This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, under contract numbers MOST 105-2221-E-492-003-MY2 and MOST 107-2622-E-239-002-CC3.

1.&#160;Sample preparation
<ol>
	<li>TiN substrate preparation using a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering system
	<ol>
		<li>Cut a 4 inch n-type silicon wafer into 2 cm x 2 cm samples.</li>
		<li>Wash the samples using acetone, isopropanol, and deionized water.</li>
		<li>Dry them using an N2 spray for 5 min.</li>
		<li>Place the washed Si samples in a sample holder and place the sample holder into a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) chamber.</li>
		<li>Place a titanium t...

<ol>
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H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Novel+gold+dendritic+nanoflowers+deposited+on+titanium+nitride+for+photoelectrochemical+cells.">Novel gold dendritic nanoflowers deposited on titanium nitride for photoelectrochemical cells.</a> Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry. 22 (10), 3077-3084 (2018).</li><li>Shiao, M. H., Lin, C. T., Zeng, J. J., Lin, Y. 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In this study, Au DNFs with multiple branch sizes were decorated on the surface of TiN/Si by using FAGRR. The deposition of the Au DNFs could be directly identified by a significant change in color. The thickness of the Au DNFs on TiN/Si increased to 5.10 &#177; 0.20 &#181;m within 15 min, and this increase in thickness can be expressed using the following linear equation: y = 0.296t + 0.649, where the time varied from 1 to 15 min.
In FAGRR, the metal deposition is affected b...

Gold nanoparticles have characteristic optical properties and localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs), depending on the size and shape of the nanoparticles1,2,3,4. Moreover, gold nanoparticles can significantly enhance plasmonic photocatalytic reactions5. Dendritic nanoforests stacked using gold nanoparticles have received considerable attention because of their noteworthy specific surface areas and robust LSPR enhancement6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13.
TiN is an extremely hard ceramic material and has remarkable thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability. TiN has distinctive optical properties and can be used for plasmonic applications with visible-to-near-infrared light14,15. Research has demonstrated that TiN can produce electromagnetic field enhancements, similar to Au nanostructures16. The deposition of copper17 or silver18,19,20 on TiN substrates for applications has been demonstrated. However, few studies have been performed on Au/TiN composite materials for applications. Shiao et al. have recently demonstrated potential applications of Au DNFs/TiN composites for photoelectrochemical cells21 and chemical degradation22.
Au can be synthesized on a TiN substrate by using a FAGRR23. The deposition condition of Au DNFs on TiN is crucial in the performance of applications. This study examines the growth of Au DNFs on a TiN-coated Si substrate.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:911px;" width="912">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:233px;">Acetone</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Dinhaw Enterprise Co. Ltd.,Taipei, Taiwan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td style="width:182px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="49">
			<td height="49" style="height:49px;width:233px;">Isopropanol</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Echo Chemical Co. Ltd., Miaoli, Taiwan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">TG-078-000000-75NL</td>
			<td style="width:182px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="30">
			<td height="30" style="height:31px;width:233px;">Buffered Oxide Etch</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Uni-onward Corp., Hsinchu, Taiwan&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">UR-BOE-1EA</td>
			<td style="width:182px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="31">
			<td height="31" style="height:31px;width:233px;">Chloroauric Acid</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Alfa Aesar., Heysham, United Kingdom</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">36400.03</td>
			<td style="width:182px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="31">
			<td height="31" style="height:31px;width:233px;">N-Type Silicon Wafer</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Summit-Tech Company, Hsinchu, Taiwan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td style="width:182px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="62">
			<td height="62" style="height:62px;width:233px;">High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering System (HiPIMS)</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Melec GmbH, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td style="width:182px;">SPIK2000A&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="55">
			<td height="55" style="height:55px;width:233px;">Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">JEOL, Japan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td style="width:182px;">JSM-7800F</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:233px;">Ion Sputter Coater</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">Hitachi, Japan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td>E-1030</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:233px;">X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD)</td>
			<td style="width:321px;">PANalytical, The Netherlands</td>
			<td style="width:175px;"></td>
			<td>X&#39;Pert PRO MRD</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

growth of gold dendritic nanoforests on titanium nitride-coated silicon substrates

In this study, a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering system is used to coat a flat and firm titanium nitride (TiN) film on silicon (Si) wafers, and a fluoride-assisted galvanic replacement reaction (FAGRR) is employed for the rapid and easy deposition of gold dendritic nanoforests (Au DNFs) on the TiN/Si substrates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy patterns of TiN/Si and Au DNFs/TiN/Si samples validate that the synthesis process is accurately controlled. Under the reaction conditions in this study, the thickness of the Au DNFs increases linearly to 5.10 &#177; 0.20 &#181;m within 15 min of the reaction. Therefore, the employed synthesis procedure is a simple and rapid approach for preparing Au DNFs/TiN/Si composites.

