Microstructure characterization in electrodeposited Cu-coatings obtained at different bath temperatures

X-ray profile and texture analysis, optical microscopy and microhardness measurement were used in order to study the dependence of the microstructure formation of electrodeposited copper coatings on the bath temperature. The coatings were obtained from an acid electrolyte without any additions within a temperature range from -10 °C up to 110 °C on polycrystalline copper and amorphous carbon substrates. The obtained temperature dependence of dislocation density is similar to that of the microhardness. Above room temperature the lattice perfection and the main grain size rapidly increase. At all temperatures deposition on carbon leads to a -fibre texture, but on copper substrates a texture change of the coatings from a -fibre to a more complicated, substrate-related epitaxial texture was observed