SECOND HARMONIC GENERATION STUDIES OF COPPER ELECTRODEPOSITION ON GOLD

Author Institution: Dept. of Physics, San Jose State University; Dept. of Chemistry, San Jose State UniversitySecond Harmonic Generation (SHG) was used as a probe to study the electrochemical deposition of Cu from a $CuS0_{4}/H_{2}SO_{4}$ solution onto a Au electrode. The SHG signal was generated by focussing 100 mjoule pulses of p-polarized 1.06 micron radiation from a Nd:YAG laser onto a polished polycrystalline Au electrode surface. Cu electrodeposition onto, and desorption from, the surface was followed using cyclic voltammetry, and the SHG signal was monitored as a function of the applied potential. A significant decrease in SHG intensity was observed as Cu was deposited electrochemically onto the Au electrode surface. This signal was found to reach a constant value during bulk deposition of Cu metal