Electrodeposition of Silicon from 1-butyl-3-methyl-pyridinium bis(trifluromethylsulfonyl) imide ionic liquid

Abstract

Electrodeposition of silicon on various electrode materials was investigated from a 1-butyl-3-methylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide([BMPy]Tf2N) with SiCl4. Linear sweep voltammograms of Au, Al and Cu electrodes showed the possibility of the electrodeposition of elemental Si, while Ag electrode a showed smaller reductive potential window in the same electrolyte composition. We demonstrated that Si thin film could be obtained on the Au electrode by the potentiostatic condition, which was confirmed by various analytical techniques including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy.