Electroless Silver Plating of the Surface of Organic Semiconductors

Abstract

The integration of nanoscale processes and devices demands fabrication routes involving rapid, cost-effective steps, preferably carried out under ambient conditions. The realization of the metal/organic semiconductor interface is one of the most demanding steps of device fabrication, since it requires mechanical and/or thermal treatments which increment costs and are often harmful in respect to the active layer. Here, we provide a microscopic analysis of a room temperature, electroless process aimed at the deposition of a nanostructured metallic silver layer with controlled coverage atop the surface of single crystals and thin films of organic semiconductors. This process relies on the reaction of aqueous AgF solutions with the nonwettable crystalline surface of donor-type organic semiconductors. It is observed that the formation of a uniform layer of silver nanoparticles can be accomplished within 20 min contact time. The electrical characterization of two-terminal devices performed before and after the aforementioned treatment shows that the metal deposition process is associated with a redox reaction causing the p-doping of the semiconductor.

Novel Strategy for Preparation of Graphene-Pd, Pt Composite, and Its Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Alcohol Oxidation

“…Electroless plating is a chemical method that deposits metal particles (e.g., Ni) onto the surface of carbon (e.g., CNT), − making it possible to form well-dispersed Pt or Pd NPs on the surface of graphene without using any polymers. Herein, we describe a novel strategy for synthesis of graphene-Pt, Pd composites by using a modified electroless plating technique.…”

Preparation and characterization of silver self-metallization on polyimide

“…18 The C-C stretching and = C-H plane vibration band at 1488 and 1117 cm À1 are shifted to 1413, and 1112 cm À1 indicates the interaction of the silver nanoparticle with the polymer backbone. 24,25 The thermal stability of PI and Ag metalized PI films with various deposition times (5,10,15) minute was examined using TGA analysis. Table 2 shows the initial decomposition temperature (T 0 ), temperature for 5% weight loss (T 5 ), temperature for 10% weight loss (T 10 ), and maximum decomposition temperature (T max ).…”

“…The surface morphology studies imply that the deposited films are uniform, smooth, homogeneous, and nearly densely packed and free from voids, cracks, or pinholes. 19,24 However, the surface of the PI substrate was comparatively rough due to chemical etching. The rough surface could have been caused by the strong interfacial interaction between Ag and the PI substrate.…”

Superwettability-Induced Confined Reaction toward High-Performance Flexible Electrodes

“…However, these conventional improvements often induce complexity of operation and energy waste. 11,12 More importantly, previous fabrication of flexible electrodes by solution-based electrode coating method usually involves bulk reaction, and cannot achieve confinement of conductive layer, which inevitably leads to the waste of raw materials, and cannot meet the growing demand for new materials and devices. 13,14 Recently, Hu et al reported "Regioselective Deposition" method to pattern silver electrodes onto flexible substrates through hydrophobic/ hydrophilic reaction, and fabricated flexible, large-area, and high-performance polymer transistors.…”

“…In this regard, some works have been carried out, such as modification of the substrate morphology, optimization of the reactants, and operating conditions like temperature, pH, external field, and so on. However, these conventional improvements often induce complexity of operation and energy waste. , More importantly, previous fabrication of flexible electrodes by solution-based electrode coating method usually involves bulk reaction, and cannot achieve confinement of conductive layer, which inevitably leads to the waste of raw materials, and cannot meet the growing demand for new materials and devices. , Recently, Hu et al reported “Regioselective Deposition” method to pattern silver electrodes onto flexible substrates through hydrophobic/hydrophilic reaction, and fabricated flexible, large-area, and high-performance polymer transistors . Chen et al reported site-selective electroless metallization on porous organosilica films by vacuum plasma to control the wettability of polymeric surface, and fabricated well-defined Cu metallization patterns .…”