Electroplating of Semiconductor Materials for Applications in Large Area Electronics: A Review

The attributes of electroplating as a low-cost, simple, scalable, and manufacturable semiconductor deposition technique for the fabrication of large-area and nanotechnology-based device applications are discussed. These strengths of electrodeposition are buttressed experimentally using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical cell studies. Based on the results of structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and electronic properties evaluated, it is evident that electroplating possesses the capabilities of producing high-quality semiconductors usable for producing excellent devices. In this paper we will describe the progress of electroplating techniques mainly for the deposition of semiconductor thin film materials and their treatment processes, and fabrication of solar cells.