The Influence of Gelatin Additives on the Mechanical Properties of Electrodeposited Cu Thin Films

To modify the physical properties of Cu thin films, gelatin is generally used as an additive. In this study, we assessed the effect of gelatin on the mechanical properties of electrodeposited Cu films. For this purpose, Cu/gelatin composite films were fabricated by adding 100 ppm of gelatin to an electrolyte, and tension and indentation tests were then performed. Additional tests based on pure Cu films were also performed for comparison. The Cu films containing gelatin presented a smaller grain size compared to that of pure Cu films. This increased the hardness of the Cu films, but addition of gelatin did not significantly affect the elastic modulus of the films. Cu films prepared at room temperature showed no significant change in the yield strength and tensile strength with an addition of gelatin, but we observed a dramatic decrease in the elongation. In contrast, Cu films prepared at 40°C with gelatin presented a significant increase in the yield strength and tensile strength after the addition of gelatin. Elongation was not affected by adding gelatin. Presumably, the results would be closely related to the preferred orientation of the Cu thin film with the addition of gelatin and at temperatures that lead to a change in the microstructure of the Cu thin films. (Received June 8, 2010)