Electrochemical nanopatterning of Ag on solid-state ionic conductor RbAg4I5 using atomic force microscopy

This report introduces an electrochemical nanopatterning technique performed under ambient conditions without involving a liquid vessel or probe-to-sample material transfer. Patterning is accomplished by solid-state electrochemical nanodeposition of Ag clusters on the surface of the solid ionic conductor RbAg4I5 using an atomic force microscopy probe. Application of negative voltage pulses on the probe relative to an Ag film counter electrode on an RbAg4I5 sample induces nanometer-sized Ag deposition on the ion conductor around the probe. The patterned Ag particles are 0.5–70nm high and 20–700nm in diameter. The effect of the amplitude and duration of bias voltage on the size and shape of deposited Ag clusters is also shown.