Initial stages of copper electrodepositi

The nucleation and growth kinetics of copper crystals electrochemically deposited on platinum and tungsten have been studied in the presence of a composite organic additive for bright copper plating. The objective of this study was to examine the initial stages of copper electrodeposition with a focus on the role of organic additives, which has been less explored in existing literature. Methodologically, copper crystals were deposited from an aqueous solution of 1 M CuSO4 + 0.5 M H2SO4 using hemispheric platinum and polycrystalline tungsten electrodes under potentiostatic conditions. Key parameters were measured, including the exchange current density I0, the transition coefficient α of copper ions, the stationary nucleation rate I*, and the critical nucleus size nh. Results indicated that during instantaneous nucleation, the growth rate was significantly influenced by the presence of the organic additive, providing critical insight into the electrochemical behavior of copper deposition and the effectiveness of surface active agents. This study contributes valuable information to the field of electrochemical deposition and offers a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in industrial copper plating.