Corrosion Protection of Copper Using Atomic Layer Deposition

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of materials for corrosion mitigation of metal surfaces is an ongoing area of research and development. ALD is advantageous over other coating techniques, because of its ability to coat high aspect ratio materials with no line-of-sight requirement. In this study we examined the corrosion protection properties of multiple metal oxide thin films, including Al₂O₃ and HfO₂, that were deposited using ALD on copper metal. We examined the physical properties of coatings using techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy. The corrosion rates were measured using in-situ techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) in an aqueous NaCl solution. Analysis of the films demonstrated low electrochemical porosity and provided enhanced corrosion protection, but the choice of coating material is important to achieve the maximum corrosion resistance that will not wear away with prolonged use. In this presentation we will discuss promising materials deposited by ALD for protecting copper and other metals.