Study of complex electrodeposited thin film with multi-layer graphene-coated metal nanoparticles

We have demonstrated the production of thin films containing multilayer graphene-coated copper nanoparticles (MGCNs) by a commercial electrodeposition method. The MGCNs were produced by electrical wire explosion, an easily applied technique for creating hybrid metal nanoparticles. The nanoparticles had average diameters of 10-120 nm and quasi-spherical morphologies. We made a complex-electrodeposited copper thin film (CETF) with a thickness of $4.8{\mu}m$ by adding 300 ppm MGCNs to the electrolyte solution and performing electrodeposition. We measured the electric properties and performed corrosion testing of the CETF. Raman spectroscopy was used to measure the bonding characteristics and estimate the number of layers in the graphene films. The resistivity of the bare-electrodeposited copper thin film (BETF) was $2.092{\times}10^{-6}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, and the resistivity of the CETF after the addition of 300 ppm MGCNs was decreased by 2% to ${\sim}2.049{\times}10^{-6}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$. The corrosion resistance of the BETF was $9.306{\Omega}$, while that of the CETF was increased to 20.04 Ω. Therefore, the CETF with MGCNs can be used in interconnection circuits for printed circuit boards or semiconductor devices on the basis of its low resistivity and high corrosion resistance.