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Description:

To enhance the Ag coverage on the Cu surface in the galvanic replacement (GR) method, a two-step surface treatment was developed using Ar fast atom beam (Ar-FAB) bombardment followed by ethanol vapor-assisted vacuum ultraviolet (E-VUV) irradiation. Ar-FAB removed the native oxide from Cu, and E-VUV formed a protective layer that prevents Cu reoxidation in air and dissolves readily in AgNO3 solution. Compared to the traditional GR method with acid etching, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed an increased spectrum intensity in Ag 3d and a decrease in Cu-O and –OH, indicating better coverage of the Ag layer on the Cu surface. The Ag layer thickness grew by about 7 nm during immersion from 10 to 300 s, while the traditional GR film stopped growing after 60 s. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed minimal growth of large Ag dendrites.

Rights:

• Creative Commons BY-NC-ND Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
  

Keyword: galvanic replacement, vapor-assisted vacuum ultraviolet, Ag deposition

Date published: 2025-09-08

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Journal:

• Materials Letters (ISSN: 0167577X) vol. 403 139482

Funding:

Manuscript type: Publisher's version (Version of record)

MDR DOI:

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2025.139482

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Updated at: 2026-01-14 10:32:49 +0900

Published on MDR: 2026-01-14 12:20:12 +0900