Abstract. An extended analysis of the nuclear reaction mechanisms involved in the deuterons interaction with 63,65 Cu is presented. First, the available elastic-scattering data analysis provided us the optical potential for reaction cross sections calculations. An increased effort has been devoted to the breakup mechanism, both the elastic breakup and the breakup fusion contributions to the different activation cross sections being carefully considered. Next, the direct reaction contributions through the one nucleon stripping reaction cross sections have been calculated. Finally, the pre-equilibrium and compound-nucleus cross-section calculation, corrected for the breakup and stripping decrease of the total reaction cross section, completed the deuteron activation cross-section analysis. The overall agreement between the measured and calculated deuteron activation cross sections proves the correctness of the nuclear mechanisms account.