International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation (ICERI 2017)

RESISTIVITY OF THIN FILM (Cu/Ni) USING ELECTROPLATING

METHODS
Moh Irma Sukarelawan1, Rif’ati Dina Handayani2, Moh. Toifur3
1
Student of Postgraduate of YSU, 2 University of Jember, 3 Ahmad Dahlan University
1moh.irma2016@student.uny.ac.id, 2rifatidina@gmail.com, 3mtoifur@yahoo.com

Abstract
This study aimed to characterize the electrical properties of the thin film of Cu/Ni based on resistivity
function. A thin film of Cu/Ni is fabricated using electroplating methods. Variations of current density
which used in a coating process is 0.2 A/cm2, 0.4 A/cm2 and 0.6 A/cm2. The thin film of resistivity values
measured using the Four Point Probe at room temperature (± 26°C). the results show that the resistivity
linear function followed a linear equation are Rs = -0,00007t + 0,00133; Rs = -0,00006t + 0,00127 and Rs
= -0,00005t + 0,00121, respectively.
Keywords: resistivity, thin film of Cu/Ni, electroplating method

process in copper, such as electroplating method

Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)
utilizes the properties of a material that
undergoes a change of resistance as result of
ambient temperature changes [1]. RTD is the best
standard as a temperature sensor when compared
thermocouple or thermistor, because of its linear,
strong, have good sensitivity [2] and high
accuracy for wide measurement range [3].
Generally, RTD elements are made from metal or
alloy [4], both in coils and thin films. Materials
that can be used as RTD elements are copper [5],
[6], Platinum, and Nickel [2]. Economically,
RTD elements can be made from copper and
nickel material [7], because Platinum has a fairly
expensive price.
Copper is good candidate element as a
platinum replacement RTD element to measure
very low temperatures because it has good linear
properties in response [8]. A copper also has a
high Thermal Contact Resistance (TCR). This
coefficient determines the sensitivity of the
copper but is still lower than the platinum. The
greater change in the copper resistivity of each
temperature is more sensitive. The presence of
impurities increased the resistivity of the copper.
The magnitude of copper resistivity depends on
the type of impurities and its contents [9].
Besides that, the way that can be done to increase
the resistivity is made copper in a thin layer [10].
One of the materials that can be used as an
impurity on copper is Nickel [11]. Mixing Nickel
and copper can reduce the purity and increase the
resistivity of copper itself.
To produce a thin layer, there are several
methods that can be used for the nickel plating
[12]. Electroplating methods have several
advantages: low process temperature, process
conditions at ordinary atmospheric pressure,
relatively inexpensive equipment, fast sediment
rates, porosity in relatively low coatings and can
produce multiple layers. In this method, two
factors that determine the success of the thin
layer manufacturing are electric current density
and electroplating duration [12] - [14].
According to the considerations above, this
research will characterize the resistivity of the
Cu/Ni thin films using electroplating method.
The sample was made using a combination
of current density and the length of a deposition
process. Current density used is 0.2 A/cm2, 0.4
A/cm2, and 0.6 A/cm2 respectively. While the
variation of deposition time is 1 minute, 2
minutes, 3 minutes and 4 minutes. All variations
of the deposition were carried out at room
temperature (± 26°C). The thickness of the layers
of each sample is determined before the
characterization of its electrical properties. To
determine the thickness of the formed layer was
used the Lowenheim equation [14]. The
Lowenheim equation is as follows:
w
d= (1)
rA
Where:
= layer thickness (cm)
w = m1 – m 2 = mass of layer (g)
= metal density (g/cm3)

 
 International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation (ICERI 2017)

A = surface area of layer after coating ln 2

process (cm2)
Mass of layer was measured before and
after the coating process repeatedly. The density
of nickel is 8.908 kg/m3 with the cross-sectional
area of 5.5 cm2. Characterization of electrical
properties of the Cu/Ni thin film through
resistivity is performed using four point-probe
method. As the name implies, the working
principle of the measuring device is based on the
presence of 4 probes, with 2 probes functioning
to carry out an electric current and 2 other probes
used to measure electrical voltage, the probes are
touched on the sample of material. The resistivity
value of the Cu/Ni thin film determined by using
the linear regression equation as follows:
V = Rs I (2)
p
Test layer thickness
Electroplating is one of the methods
which used to create a thin film based on the
direct electric current movement through an
electrolyte solution. Determination of Ni layer
thickness that formed on Cu substrate through
electroplating process is using indirect
measurement that calculates substrate mass
difference before and after the coating process.
This mass difference is the mass of nickel
overlaid on the copper (Cu) substrate. FIG. 1 is a
regression result of each current density by
varying coating time.

Figure 1. Graph of coating time relation to Cu / Ni layer thickness.

