Thermodynamic aspects of bis(3‑sulfopropyl) disulfide and 3‑mercapto‑1‑propanesulfonic acid in Cu electrodeposition

Organic additives play an important role in regulating film growth and properties in Cu electrodeposition. 3‑Mercapto‑1‑propane sulfonate (MPS) and its dimer bis(3‑sulfopropyl) disulfide (SPS) are representative accelerators that promote Cu electrodeposition rate. In this study, the formal reduction potential of SPS to MPS was determined by measuring the equilibrium constants of thiol-disulfide interchange reactions with the reference thiol/disulfide pairs by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The calculated formal reduction potential of SPS to MPS was 0.153 V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode). Based on this calculation, the cell potentials of Cu(I)(thiolate) formation reaction with either SPS or MPS, which is a key reaction in accelerating mechanism, were also estimated by ultraviolet-visible absorption and 1H NMR spectroscopies: they were found to be 0.202 V and 0.214 V for SPS and MPS, respectively. The positive cell potential indicates that the formation of Cu(I)(thiolate) complexes is thermodynamically favorable in the presence of additives.