Electrodeposition of Three Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Germanium from Two Different Ionic Liquids.

Three dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Ge films have been made via ordered polystyrene (PS) templates by electrodeposition from ionic liquids 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris (pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate at room temperature. We discuss the possibility of obtaining high quality 3DOM Ge films from two different ionic liquids by the simple and inexpensive template-assisted electrochemical pathway. Scanning electron microscopy confirms the quality of the samples, and the optical measurements demonstrate that 3DOM Ge made electrochemically shows photonic crystal behavior. Such a material has the potential to make 3DOM Ge feasible for electrical, optical applications and for photonic crystal solar cells.