Copper brightening process and bath

A process for bright dipping of a copper containing substrate comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an aqueous bath comprising from about 1 g/l to about 35 g/l of an acid, from about 45 g/l to about 230 g/l of a peroxide, and from about 2 g/l to about 25 g/l of a peroxide stable constituent effective for creation and stabilization of a dissolution inhibiting film over a brightened substrate;
• and
• b) immersing a copper containing substrate into a bath for a sufficient time to brighten the metal and form a dissolution inhibiting film over the substrate and providing for self-attenuation of the dissolution of the substrate after brightening of the substrate.

An aqueous brightening bath for brightening of a copper containing substrate, comprising from about 1 g/l to about 35 g/l of an acid;

• from about 45 g/l to about 230 g/l hydrogen peroxide;
• and from about 2 g/l to about 25 g/l of a polyvinyl polymer effective for formation of a dissolution inhibiting film over the substrate during brightening thereof which acts to substantially self-attenuate the dissolution reaction after brightening of the copper containing substrate.

An aqueous brightening bath for brightening of a copper containing substrate comprising from about 1 g/l to about 35 g/l of an acid, from about 45 g/l to about 230 g/l hydrogen peroxide, at least 0.5% by weight of a non-polymeric pyrrolidone or succinate effective for formation of a dissolution inhibiting film over the substrate during brightening thereof which acts to substantially self-attenuate the dissolution reaction after brightening of the copper containing substrate.