Sulfur catalyzed electrochemical oxidation of copper: A combined ultrahighvacuum electrochemistry study

Combined ultrahigh vacuum electrochemistry studies show that the presence o f a submonolayer of sulfur on copper results in an approximately twofold in crease in the anodic dissolution current in a mildly alkaline berate buffer solution when compared to S-free copper. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements reveal that S remains adsorbed on copper and exhibits no chang e in oxidation state. This chemistry could form the basis for the developme nt of an anisotropic etch for copper in the microelectronics industry. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)07-093-1. All rights reserv ed.