Hardware design, system configuration and processing procedure to achieve 3mm edge exclusion for copper coating process of a semiconductor wafer improves the productivity of the species layer

The disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for electrochemical deposition of a metal layer on a substrate that achieves high throughput and minimal edge exclusion. The method for forming a metal layer on a substrate (40) comprising: depositing a full coverage seed layer (46) over the substrate; electrochemically depositing a metal layer over the seed layer, and removing any exposed seed layer from an annular edge portion of the substrate. The apparatus for forming is metal layer on a substrate comprises: an electrochemical deposition cell (200) having a cathode contact member (208,228) adapted to contact a peripheral portion of a substrate at less than about 3mm from an edge of the substrate, a processing cell (300) adapted to remove any exposed seed layer on a peripheral portion of the substrate; and a transfer chamber having a robot adapted to transfer a substrate between the electrochemical deposition cell and the processing cell for removing exposed seed layer.