Control of metal nano-structure morphology by means of applied Si potential.

Applied Surface Science, Vol.144-145, pp.476-479, 1999.

Ken-ichi Hara and Iwao Ohdomari

abstract

A fabrication technique of metal nano-wires on silicon surface by using a wet process has been developed. By controlling silicon potential in a Cu ion-containing sulfuric acid solution, morphology of deposits can be controlled. When silicon potential against Pt counter electrode at -0.70eV v.s SHE was applied, Cu nuclei were formed on the intersections of steps and grew into a continuous Cu wire as a result of connection of the isolated nuclei. The width of the wire was 50nm by atomic force microscopy observation. The continuous wires are observed only in a narrow window of applied voltage around -0.70eV. At the other condition of applied potential, the deposits were either isolated or hardly visible.