An analysis of the temperature-induced supersaturation effects on structure and properties of sono-electrodeposited copper thin films

The mechanism of electrodeposition of copper thin film on aluminum has been studied under the influence of power ultrasound using cyclic voltammetry. The deposited thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Films are crystalline in structure. The spherical copper domains of the deposits without sonication have been converted to mushroom structures in the presence of ultrasound. Properties, including thermal and mechanical are further analyzed using differential scanning calorimeter and nano-indentation. There is a significant change in the variation of thermal stability for films that were deposited at different bath temperatures. The observed hardness values are closely conforming to the reported data available in the open literature. Further the soft films are found to have good wear properties.