PNNL

Abstract

Copper is one of the very few elements having no relatively long-lived radioisotopes and which can be electrodeposited to ultra-high levels of purity. Next generation experiments probing neutrino properties and searching for direct evidence of Dark Matter require ultra-clean materials, such as copper, containing the smallest quantities obtainable of naturally occurring radioactive contaminants. Copper is also of interest in the material science field for applications requiring low-activity materials, such as in electronics and semi-conductors, an example of which is reduced alpha activity, low-fault integrated circuits. Determining the purity of the copper is of great interest, but even more important is establishing the location of any contamination and its dispersion within the bulk material. Co-deposition of contaminants during copper electrodeposition and its relationship to nucleation and growth processes were investigated using a variety of analytical methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS).