Electroless silver plating and in-situ SEM characterization of CNT-metal hybrid contactors

We discuss a metal deposition technique employing electroless silver plating to create hybrid CNT-Metal contact structures which can be used various applications including electromechanical probes. The main purpose of the electroless metal deposition is to enhance the electrical conduction through the contact structures. We discuss different electroless plating formulations and their effect on electrical resistance, as well as their penetration properties into the highly tangled CNT structures. We also present electromechanical characterization of Ag plated CNT structures and in-situ SEM compression results revealing that the Ag particles adhere to the CNT´s and do not significantly interfere with the mechanical deformation. Overall, electroless plating presents an attractive alternative to sputtering due to the better penetration properties; however it presents limitations in terms of scalability and manufacturability.