The initial stages of copper deposition on bare and chemically modified gold electrodes

This paper comprises, in the form of an overview, various aspects of the in itial stages of electrolytic metal deposition, demonstrated and exemplified by the classical model system, Cu on Au(hkl). Describing underpotential as well as overpotential deposition, some of the parameters governing nucleat ion and growth are pointed out. The profound effect of substrate orientatio n is shown and various examples of the influence of organic additives on th e deposition process are given. Most recently, metal deposition onto electr odes covered with self-assembled monolayers has received increased attentio n as a possible model system for metal deposition onto a non-conducting sur face and therefore, preliminary results for Cu deposition on alkanethiol co vered Au(111) are presented.