Ruthenium electrodeposition on silicon from a room-temperature ionic liquid

Electrochemical deposition of ruthenium on n-type silicon from an ionic liquid is reported for the first time. The study was performed by dissolving ruthenium(III) chloride in a 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIPF₆) room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies demonstrate reduction and stripping peaks at −2.1 and 0.2 V vs. Pt quasi-reference, corresponding to the deposition and dissolution of ruthenium, respectively. Metallic Ru films of ∼100 nm thickness have been deposited and were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).