This investigation first proposed that open-circuit potential vs time (OCP-t) is a novel nonlinear potential step controlled by redox reaction and nucleation. A novel thermodynamic model of OCP-t is obtained for electroless deposition of Ni on Pd-activated p-type silicon 100. Thermodynamic transient properties such as capacity of double layer C, surface charge density q, interfacial tension, and resistance of chemical reaction Rr are calculated. Results show that the variation of OCP is dependant on the interfacial double layer. The breakdown and rearrangement of the double layer causes surface charge density step, which triggers momentary nucleation of Ni on the substrate. Results also show that reductant pulses would be an effective way to speed nuclei growth.

This work describes a study of the underpotential deposition (UPD) of Sn2+ on a polycrystalline gold disc electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronocoulometry (CC). Sn2+ ions showed well-defined peaks from UPD and UPD stripping (UPD-S) in 1 mol/L HCl solutions, while bulk deposition (BD) and BD stripping (BD-S) of the ions were also observed. The measured UPD shifts, DEUPD, between the UPD-S and the BD-S peaks were more than 200 mV. The UPD charge and the surface coverage of tin were measured by CC. A new method for determining Sn2+ was therefore developed, based on the excellent electrochemical properties of the Au/Sn UPD system. A plot of the UPD-DPASV (differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry) signal versus the Sn(II) concentration was obtained for [Sn(II)] of 1.98

A novel method of silver electroless deposition on p-Si(100) wafer under the condition of the centrifugal force was developed. The Ag seed layer was firstly prepared on the wafer in a solution of 0.005 mol/l AgNO3+0.06 mol/l HF then the silver film was electrolessly deposited in another electroless Ag bath under the centrifugal fields. The morphology of the prepared silver film was characterized by atomic force microscopy. The crystal orientation of the film was characterized by X-ray diffraction. The experiment results show that the silver film obtained under the condition of the strong centrifugal force is smoother and denser.

A new method for silver electroless deposition on Si(100) wafer, based on the silver itself as the seed layer, was developed. The seed layer was first deposited onto the etched wafer surface in an acidic solution of 0.005 mol 1-1 AgNO3+0.06 mol 1-1 HF. Then the silver thin film was electrolessly deposited upon the seed layer in the electroless bath of AgNO3+NH3+acetic acid+NH2NH2 (pH 10.2). The NH2NH2 was taken as the reducing agent. The morphology of the seed layer and the silver film were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The experimental results indicated that the seed layer showed excellent catalytic function for silver electroless deposition.

The anodic stripping behavior of the Ag seed layers on a p-silicon (100) wafer was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The seed layers were prepared by immersing the silicon wafer in a solution of 0.005 M AgNO3+0.06 M HF at room temperature. Then the layer adhered wafers were used as the work electrodes. The oxidation energy of the Ag monolayer based on the Si-Ag combination was observed and the oxidation energy of the Ag multilayer based on the Ag-Ag combination was also found.