plurality of auxiliary electrodes provided in or to the body; and an ion exchange membrane configured to protect the auxiliary electrodes from a plating solution. The plurality of auxiliary electrodes are arranged along a circumference of the opening. At least one of the auxiliary electrodes is configured such that a voltage to be applied to the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes is controlled independently of a voltage to be applied to one or more auxiliary electrodes other than the at least one of the auxiliary electrodes.

A photovoltaic cell is proposed. The photovoltaic cell includes a substrate of semiconductor material, and a plurality of contact terminals each one arranged on a corresponding contact area of the substrate for collecting electric charges being generated in the substrate by the light. For at least one of the contact areas, the substrate includes at least one porous semiconductor region extending from the contact area into the substrate for anchoring the whole corresponding contact terminal on the substrate. In the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, each porous semiconductor region has a porosity decreasing moving away from the contact area inwards the substrate. An etching module and an electrolytic module for processing photovoltaic cells, a production line for producing photovoltaic cells, and a process for producing photovoltaic cells are also proposed.

Disclosed herein is a A polyalkanolamine including the structure of formula L1

[00001]${\left[{\text{A}}^{\text{L}}\right]}_{\text{n}}{\left[{\text{B}}^{\text{L}}\right]}_{\text{m}}$

wherein A.sup.L is B.sup.L is X.sup.L1, X.sup.L2, X.sup.L3 are independently selected from a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; Ar.sup.L is a 5 or 6 membered N-heteroaromatic ring system including from 1 to 4 N atoms, which may be unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl; n is an integer of from 2 to 350; m is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 600; o is 1 or an integer of from 2 to 25; B.sup.L1 is a continuation of the backbone B.sup.L by branching; X.sup.L11, X.sup.L12, X.sup.L13 are independently selected from a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; X.sup.L21 is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; and derivatives thereof obtainable by N-protonation, N-quaternization, substitution, or polyalkoxylation.

Disclosed herein is a A polyalkanolamine including the structure of formula L1

[00001]${\left[{\text{A}}^{\text{L}}\right]}_{\text{n}}{\left[{\text{B}}^{\text{L}}\right]}_{\text{m}}$

wherein A.sup.L is B.sup.L is X.sup.L1, X.sup.L2, X.sup.L3 are independently selected from a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; Ar.sup.L is a 5 or 6 membered N-heteroaromatic ring system including from 1 to 4 N atoms, which may be unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl; n is an integer of from 2 to 350; m is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 600; o is 1 or an integer of from 2 to 25; B.sup.L1 is a continuation of the backbone B.sup.L by branching; X.sup.L11, X.sup.L12, X.sup.L13 are independently selected from a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; X.sup.L21 is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl; and derivatives thereof obtainable by N-protonation, N-quaternization, substitution, or polyalkoxylation.

A method of controlling chemical concentration in electrolyte includes measuring a chemical concentration in an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is contained in a tank; and increasing a vapor flux through an exhaust pipe connected to the tank when the measured chemical concentration is lower than a control lower limit value.

A method of controlling chemical concentration in electrolyte includes measuring a chemical concentration in an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is contained in a tank; and increasing a vapor flux through an exhaust pipe connected to the tank when the measured chemical concentration is lower than a control lower limit value.

A system and method for plating a workpiece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a deposition chamber, a workpiece holder adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, a shield with patterns of apertures corresponding to features on the workpiece, a shield holder also adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber and a positioning mechanism to position the workpiece in the workpiece holder such that the pattern of apertures on the shield will align with the corresponding features on the workpiece when the workpiece holder and shield holder are inserted into the deposition chamber.