Silver electrodeposition on nanostructured gold: from nanodots to nanoripples

SANTOS CLARO, P.C. DOS; M. FONTICELLI,; G BENÍTEZ,; O. AZZARONI,; L. SCHILARDI, P.; N.B. LUQUE,; E. LEIVA,; R.C. SALVAREZZA

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Institute of Physics Publishing

Año: 2006 vol. 17 p. 3428 - 3435

0957-4484

Abstract Silver nanodots and nanoripples have been grown on nanocavity-patterned polycrystalline Au templates by controlled electrodeposition. The initial step is the growth of a first continuous Ag monolayer followed by preferential deposition at nanocavities. The Ag-coated nanocavities act as preferred sites for instantaneous nucleation and growth of the three-dimensional metallic centres. By controlling the amount of deposited Ag, dots of ¡­50 nm average size and ¡­4 nm average height can be grown with spatial and size distributions dictated by the template. The dots are in a metastable state. Further Ag deposition drives the dot surface structure to nanoripple formation. Results show that electrodeposition on nanopatterned electrodes can be used to prepare a high density of nanostructures with a narrow size distribution and spatial order.¡­50 nm average size and ¡­4 nm average height can be grown with spatial and size distributions dictated by the template. The dots are in a metastable state. Further Ag deposition drives the dot surface structure to nanoripple formation. Results show that electrodeposition on nanopatterned electrodes can be used to prepare a high density of nanostructures with a narrow size distribution and spatial order.