Growth kinetics of Al2Cu in an Al-1.5Cu thin film by in Situ TEM

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1172-1173
Author(s):  
M. Park ◽  
S.J. Krause ◽  
S.R. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Collector Plate ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Device Processing ◽  
Corrosion Susceptibility ◽  
Precipitation Phenomena ◽  
Semiconductor Chips ◽  
Kinetics Of

Cu alloying in Al interconnection lines on semiconductor chips improves their resistance to electromigration and hillock growth. Excess Cu in Al can result in the formation of Cu-rich Al2Cu (θ) precipitates. These precipitates can significantly increase corrosion susceptibility due to the galvanic action between the θ-phase and the adjacent Cu-depleted matrix. The size and distribution of the θ-phase are also closely related to the film susceptibility to electromigration voiding. Thus, an important issue is the precipitation phenomena which occur during thermal device processing steps. In bulk alloys, it was found that the θ precipitates can grow via the grain boundary “collector plate mechanism” at rates far greater than allowed by volume diffusion. In a thin film, however, one might expect that the growth rate of a θ precipitate might be altered by interfacial diffusion. In this work, we report on the growth (lengthening) kinetics of the θ-phase in Al-Cu thin films as examined by in-situ isothermal aging in transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

In-Situ TEM Observations of Different Growth Modes of Small Iron Particles on Sapphire

1980 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 402-403
Author(s):  
R. Anton ◽  
K. Heinemann
Keyword(s):  
Electron Beam ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Video Tape ◽  
Growth Modes ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Special Direction ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Kinetics Of

An in-situ study was performed of the growth kinetics of individual crystallites during the deposition of iron onto electron-transparent singlecrystalline α-Al2O3 (sapphire) substrates. Clean sapphire films were produced in-situ under UHV conditions by electron-beam induced crystallization of amorphous Al2O3 (1). Iron was electron-beam vapor-deposited at constant rates (0.2-0.5 nm/min) and elevated substrate temperatures (750 – 900°C) immediately following the crystallization. The nucleation, growth, and eventual coalescence of the metal particles were observed in-situ by transmission electron microscopy and recorded on video tape at 30 frames per second. In fig. 1, a growth and coalescence sequence of several Fe-particles on [100]-α-Al2O3 is shown. The images were selected and photographed from the TV monitor during video playback. The particles marked with letters were analyzed in detail. Noteworthy is that particle A (after about 30 min. of growth) started a rapid increase of its length-to-width ratio. Particle H, formed in a coalescence event, exhibited a preferred growth in a special direction, presumably in order to develop a certain crystallographic habit. Particle K developed a fast lateral growth ab-initio and remained a thin platelet until it coalesced with a neighboring particle about 25 min. after the beginning of the deposition.

Kinetics of Copper Grain Growth During Nitridation of Cu-Cr and Cu-Ti Thin Films by In Situ Tem

1994 ◽  
Vol 337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Atzmon ◽  
R. Sharma ◽  
S. W. Russell ◽  
J.W. Mayer
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Diffusion Controlled ◽  
Cr System ◽  
Rate Limiting ◽  
Kinetics Of

ABSTRACTCo-deposited Cu-Cr and Cu-Ti thin films were heated at various temperatures in an ammonia ambient in an environmental cell placed into the column of a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The reaction dynamics were observed in situ and recorded on a videotape using a TV camera with 1/30 second time resolution. Nitridation of chromium and titanium was accompanied by the nucleation and growth of copper particles starting at 370 and 580°C, respectively. It was found that in the Cu-Ti system at a temperatures regime of 370-400°C the growth rate behaves under a parabolic law; namely, the process is controlled by diffusion of Cu through the nitride matrix. However, for the Cu-Cr system at temperatures of 610-630°C two growth regimes were observed. In the initial growth stages, the surface reaction is rate-limiting, while for longer nitridation times, growth is diffusion-controlled.

