Electrocrystallization Nucleation and growth phenomena

A review of the present status of the problem of metal deposition and elect rochemical phase formation and growth is made. The historical background of the problem is given with an overview of the major contributions of differ ent electrochemical schools. Phase formation is treated in classical and at omistic terms. Some of the basic consequences of the theory concerning the equilibrium form, the influence of the substrate, the size-overpotential de pendence of low-dimensional systems, and the nucleation kinetics are discus sed. The basic modes of crystal growth under electrochemical conditions are described, The influence of substrate surface modification in the UPD regi on concerning the formation of low dimensional phases and their stability r anges are discussed. The development of recent in situ techniques for nanos tructuring and nanomodification of solid surfaces and their importance for electrochemical nanotechnologies are also shortly presented. (C) 2000 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.