Localized electrodeposition induced by Joule heat at a constriction

摘要

We report a novel localized electrodeposition process based on localized Joule heating at a constriction and the temperature dependence of the equilibrium potential at a metalhyphen;electrolyte interface. Assuming a local temperature rise of 50 K, a deposition rate as high as 2 mgr;m per minute of copper is theoretically predicted in acidified copper sulfate solution, which is verified by a series of experiments. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs show that the deposited copper is dense and crystalline. As an immediate application of this novel phenomenon, a method of selfhyphen;induced repair for incipient opens, i.e., a selfhyphen;locating and selfhyphen;terminating process to treat constrictions in circuits, is established.