Kinetic Investigation of a Mechanism for Generating Microstructures on Polycrystalline Substrates Using an Electroplating Process

T. Soares[1], H. Mozaffari[2], H. Reinecke[1]
[1]Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, BW, Germany
[2]Hochschule Furtwangen, Tuttlingen, BW, Germany
Published in 2012

The purpose of this study is to understand the growth mechanism of copper (Cu) films on a Cu-Zn system substrate with a pre-defined pattern. The pattern was defined by conducting a selective etching process on a two-phase polycrystalline substrate. As a result of this process, there were etched regions correspondent to beta-phase crystals and quasi non-etched regions that belong to alpha-phase crystals. Afterwards, the entire surface was covered with a polymer coat, and after drying, a polishing process was conducted in order to develop the pre-defined pattern, consisting of conductive and electrically insulated regions, which are confined to the crystal dimensions. Finally, microstructure patterns were generated through electrodeposition.