Local Cross-sectional Profiling of Multilayer Thin Films with an Atomic Force Microscope for Layer Thickness Determination

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1935-1938 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. LaGraff ◽  
J. M. Murduck
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Atomic Force Microscope ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Additional Sample

A new essentially nondestructive cross-sectional method is described for measuring the individual thicknesses of multilayer YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) and SrTiO3 (STO) thin films using off-axis ion milling and the atomic force microscope (AFM). Since the ion-milling is done during routine patterning of a thin-film device and the AFM requires only a small area for imaging, no additional sample preparation is required. This is a significant improvement over traditional cross-sectional techniques which often require lengthy and destructive sample preparation. Also, there is no a priori reason that this technique would not be amenable to other multilayer thin-film systems.

Mechanical Properties of Poly 3C-SiC Thin Films According to Carrier Gas (H2) Concentration

2008 ◽  
Vol 600-603 ◽  
pp. 867-870
Author(s):  
Gwiy Sang Chung ◽  
Ki Bong Han
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Atomic Force Microscope ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Carrier Gas ◽  
Nano Indentation ◽  
Atomic Force

This paper presents the mechanical properties of 3C-SiC thin film according to 0, 7, and 10 % carrier gas (H2) concentrations using Nano-Indentation. When carrier gas (H2) concentration was 10 %, it has been proved that the mechanical properties, Young’s Modulus and Hardness, of 3C-SiC are the best of them. In the case of 10 % carrier gas (H2) concentration, Young’s Modulus and Hardness were obtained as 367 GPa and 36 GPa, respectively. When the surface roughness according to carrier gas (H2) concentrations was investigated by AFM (atomic force microscope), when carrier gas (H2) concentration was 10 %, the roughness of 3C-SiC thin was 9.92 nm, which is also the best of them. Therefore, in order to apply poly 3C-SiC thin films to MEMS applications, carrier gas (H2) concentration’s rate should increase to obtain better mechanical properties and surface roughness.

Morphology and orientation of ultrafine Y2O3 precipitates in YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 242-243
Author(s):  
P. Lu ◽  
J. Zhao ◽  
C.S. Chern ◽  
Y.Q. Li ◽  
B. Gallois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Resolution Limit ◽  
Orientation Relationships ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ybco Thin Films

Yttrium-rich YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin films grown by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PE-MOCVD), have been reported to have high critical current densities (Jc) of > l×106A/cm2 at 77K. Electron microscopy has been used to understand how excess Y is incorporated into thin film microstructures without affecting their superconducting properties. In this work, we report identification of small Y2O3 precipitates, their morphologies and orientation relationships in YBCO thin films.Details of thin film growth process have been reported elsewhere. The films were examined both in planar and in cross-sectional view by electron microscopy. TEM samples were prepared by conventional mechanical polishing and ion milling techniques. An ISI-002B high resolution electron microscope with a resolution limit of ∼0.18 nm at 200keV was used for observations.

Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study of Femtosecond Laser Based Micro/Nano Machining of Ultra Thin Metallic Films

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anant Chimmalgi ◽  
Costas P. Grigoropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Femtosecond Laser ◽  
Atomic Force Microscope ◽  
Field Enhancement ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Single Shot ◽  
Metallic Films ◽  
Atomic Force

The effectiveness of ultra-short pulsed laser radiation for high-precision material processing and surface micro-modification, owing to the minimal thermal and mechanical damage, has been shown. Micro/Nano structuring of thin films is gaining widespread importance owing to ever-increasing applications in a variety of fields. The present study details femtosecond laser interaction with ultra thin metallic films at the micro and nano scales. Results of Microablation studies, carried out with an 800nm wavelength, 80fs pulse duration, femtosecond laser focused tightly using a long working distance objective lens, are discussed. A parametric study of single shot ablation and subsequent atomic force microscope characterization of the ablation craters is presented. The formation of elevated convex hillock structures at low laser pulse energies and considerable delamination at higher energies evinces a stress driven modification mechanism. Further, nanostructuring results on thin films carried out with femtosecond laser in conjunction with an atomic force microscope are presented. Various nanofeatures were machined with high spatial resolution (∼10–12nm), flexibility and repeatability by utilizing the local field enhancement in the near-field of the scanning probe tip irradiated with the laser beam. Attempting to understand the modification mechanism and the physics involved, numerical simulation studies were performed to evaluate the field enhancement underneath the tip and the ‘femtosecond laser–thin film’ interaction dynamics in general. Possible applications of thin film structuring may be in the areas of high-resolution nanolithography, controlled nanodeposition, ultra high-density data storage, high-resolution mask production and repair, nanoelectronics, nanophotonics and various nanobiotechnology related applications.

