TY - CHAP A1 - Schönekerl, Stefan A1 - Acker, Jörg ED - Scheschkewitz, David ED - Kickelbick, Guido T1 - Behavior of electroless copper deposition onto multi-crystalline silicon in diluted hydrofluoric acid solutions T2 - 9th European Silicon Days, 9-12 September 2018, Saarbrücken, Germany, Book of abstracts N2 - The metal-assisted etching of Si is a method which has been studied for many years with regard to the creation of nanoscale surface structures, but much less research was done to elucidate the reaction processes. Most publications argue that either reduction of the metal cation could result in double charge transfer with concomitant hydrogen release or four-fold charge transfer without H2 formation [1]. Following, SiO2 is to be formed, which is subsequently converted into H2SiF6 by F-, HF2- or HF [2]. Due to the few reliable findings, own experiments were carried out. In this context, the deposition of Cu on multi-crystalline Si at various Cu2+ activities and different HF levels was investigated, and the H2 emission for these processes analysed. The results of the series of experiments indicate a different reaction behavior from the theory described above. Apparently, a slightly higher redox potential of the Cu2+/Cu+ half-cell compared to 2H+/H2 redox couple is sufficient to initiate the silicon dissolution process. The stoichiometric ratio between Cu deposition and Si dissolution process is strongly affected by the Cu2+ activity, but it is obviously not influenced by HF activity. At Cu2+ activities of < 2∙10-5 mol/kg less than one electron is nominally exchanged between metal cation and Si, and at activities of approx. 1∙10-2 mol/kg there is an almost four electron charge transfer. At activities > 1∙10-2 mol/kg the stoichiometric ratio and the Cu deposition and Si dissolution kinetics decrease, presumably due to the fact the compact Cu layer inhibits the transition of the dissolved Si into the etching solution. The shift in the stoichiometric ratio suggests the first Cu2+ based oxidative attack on Si enables the reaction of a further oxidizing agent. It is likely water will attack the silicon as second oxidant, since there is no dependence between the content of HF species in the etching solutions and the Si dissolution kinetics. This second reaction step seems to be associated with hydrogen evolution. The amount of hydrogen formation indicates that at a Cu2+ activity of < 2∙10-5 mol/kg calculative only one electron is transferred from Si to Cu2+ and H+, and at a Cu2+ activity of 1∙10-2 mol/kg four electrons in total. However, HF is necessary to convert the oxidized Si to the supposed formation of H3SiF, H2SiF2, HSiF3, and SiF4 and H2SiF6 respectively. KW - silicon KW - metal assisted etching KW - deposition KW - copper KW - dissolution Y1 - 2018 SP - S. 82 PB - Universität des Saarlandes CY - Saarbrücken ER - TY - GEN A1 - Schönekerl, Stefan A1 - Acker, Jörg T1 - The Role of the Molecular Hydrogen Formation in the Process of Metal Ion Reduction on Multi-crystalline Silicon in a Hydrofluoric Acid Matrix T2 - Nanomaterials N2 - Metal deposition on silicon in hydrofluoric acid (HF) solutions is a well-established process for the surface patterning of silicon. The reactions behind this process, especially the formation or the absence of molecular hydrogen (H2) are controversially discussed in the literature. In this study, several batch experiments with Ag+, Cu2+, AuCl4– and PtCl62– in HF matrix and multi-crystalline silicon were performed. The stoichiometric amounts of the metal depositions, the silicon dissolution and the molecular hydrogen formation were determined analytically. Based on these data and theoretical considerations of the valence transfer, four reasons for the formation of H2 could be identified. Firstly, H2 is generated in a consecutive reaction after a monovalent hole transfer (h+) to a Si–Si bond. Secondly, H2 is produced as a result of a monovalent hole transfer to the Si–H bonds. Thirdly, H2 occurs if Si–Si back bonds of the hydrogen-terminated silicon are attacked by Cu2+ reduction resulting in the intermediate species HSiF3, which is further degraded to H2 and SiF62–. The fourth H2-forming reaction is the reduction of oxonium ions (H3O+) on the silver/, copper/ and gold/silicon contacts via monovalent hole transfer to silicon. In the case of (cumulative) even-numbered valence transfers to silicon, no H2 is produced. The formation of H2 also fails to appear if the equilibrium potential of the 2H3O+/H2 half-cell does not reach the energetic level of the valence bands of the bulk or hydrogen-terminated silicon. Non-hydrogen-forming reactions in silver, copper and gold deposition always occur with at least one H2-forming process. The PtCl62– reduction to Pt proceeds exclusively via even-numbered valence transfers to silicon. This also applies to the reaction of H3O+ at the platinum/silicon contact. Consequently, no H2 is formed during platinum deposition. KW - molecular hydrogen KW - metal deposition KW - silicon KW - etching KW - hydrofluoric acid KW - reaction kinetics KW - dissolution KW - chemical analysis Y1 - 2021 UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/4/982 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11040982 SN - 2079-4991 VL - 11 IS - 4 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Schönekerl, Stefan A1 - Acker, Jörg T1 - The Kinetics and Stoichiometry of Metal Cation Reduction on Multi-Crystalline Silicon in a Dilute Hydrofluoric Acid Matrix T2 - Nanomaterials N2 - In this study, the process of metal cation reduction on multi-crystalline silicon in a dilute hydrofluoric acid (HF) matrix is described using Ag(I), Cu(II), Au(III) and Pt(IV). The experimental basis utilized batch tests with various solutions of different metal cation and HF concentrations and multi-crystalline silicon wafers. The metal deposition kinetics and the stoichiometry of metal deposition and silicon dissolution were calculated by means of consecutive sampling and analysis of the solutions. Several reaction mechanisms and reaction steps of the process were discussed by overlaying the results with theoretical considerations. It was deduced that the metal deposition was fastest if the holes formed during metal ion reduction could be transferred to the valence bands of the bulk and surface silicon with hydrogen termination. By contrast, the kinetics were lowest when the redox levels of the metal ion/metal half-cells were weak and the equilibrium potential of the H3O+/H2 half-cells was high. Further minima were identified at the thresholds where H3O+ reduction was inhibited, the valence transfer via valence band mechanism was limited by a Schottky barrier and the dissolution of oxidized silicon was restricted by the activity of the HF species F−, HF2− and H2F3−. The findings of the stoichiometric conditions provided further indications of the involvement of H3O+ and H2O as oxidizing agents in addition to metal ions, and the hydrogen of the surface silicon termination as a reducing agent in addition to the silicon. The H3O+ reduction is the predominant process in dilute metal ion solutions unless it is disabled due to the metal-dependent equilibrium potential of the H3O+/H2 half-cell and the energetic level of the valence bands of the silicon. As silicon is not oxidized up to the oxidation state +IV by the reduction of the metal ions and H3O+, water is suspected of acting as a secondary oxidant. The stoichiometric ratios increased up to a maximum with higher molalities of the metal ions, in the manner of a sigmoidal function. If, owing to the redox level of the metal half-cells and the energetic level of the valence band at the metal–silicon contact, the surface silicon can be oxidized, the hydrogen of the termination is the further reducing agent. KW - silicon KW - etching KW - metal-assisted etching KW - kinetics KW - hydrofluoric acid KW - dissolution Y1 - 2020 UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/12/2545 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10122545 SN - 1747-681X VL - 10 IS - 12 ER -