Influence of MPS concentration on copper electrocrystallisation from acidic sulphate electrolyte with MPS additive systems

Abstract

Copper electrocrystallisation on a glassy carbon electrode from acid sulphate electrolytes in the presence of different concentrations of 3-mercapto-1-propanesulphonate sodium salt (MPS) and its combinations with chloride ions (Cl) or/and polyethylene glycol (PEG) have been investigated by utilising chronoamperometry (CA) technique and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The CA and SEM results indicate that copper nucleation follows instantaneous nucleation with three-dimensional growth (3DI) from all baths at the deposition potentials studied. With increasing MPS concentration, copper nucleation rate and nuclei number density N increase in the MPS, MPS–Cl and MPS–PEG–Cl baths, but decrease in the MPS–PEG bath.

Keywords:

• Copper electrodeposition
• Copper nucleation
• MPS
• PEG
• Chloride ions

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation Project of CQ CSTC (no. 2008BC4003) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (no. CDJZR10240016).