Microstructural characterization of YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films formed by metalorganic CVD

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 1080-1081
Author(s):  
P. Lu ◽  
W. Huang ◽  
C.S. Chern ◽  
Y.Q. Li ◽  
J. Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Critical Current Density ◽  
Critical Current ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Microstructural Characterization ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Conventional Grinding

The YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films formed by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) have been reported to have excellent superconducting properties including a sharp zero resistance transition temperature (Tc) of 89 K and a high critical current density of 2.3x106 A/cm2 or higher. The origin of the high critical current in the thin film compared to bulk materials is attributed to its structural properties such as orientation, grain boundaries and defects on the scale of the coherent length. In this report, we present microstructural aspects of the thin films deposited on the (100) LaAlO3 substrate, which process the highest critical current density.Details of the thin film growth process have been reported elsewhere. The thin films were examined in both planar and cross-section view by electron microscopy. TEM sample preparation was carried out using conventional grinding, dimpling and ion milling techniques. Special care was taken to avoid exposure of the thin films to water during the preparation processes.

TEM sample preparation of wear-tested room-temperature pulsed-laser-deposited thin films of MoS2 by ultramicrotomy

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1118-1119
Author(s):  
Pamela F. Lloyd ◽  
Scott D. Walck
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Wear Testing ◽  
Preparation Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Aerospace Applications

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a novel technique for the deposition of tribological thin films. MoS2 is the archetypical solid lubricant material for aerospace applications. It provides a low coefficient of friction from cryogenic temperatures to about 350°C and can be used in ultra high vacuum environments. The TEM is ideally suited for studying the microstructural and tribo-chemical changes that occur during wear. The normal cross sectional TEM sample preparation method does not work well because the material’s lubricity causes the sandwich to separate. Walck et al. deposited MoS2 through a mesh mask which gave suitable results for as-deposited films, but the discontinuous nature of the film is unsuitable for wear-testing. To investigate wear-tested, room temperature (RT) PLD MoS2 films, the sample preparation technique of Heuer and Howitt was adapted.Two 300 run thick films were deposited on single crystal NaCl substrates. One was wear-tested on a ball-on-disk tribometer using a 30 gm load at 150 rpm for one minute, and subsequently coated with a heavy layer of evaporated gold.

scholarly journals Optimizing the Properties of La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 Thin Films through Post-Annealing for High-Temperature Sensing

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1802
Author(s):  
Dan Liu ◽  
Peng Shi ◽  
Yantao Liu ◽  
Yijun Zhang ◽  
Bian Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Rf Sputtering ◽  
Maximum Size ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Post Annealing ◽  
Maximum Conductivity ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Post Annealing Temperature

La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 (0.2LSCO) thin films were prepared via the RF sputtering method to fabricate thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs), and post-annealing processes were employed to optimize their properties to sense high temperatures. The XRD patterns of the 0.2LSCO thin films showed a pure phase, and their crystallinities increased with the post-annealing temperature from 800 °C to 1000 °C, while some impurity phases of Cr2O3 and SrCr2O7 were observed above 1000 °C. The surface images indicated that the grain size increased first and then decreased, and the maximum size was 0.71 μm at 1100 °C. The cross-sectional images showed that the thickness of the 0.2LSCO thin films decreased significantly above 1000 °C, which was mainly due to the evaporation of Sr2+ and Cr3+. At the same time, the maximum conductivity was achieved for the film annealed at 1000 °C, which was 6.25 × 10−2 S/cm. When the thin films post-annealed at different temperatures were coupled with Pt reference electrodes to form TFTCs, the trend of output voltage to first increase and then decrease was observed, and the maximum average Seebeck coefficient of 167.8 µV/°C was obtained for the 0.2LSCO thin film post-annealed at 1100 °C. Through post-annealing optimization, the best post-annealing temperature was 1000 °C, which made the 0.2LSCO thin film more stable to monitor the temperatures of turbine engines for a long period of time.

Anin situatomic force microscope for normal-incidence nanofocus X-ray experiments

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1110-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Vitorino ◽  
Y. Fuchs ◽  
T. Dane ◽  
M. S. Rodrigues ◽  
M. Rosenthal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Atomic Force Microscope ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Normal Incidence ◽  
Organic Thin Film ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Synchrotron Beamlines

A compact high-speed X-ray atomic force microscope has been developed forin situuse in normal-incidence X-ray experiments on synchrotron beamlines, allowing for simultaneous characterization of samples in direct space with nanometric lateral resolution while employing nanofocused X-ray beams. In the present work the instrument is used to observe radiation damage effects produced by an intense X-ray nanobeam on a semiconducting organic thin film. The formation of micrometric holes induced by the beam occurring on a timescale of seconds is characterized.

Friction measurements on phase-separated thin films with a modified atomic force microscope

Nature ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 359 (6391) ◽  
pp. 133-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Overney ◽  
E. Meyer ◽  
J. Frommer ◽  
D. Brodbeck ◽  
R. Lüthi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscope ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Friction Measurements
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