In-Situ TEM Observations of Surface Roughening and Defect Formation in Lattice Mismatched Heteroepitaxial Thin Films

1997 ◽  
Vol 505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cengiz S. Ozkan ◽  
William D. Nix ◽  
Huajian Gao
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Defect Formation ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Surface Roughening ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Thick Sample ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Sample Preparation Procedure ◽  
Kinetics Of

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on in-situ transmission electron microscopy observations of surface roughening and defect formation in heteroepitaxial Sil−xGex thin films. Annealing experiments have been carried out in-situ in the microscope under a high vacuum environment. We comment on the sample preparation procedure for in-situ TEM experiments and explain the importance of having a sufficiently thick sample to have the stress state in the film unaltered. Experimental results of in-situ surface roughening are presented for suberitically and supercritically thick Sil−xGex films. We found that, in a vacuum environment, the kinetics of surface roughening and the resulting surface morphology are much different than in a hydrogen environment.

In situ TEM measurements of the electrical properties of interface dislocations

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1338-1339
Author(s):  
F. M. Ross ◽  
R. Hull ◽  
D. Bahnck ◽  
J. C. Bean ◽  
L. J. Peticolas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Device Performance ◽  
Misfit Dislocations ◽  
Electrical Characteristics ◽  
Strained Layer ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Interfacial Dislocations

We describe an investigation of the electrical properties of interfacial dislocations in strained layer heterostructures. We have been measuring both the structural and electrical characteristics of strained layer p-n junction diodes simultaneously in a transmission electron microscope, enabling us to correlate changes in the electrical characteristics of a device with the formation of dislocations.The presence of dislocations within an electronic device is known to degrade the device performance. This degradation is of increasing significance in the design and processing of novel strained layer devices which may require layer thicknesses above the critical thickness (hc), where it is energetically favourable for the layers to relax by the formation of misfit dislocations at the strained interfaces. In order to quantify how device performance is affected when relaxation occurs we have therefore been investigating the electrical properties of dislocations at the p-n junction in Si/GeSi diodes.

In situ TEM Studies of agglomeration of sub-nanometer Ru layers in Ru/C multilayers

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 256-257
Author(s):  
Tai D. Nguyen ◽  
Ronald Gronsky ◽  
Jeffrey B. Kortright
Keyword(s):  
Layered Structure ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Rayleigh Instability ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Diffraction Patterns

Nanometer period Ru/C multilayers are one of the prime candidates for normal incident reflecting mirrors at wavelengths < 10 nm. Superior performance, which requires uniform layers and smooth interfaces, and high stability of the layered structure under thermal loadings are some of the demands in practical applications. Previous studies however show that the Ru layers in the 2 nm period Ru/C multilayer agglomerate upon moderate annealing, and the layered structure is no longer retained. This agglomeration and crystallization of the Ru layers upon annealing to form almost spherical crystallites is a result of the reduction of surface or interfacial energy from die amorphous high energy non-equilibrium state of the as-prepared sample dirough diffusive arrangements of the atoms. Proposed models for mechanism of thin film agglomeration include one analogous to Rayleigh instability, and grain boundary grooving in polycrystalline films. These models however are not necessarily appropriate to explain for the agglomeration in the sub-nanometer amorphous Ru layers in Ru/C multilayers. The Ru-C phase diagram shows a wide miscible gap, which indicates the preference of phase separation between these two materials and provides an additional driving force for agglomeration. In this paper, we study the evolution of the microstructures and layered structure via in-situ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and attempt to determine the order of occurence of agglomeration and crystallization in the Ru layers by observing the diffraction patterns.

In situ observation of the martensitic transformation in (Mg,Y)-PSZ

1986 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 500-501
Author(s):  
R-R. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Martensitic Transformation ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Nucleation And Growth ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Considerable Potential ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Structural Applications ◽  
Applied Stresses ◽  
Kinetics Of

Partially-stabilized ZrO2 (PSZ) ceramics have considerable potential for advanced structural applications because of their high strength and toughness. These properties derive from small tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2) precipitates in a cubic (c) ZrO2 matrix, which transform martensitically to monoclinic (m) symmetry under applied stresses. The kinetics of the martensitic transformation is believed to be nucleation controlled and the nucleation is always stress induced. In situ observation of the martensitic transformation using transmission electron microscopy provides considerable information about the nucleation and growth aspects of the transformation.

