Copper deposition onto a porous silicon (PS) layer by immersion plating fro
m organic solutions was studied using methanol (MeOH) and acetonitrile (MeC
N). Copper metal was deposited at the open circuit potential onto the surfa
ce of PS From MeOH solution containing copper ions while no metal depositio
n was detected from MeCN solution, although both solutions contain a compar
able amount of residual water. The difference in the deposition behavior is
related to the difference in the rest potential of PS that is mainly attri
buted to the solution chemistry of copper ions in these solutions. Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the reduction of metal ions w
as accompanied by the simultaneous oxidation of PS. The absence of the two
peaks related to Si(0) and SiO2 in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measure
ments indicates the complete coverage of the PS surface with Cu metal from
MeOH solution. Current-potential curves were measured to investigate the el
ectrochemical behavior of the solutions. The effect of an air-oxidized PS s
urface on the deposition behavior was also studied. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien
ce Ltd. All rights reserved.