Preparation of Si powder thick films by low frequency alternating electrophoretic deposition

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has recently gained increasing interest in the processing of advanced ceramic materials and coatings [1]. The EPD has the advantages of short formation time, simple deposition apparatus, low cost, flexibility in shape and size of the substrates and suitability for mass production [2, 3]. The EPD can be used for the fabrication of advanced ceramics in the form of thick or thin coatings, laminates, etc. [4]. Also this technique has been reported to be used for deposition of Si particles for fabrication of silicon thick films [5]. In this work, the preparation of Si thick films by alternating electrophoretic deposition (ACEPD) is reported for the first time. The interesting feature of ACEPD technique is the deposition of powder on the both electrodes. By using low frequency electric field, we deposited the Si particles in the gap and on the surface of the electrodes made of gold and/or graphite. The effect of frequency and the wave form on the deposit yield is reported in this article.