Abstract
Electrochemical reduction of a metal can proceed both in the presence and absence of an external current source, in the latter case the electrode potential being oscillated (e.g., electroless copper deposition). A valid model for these oscillations has been unavailable up to date.
Using self-catalyzed electroless copper deposition as an experimental basis, it is shown that the model of the Dynamic Electrical Double Layer (DEDL) allows for calculation of steady oscillations by a modified differential Nernst equation on the assumption that the process on the whole is either one of quasi-equilibrium or weakly non-equilibrium and that the current values of electrode potential conform to the current electrolyte composition, the experimental conditions being given.
This enhances the applicability of the main electrochemical law for the description of self-catalyzed electrochemical plating.