Laplace- and diffusion-field-controlled growth in electrochemical deposition

Abstract

We distinguish the roles of the Laplace and diffusion fields in electrochemical deposition during growth of the dense-branching morphology. The shape of the growth is controlled by the Laplace field; the microscopic morphology is characteristic of diffusion-field-controlled growth; and the branch size length scale is hypothesized to be the result of the interplay of the two fields. The branching rate varies with system parameters so as to select an apparently constant interfacial velocity.