IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Thin Films Monday Sessions
       Session TF+NS+SE+VST-MoA

Paper TF+NS+SE+VST-MoA8
Deposition of Metallic Nanoclusters by Galvanic Displacement

Monday, October 29, 2001, 4:20 pm, Room 123

Session: Nanophase & Multilayered Thin Films
Presenter: L. Magagnin, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Authors: L. Magagnin, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
C. Carraro, University of California at Berkeley
R. Maboudian, University of California at Berkeley
Correspondent: Click to Email
Wet processes for the deposition of metallic films on silicon from fluoride containing solution are currently under investigation,@footnote 1,2@ for applications in microelectronics and in micromechanical systems technology. This work presents a novel method for depositing nanostructured films of noble and platinum-group metals by galvanic displacement from water-in-oil microemulsions. One possible application of this process is coating of the interior walls of microchemical reactors@footnote 3@ for enhanced catalytic activity. The water-in-oil system investigated comprises an organic phase (n-heptane), a surfactant (AOT), and an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and metallic ions. Metallic nanoclusters are deposited by galvanic displacement at the silicon substrate in contact with the fluoride containing water droplets. Nanoclusters with controlled size and distribution are obtained on silicon by regulating the micellar radius and deposition time. Scanning probe microscopy is employed to characterize the deposited films. Microscopic observations are correlated with X-ray diffraction and SEM/EDS analyses to investigate the nucleation and growth of the nanoclusters. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@M.K. Lee, J.J. Wang, H.D. Wang, J. Electrochem. Soc. 144, 5 (1997): p. 1777. @footnote 2@L. Magagnin, R. Maboudian, C. Carraro, Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 4, 1 (2001): p. C5. @footnote 3@K.F. Jensen, "The impact of MEMS on the chemical and pharmaceutical industries", Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop, Hilton Head Island, South Caroline, June 4-8 (2000): p. 105.