Nucleation behavior in electroless displacement deposition of metals on silicon from hydrofluoric acid solutions

We investigate the nucleation behavior in the electroless displacement deposition of metal particles (Pt, Rh, Pd, Cu, Ag, and Au) onto n-Si wafers from a metal-salt solution containing HF. The particle density of metals varies widely from 10⁶ (Pt) to 10¹¹ (Au) cm⁻², depending on the kind of metal. Deposited metals can be classified into two types of nucleation behavior. One consists of the platinum group elements, including Pt, Rh, and Pd, which display lower particle densities than elements of the other group and depend on the type of pretreatment of the n-Si wafer, and thus the surface conditions of Si. The second group consists of the copper group elements, including Cu, Ag, and Au, which display higher particle density than the first group and are independent of pretreatment. The size of deposited particles decreases from hundreds nm to tens nm as the particle density increases. Moreover, the displacement deposition of the Pt and Ag particles onto n-Si are in progressive and instantaneous nucleation modes, respectively.