A new look at the Germanium electrochemistry

The aim of this proposal is to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of Ge in aqueous solution. Several aspects of the Germanium electrochemistry are still poorly understood, the most peculiar aspect maybe the Ge electrodeposition process: even at potentials well below the Nernst potential the deposition of Ge seems to be limited to the equivalent of 2.5 Monolayers independently on material and substrate. In the literature this is explained with the presence of a surface-limited electrodeposition phenomenon known as Under Potential Deposition (UPD). Although this explanation might support the observation of a self limiting growth process it seems to contradict the fact that the limited same behaviour is observed independently of the substrate composition. This experiment intends to provide a physical explanation for this behaviour.