AFM Study of Pt Clusters Electrochemically Deposited onto Boron-doped Diamond Films

Abstract

Pt particles and clusters have been electrochemically deposited onto boron-doped diamond thin films supported by silicon wafers (SiBDD). The careful study of the morphology and dispersion of Pt deposits by AFM (air, tapping mode) proves the existence of a small number of preferential diamond sites on which the initially deposited Pt particles are growing fast. The behavior evidenced may result from the high electrical conductivity near some sites, presumably due to a higher local concentration of boron used in the BDD films as doping centers.