Figure 1 depicts images of the Au DNFs/TiN/Si sample preparations. The silicon wafer was silvery white (Figure 1a). TiN/Si was golden yellow and had a homogeneous surface (Figure 1b), which indicated the uniform TiN coating on the silicon wafer. Au DNFs/TiN/Si was yellowish brown and less homogeneous on the surface (Figure 1c) because of the random distribution of Au DNF...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Growth of Gold Dendritic Nanoforests on Titanium Nitride-coated Silicon Substrates at JoVE.com

Growth of Gold Dendritic Nanoforests on Titanium Nitride-coated Silicon Substrates

This study presents a feasible procedure for synthesizing gold dendritic nanoforests on titanium nitride/silicon substrates. The thickness of gold dendritic nanoforests increases linearly within 15 min of a synthesis reaction.

In this study, a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering system is used to coat a flat and firm titanium nitride (TiN) film on silicon (Si) wafers, and a ...

This protocol is a simple, quick, electrolyses deposition method for preparing gold dendritic nanoforests on a titanium nitride-coated silicon substrate. The main advantages of this technique are its simplicity and its speed. Gold dendritic nanoforests can induce plasmonic hotspots and enhance plasmonic photocatalytic reactions.One can also use this procedure to prepare the dendritic nanoforests of alloy metals such as silver. Video demonstration makes it easier to emphasize essential details in the experiment. To begin the procedure, cut 10 two by two centimeter pieces of n-type silicon wafer.Sonicate the silicon samples for five minutes each in acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and deionized water in sequence. Dry the samples for five minutes under a stream of nitrogen gas. Then, place the clean, dry silicon samples in a sample holder, and put the holder in a HiPIMS sample chamber.Place a four inch diameter titanium target on a HiPIMS sputtering cathode, and pump down the HiPIMS chamber to eight times 10 to the negative six torrs. Deposit a 50 nanometer think layer of titanium on the silicon samples. Then, deposit titanium nitride to achieve a total titanium nitride thickness of about 300 nanometers.When titanium nitride deposition is complete, combine 240 microliters of one molar chloroauric acid, eight milliliters of six to one buffered oxide etch, and 15.76 milliliters of deionized water in a polytetrafluoroethylene container. Immerse one substrate in the chloroauric acid solution for precisely three minutes, and then wash it with deionized water. Dry the sample under a stream of nitrogen gas and incubate it at 120 degrees Celsius for five minutes.Repeat this process for each of the remaining titanium nitride coated substrates. When sample preparation is complete, characterize the samples with scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Energy disperse of x-ray spectroscopy confirmed that gold structures had grown on titanium nitride coated silicon surfaces.The titanium nitride film deposited on the silicon wafer was smooth and uniform. Within a minute of placing the sample in the growth solution, small gold nuclei appeared across the sample with a few larger nuclei that resembled sea urchins. Single tree-like structures were observed after three minutes of growth, with branching occurring after five minutes of growth.After 10 minutes, the dendritic nanoforest covered the entire titanium nitrite surface. After 15 minutes, the dendritic nanoforest was dense and about five micrometers thick. The gold's dendritic nanoforest thickness was found to increase linearly with synthesis time.The gold peaks in x-ray diffraction also increased over time while the titanium nitrite signals disappeared as the synthesis progressed. The most important things to remember when attempting this procedure is rate of composition and a PH of solution, also effect the method of deposition. It is possible to fabricate DNFs and other titanium nitrite coated substrates such as silica silicone, conventional glass, ITO glass, and the FDO glass for various applications.One must be careful when handling the samples because it's easy to remove the golden DNFs from the titanium nitrite silicon substrates if the gold DNF there is sick enough. Remember to wear personal protective equipment when working with buffer oxide etch, which contains hydrogen fluoride.

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6.3K Views.  National Applied Research Laboratories. This protocol is a simple, quick, electrolyses deposition method for preparing gold dendritic nanoforests on a titanium nitride-coated silicon substrate. The main advantages of this technique are its simplicity and its speed. Gold dendritic nanoforests can induce plasmonic hotspots and enhance plasmonic photocatalytic reactions.One can also use this procedure to prepare the dendritic nanoforests of alloy metals such as silver. Video demonstration makes it easier to emphasize essential ...