Copper Plating Physical Properties

Data on the physical, mechanical, and electrical properties of electrodeposited copper were comprehensively reviewed. In the table is describe the ranges for high-strength, hard, lowly stressed, good leveling, or thermally stable electrodeposited copper. The high strength copper was deposited from copper sulfate baths containing triisopropanolamine or molasses and thiourea and in copper cyanide baths containing potassium thiocyanate solution with PR current and in the copper sulfate bath containing naphthalene disulfonic acid and thiourea or several other addition agents.

The deposits with a low electrical resistivity were obtained in copper flouroborate and sulfate baths at 30oC, which contained no addition agents. These deposits also were thermally stable to 400oC, changed very little in density, and exhibited low stress, less than 3.0 kg/cm2. The properties for the good-leveling copper were measured for specimens deposits in a copper sulfate bath containing a sulfonate compound and the operating conditions on the properties and structure of copper electrodeposits is described in reference.

The grain structure of copper deposits usually correspond to one of four types. Deposits from the sulfate baths containing no addition agents are columnar. Additions of gelatin, phenolsulfonic and many other agents cause the fibrous structure.

Properties of copper electrodeposited: