Electrochemical nucleation and growth of gold on silicon

In this paper we report on the nucleation and growth of gold on n-type silicon from solution by electrochemical deposition. We show that deposition occurs by progressive nucleation and diffusion limited growth of 3D hemispherical islands. Gold films were prepared by nucleation at a potential where the maximum nucleus density is obtained, followed by growth under kinetic control. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the films were continuous and polycrystalline with a 〈111〉 texture. The electrical properties of the Si/Au junctions were comparable to junctions prepared by evaporation or sputtering.