In situ TEM observations of melting in nanosized eutectic Pb-Cd inclusions embedded in Al

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 986-987
Author(s):  
S. Hagège ◽  
U. Dahmen ◽  
E. Johnson ◽  
A. Johansen ◽  
V.S. Tuboltsev
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Melt Spinning ◽  
Ternary Alloys ◽  
Solid Matrix ◽  
Eutectic System ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Orientation Relationships ◽  
Transmission Electron

Small particles of a low-melting phase embedded in a solid matrix with a higher melting point offer the possibility of studying the mechanisms of melting and solidification directly by in-situ observation in a transmission electron microscope. Previous studies of Pb, Cd and other low-melting inclusions embedded in an Al matrix have shown well-defined orientation relationships, strongly faceted shapes, and an unusual size-dependent superheating before melting.[e.g. 1,2].In the present study we have examined the shapes and thermal behavior of eutectic Pb-Cd inclusions in Al. Pb and Cd form a simple eutectic system with each other, but both elements are insoluble in solid Al. Ternary alloys of Al (Pb,Cd) were prepared from high purity elements by melt spinning or by sequential ion implantation of the two alloying additions to achieve a total alloying addition of up to lat%. TEM observations were made using a heating stage in a 200kV electron microscope equipped with a video system for recording dynamic behavior.

Reordering and Crystallization of Silicon Carbide Amorphized by Neutron Irradiation

2000 ◽  
Vol 650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance L. Snead ◽  
Martin Balden
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Silicon Carbide ◽  
Crystallization Kinetics ◽  
Neutron Irradiation ◽  
Onset Temperature ◽  
Kinetics Of Crystallization ◽  
Crystallization Onset Temperature ◽  
Crystallization Onset ◽  
Kinetics Of

ABSTRACTDensification and crystallization kinetics of bulk SiC amorphized by neutron irradiation is studied. The temperature of crystallization onset of this highly pure, fully amorphous bulk SiC was found to be between 875-885°C and crystallization is nearly complete by 950°C. In-situ TEM imaging confirms the onset of crystallization, though thin-film effects apparently alter the kinetics of crystallization above this temperature. It requires >1125°C for complete crystallization of the TEM foil. Annealing at temperatures between the irradiation and crystallization onset temperature is seen to cause significant densification attributed to a relaxation, or reordering, of the as-amorphized structure.

scholarly journals In-Situ TEM Annealing Observation of Helium Bubble Evolution in Pre-Irradiated FeCoNiCrTi0.2 Alloys

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3727
Author(s):  
Huanhuan He ◽  
Zhiwei Lin ◽  
Shengming Jiang ◽  
Xiaotian Hu ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vacuum Arc ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Face Centered Cubic ◽  
Helium Bubble ◽  
High Entropy ◽  
Helium Bubbles ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Bubble Evolution ◽  
Face Centered

The FeCoNiCrTi0.2 high-entropy alloys fabricated by vacuum arc melting method, and the annealed pristine material, are face centered cubic structures with coherent γ’ precipitation. Samples were irradiated with 50 keV He+ ions to a fluence of 2 × 1016 ions/cm2 at 723 K, and an in situ annealing experiment was carried out to monitor the evolution of helium bubbles during heating to 823 and 923 K. The pristine structure of FeCoNiCrTi0.2 samples and the evolution of helium bubbles during in situ annealing were both characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The annealing temperature and annealing time affect the process of helium bubbles evolution and formation. Meanwhile, the grain boundaries act as sinks to accumulate helium bubbles. However, the precipitation phase seems have few effects on the helium bubble evolution, which may be due to the coherent interface and same structure of γ’ precipitation and matrix.

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