(Electrodeposition Division Research Award) Electrodeposition as an Enabling Technology in Future Semiconductors, Energy Storage, and Sustainable Metal Production
Authors: Akolkar Rohan 
Published: February 2024

Electrodeposition is a truly fascinating process. On the one hand, it is highly complex as it entails a myriad of intricately intertwined physiochemical events (transport, kinetics, nucleation, growth, to name a few). Despite this, to a practitioner, electrodeposition can be remarkably simple, easy to control, and safe to operate. Electrodeposition is also extremely versatile, enabling fabrication of various materials (metals, alloys, semiconductors), fabrication onto conductive or resistive substrates, facilitating intricate pattern formation, and providing selectivity in growth. These advantages make electrodeposition a process of choice in a broad range of technologically-important applications: batteries, semiconductor devices, electrometallurgy, and others.1-3

Morphology control is crucial in the industrial practice of electrodeposition. During metallization of nano-scale interconnects in advanced semiconductor devices, metal deposition with near atomic precision is required.1 Similarly, during operation of lithium metal rechargeable batteries, electrodeposition must be controlled to avoid dendritic growth during battery charging.2 Electrodeposition processes in high temperature molten salts, such as those used for electrowinning rare-earth metals, favor spongy deposits which can manifest in entrapment of impurities – here too, controlling morphology is central to overall electrowinning efficacy.3 In this talk, I will discuss and demonstrate how unprecedented morphology control can be achieved in electrodeposition. Such control leverages fundamental understanding of the electrochemical processes at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Specifically, by regulating the electrolyte properties, applied current or potential waveforms, and by employing ‘additives’, the diffusion-reaction processes can be controlled yielding desirable electrodeposit morphologies. Such design of electrodeposition processes is considerably aided by mathematical modeling. I will provide a few examples of how quantitative modeling enables improved process designs in aforementioned applications.

During my odyssey in electrodeposition since 2001, I have been fortunate to have exceptional colleagues, collaborators, sponsors, mentors, students and friends, who have made this journey enjoyable and enriching. I am also very thankful for my affiliation to the Electrochemical Society and its electrodeposition division. In my talk, I will provide a few perspectives and anecdotes on how the ECS community has positively impacted me personally and professionally.

References:

R. Akolkar, “Current Status and Advances in Damascene Electrodeposition” in Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Elsevier (2017).

R. Wasalathanthri and R. Akolkar, “Perspective—does the Sand equation reliably predict the onset of morphological evolution in lithium electrodeposition?,” J. Electrochem. Soc., 169,092519 (2022).

R. Akolkar, “Perspective—is sustainable electrowinning of neodymium metal achievable?”, J. Electrochem. Soc., 169, 043501 (2022).