A process for metallization of a workpiece, such as a semiconductor
workpiece. In an embodiment, an alkaline electrolytic copper bath is used
to electroplate copper onto a seed layer, electroplate copper directly
onto a barrier layer material, or enhance an ultra-thin copper seed layer
which has been deposited on the barrier layer using a deposition process
such as PVD. The resulting copper layer provides an excellent conformal
copper coating that fills trenches, vias, and other microstructures in
the workpiece. When used for seed layer enhancement, the resulting copper
seed layer provide an excellent conformal copper coating that allows the
microstructures to be filled with a copper layer having good uniformity
using electrochemical deposition techniques. Further, copper layers that
are electroplated in the disclosed manner exhibit low sheet resistance
and are readily annealed at low temperatures.