The graph provided that the longer of
the coating process performed for each current Table 1. The linear equation between the coating
density will produce a great thickness, this is due time and the thickness of the Cu/Ni
to the oxidation reaction on the nickel anode, so layer.
the nickel ions are attached to the cathode (Cu N Current density Linear
substrate). For each coating time, the thickness of o. (A/cm2) equation R²
the layer will increase as long as current density = 0,00005t - 0,95
increases. This occurs because the reduction of 1. 0,2 0,00004 555
the ions takes place more rapidly at larger current = 0,00011t - 0,98
densities. 2. 0,4 0,00004 971
The relation between time and thickness = 0,00020t - 0,99
mathematically is shown in Table 1. From the 3. 0,6 0,00012 313
result of the regression performed that the nickel Note : = thickness (cm)
ions do not directly attach the cathode when the t = time of coating (minute)
switch starts turn on. It is indicated by the Although in Table 1 the use of current
appearance of intercept values on each curve. density of 0.6 A/cm2 is much longer than the
The use of 0.4 A/cm2 current density has the attachment of Ni ions but the rate of attachment
relatively fastest attachment time and the current is greater than other current densities, so that
density of 0.2 A/cm2 has the slowest attachment each sample for this current density has a greater
time. The starting time of this attachment can be thickness than the others. It is supported by the
seen from the ratio between intercept and slope existing slope values. This is in line with the
on each regression. theory that at small current densities that the

 
 International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation (ICERI 2017)

reduction of Ni metal ions is slower [15]. The

thickness value of the Cu/Ni thin film for each
variation provide in table 2.
Table 2. Coating thickness at time variation
No. Sampel (A/cm2) time (minute) (cm) S (cm)
1 1 0,000022 0,000001
2 2 0,000041 0,000002
0,2
3 3 0,000108 0,000002
4 4 0,000168 0,000001
5 1 0,000053 0,000002
6 2 0,000194 0,000001
0,4
7 3 0,000275 0,000002
8 4 0,000389 0,000002
9 1 0,000084 0,000002
10 2 0,000287 0,000002
0,6
11 3 0,000449 0,000002
12 4 0,000700 0,000002

The variation of coating time at each conductor, an insulator or a semiconductor. Cu

current density value having a thickness value
proportional to coating time. The largest
thickness at 4 minute time variation is (0.000700
± 0,000002) cm. The smallest thickness is
obtained at a time variation of 1 minute, which is
(0.000022 ± 0.00001 cm).
Test layer resistivity
Electrical resistivity is the basic
parameter for classifying a metal whether as a
metal used as a RTD element for low temperature
sensors is expected having better sensitivity. In
this study, to increase the sensitivity is done by
reducing the level of purity of Cu, so it will
impact on increasing the resistivity value. The
coating time relation to the resistivity value of
Cu/Ni pieces for each sample is presented in
figure bellow.

Figure2. Graph of coating relation between time of coating and resistivity value of Cu/Ni

The resistivity value is inversely
proportional to the coating process time. This is
an implication of the large thickness formed
during the coating process. The smaller the
thickness of a layer will lead to inhibition of
electron flow so that the resistivity becomes more
increase. From the current density point of view,
the graph also shows that for each time the same
coating, the smaller of current density used to
make a greater the resistivity value. Result of
linear regression from data analysis obtained
relations between coating time and resistivity
value of Cu/Ni chip for each sample.

 
 International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation (ICERI 2017)

Table 3. Linear equations between coating If the figure 2 is extrapolated at t = 0

time and Cu / Ni chip resistivity. minutes further on each regression result, it
N Current
Linier equation R²
assumed that Cu substrate has not coating yet, the
o. density(A/cm2) average Cu chip resistivity value of 0.001 /sq.
Rs = -0,00007t + 0,884 This value is close to the result of the analysis of
1. 0,2 0,00133 48
Rs = -0,00006t + 0,978 Cu chip resistivity value before the coating
2. 0,4 0,00127 32 process. To determine the increase of resistivity
Rs = -0,00005t + 0,946 value, measuring of resistivity was done before
3. 0,6 0,00121 55 and after coating process by using four point
Note: Rs = Resistivity strips of Cu/Ni probes. The change of resistivity value of layer
t = time of coating before and after coating process is presented in
table 4
Table 4. Resistivity of thin film Cu/Ni
Rs ± SRs (Ω/sq)
No. Sampel (A/cm2) Time (minute)
Before After
1 1 0,00115 ± 0,00006 0,00129 ± 0,00001
2 2 0,00114 ± 0,00002 0,00115 ± 0,00003
0,2
3 3 0,00109 ± 0,00004 0,00110 ± 0,00003
4 4 0,00104 ± 0,00001 0,00107 ± 0,00003
5 1 0,00109 ± 0,00003 0,00122 ± 0,00004
6 2 0,00113 ± 0,00002 0,00114 ± 0,00003
0,4
7 3 0,00108 ± 0,00001 0,00110 ± 0,00001
8 4 0,00103 ± 0,00004 0,00104 ± 0,00006
9 1 0,00115 ± 0,00002 0,00117 ± 0,00003
10 2 0,00107 ± 0,00005 0,00109 ± 0,00002
0,6
11 3 0,00103 ± 0,00002 0,00107 ± 0,00002
12 4 0,00093 ± 0,00009 0,00102 ± 0,00001

For each sample of Cu/Ni, there is 333–336, 2008.

increasing resistivity value. The greatest
resistivity was obtained for the smallest thickness
of the sample with current density 0.2 A/cm2 at
one minute of coating.
Based on the data analysis, it can be
concluded that the resistivity of the thin film
Cu/Ni deposition by electroplating method for
each variation of current density 0.2 A/cm2; 0.4
A/cm2 and 0.6 A/cm2 respectively follow the
equation Rs = -0,00007t + 0.00133, Rs = -
0.00006t + 0.00127 and Rs = -0.00005t +
0.00121.
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