A Study of the Surface Texture of Polycrystalline Phosphor Films Using Atomic Force Microscopy

1994 ◽  
Vol 343 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Revay ◽  
J. Schneir ◽  
D. Brower ◽  
J. Villarrubia ◽  
J. Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Surface Texture ◽  
Film Surface ◽  
Optical Data Storage ◽  
Optical Data ◽  
Film Material ◽  
Phosphor Material ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

ABSTRACTStimulable phosphor thin films are being investigated for use as optical data storage media. We have successfully applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to the measurement of the surface texture of these films. Determination of the surface texture of the films is important for evaluating the effect of surface quality on optical scatter. In other thin film material systems it has been found that the surface “bumps” revealed by AFM correspond to grains in the film. This is not the case for the stimulable phosphor films used in our study. We have determined the grain size of our phosphor films by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The grain size from TEM and XRD does not correlate with the size of the AFM surface “bumps.” For example, in two of the five films studied, the XRD derived grain size varies by a factor of two but the size of the surface “bumps” remains the same. We conclude that the texture of the film surface is not directly determined by the grain size of the phosphor material.

Kinetics of Crystal Nucleation and Growth in Thin Films of Amorphous Te Alloys measured by Atomic Force Microscopy

2003 ◽  
Vol 803 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kalb ◽  
F. Spaepen ◽  
M. Wuttig
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Crystal Growth ◽  
Data Storage ◽  
Optical Data Storage ◽  
Crystal Nucleation ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Optical Data ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

ABSTRACTBoth the crystal nucleation rate and the crystal growth velocity of sputtered amorphous Ag0.055In0.065Sb0.59Te0.29 and Ge4Sb1Te5 thin films used for optical data storage were determined as a function of temperature. Crystals were directly observed using ex-situ atomic force microscopy, and their change in size after each anneal was measured. Between 140°C and 185°C, these materials exhibited similar crystal growth characteristics, but differed in their crystal nucleation characteristics. These observations provide an explanation for the different re-crystallization mechanisms observed upon laser-induced crystallization of amorphous marks.

Nanocrystalline Solutions as Precursors to The Spray Deposition of Cdte Thin Films

1995 ◽  
Vol 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Pehnt ◽  
Douglas L. Schulz ◽  
Calvin J. Curtis ◽  
Helio R. Moutinho ◽  
Amy Swartzlander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Cdte Nanoparticles ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy ◽  
Cdte Thin Films

ABSTRACTIn this article we report the first nanoparticle-derived route to smooth, dense, phase-pure CdTe thin films. Capped CdTe nanoparticles were prepared by injection of a mixture of Cd(CH3)2, (n-C8H17)3 PTe and (n-C8H17)3P into (n-C8H17)3PO at elevated temperatures. The resultant nanoparticles 32-45 Å in diameter were characterized by x-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. CdTe thin film deposition was accomplished by dissolving CdTe nanoparticles in butanol and then spraying the solution onto SnO2-coated glass substrates at variable susceptor temperatures. Smooth and dense CdTe thin films were obtained using growth temperatures approximately 200 °C less than conventional spray pyrolysis approaches. CdTe films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. An increase in crystallinity and average grain size as determined by x-ray diffraction was noted as growth temperature was increased from 240 to 300 °C. This temperature dependence of film grain size was further confirmed by atomic force microscopy with no remnant nanocrystalline morphological features detected. UV-Vis characterization of the CdTe thin films revealed a gradual decrease of the band gap (i.e., elimination of nanocrystalline CdTe phase) as the growth temperature was increased with bulk CdTe optical properties observed for films grown at 300 °C.

ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY AND XRD ANALYSIS OF SILVER FILMS DEPOSITED BY THERMAL EVAPORATION

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 217-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD MAQBOOL ◽  
TAHIRZEB KHAN
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Surface Characterization ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Thermal Evaporation ◽  
Xrd Analysis ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Average Grain Size ◽  
20 Nm

Thin films of pure silver were deposited on glass substrate by thermal evaporation process at room temperature. Surface characterization of the films was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thickness of the films varied between 20 nm and 72.8 nm. XRD analysis provided a sharp peak at 38.75° from silver. These results indicated that the films deposited on glass substrates at room temperature are crystalline. Three-dimension and top view pictures of the films were obtained by AFM to study the grain size and its dependency on various factors. Average grain size increased with the thickness of the deposited films. A minimum grain size of 8 nm was obtained for 20 nm thick films, reaching 41.9 nm when the film size reaches 60 nm. Grain size was calculated from the information provided by the XRD spectrum and averaging method. We could not find any sequential variation in the grain size with the growth rate.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation of Organic Tetracyanoquinodimethane Thin Films

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1942-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Gao ◽  
H. X. Zhang ◽  
Z. Q. Xue ◽  
S. J. Pang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy ◽  
Pyrolytic Graphite ◽  
Film Surface ◽  
Scanning Tunneling ◽  
Tunneling Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Microscopy Investigation

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigation of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and the related C60-TCNQ thin films is presented. Periodic molecular chains of the TCNQ on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates were imaged, which demonstrated that the crystalline (001) plane was parallel to the substrate. For the C60-TCNQ thin films, we found that there were grains on the film surface. STM images within the grain revealed that the well-ordered rows and terraces, and the parallel rows in different grains were generally not in the same orientation. Moreover, the grain boundary was also observed. In addition, AFM was employed to modify the organic TCNQ film surface for the application of this type of materials to information recording and storage at the nanometer scale. The nanometer holes were successfully created on the TCNQ thin film by the AFM.

Effect of ultra-thin Cu underlayer on the magnetic properties of Ni80Fe50 / Fe50Mn50 films

1999 ◽  
Vol 562 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Liu ◽  
L. Shen ◽  
H. Jiang ◽  
D. Yang ◽  
G. Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Exchange Bias ◽  
Film Material ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Film Roughness

ABSTRACTThe Ni80Fe20/Fe50Mn50,thin film system exhibits exchange bias behavior. Here a systematic study of the effect of atomic-scale thin film roughness on coercivity and exchange bias is presented. Cu (t) / Ta (100 Å) / Ni80Fe20 (100 Å) / Fe50Mno50 (200 Å) / Ta (200 Å) with variable thickness, t, of the Cu underlayer were DC sputtered on Si (100) substrates. The Cu underlayer defines the initial roughness that is transferred to the film material since the film grows conformal to the initial morphology. Atomic Force Microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to study the morphology and texture of the films. Morphological characterization is then correlated with magnetometer measurements. Atomic Force Microscopy shows that the root mean square value of the film roughness exhibits a maximum of 2.5 Å at t = 2.4 Å. X-ray diffraction spectra show the films are polycrystalline with fcc (111) texture and the Fe50Mn50 (111) peak intensity decreases monotonically with increasing Cu thickness, t. Without a Cu underlayer, the values of the coercivity and loop shift are, Hc = 12 Oe and Hp = 56 Oe, respectively. Both the coercivity and loop shift change with Cu underlayer thickness. The coercivity reaches a maximum value of Hc= 36 Oe at t = 4 Å. The loop shift exhibits an initial increase with t, reaches a maximum value of HP = 107 Oe at t = 2.4 Å, followed by a decrease with greater Cu thickness. These results show that a tiny increase in the film roughness has a huge effect on the exchange bias magnitude.

scholarly journals Combined pulsed laser deposition and non-contact atomic force microscopy system for studies of insulator metal oxide thin films

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 686-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiki Katsube ◽  
Hayato Yamashita ◽  
Satoshi Abo ◽  
Masayuki Abe
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Metal Oxide ◽  
Pulsed Laser Deposition ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Film Surface ◽  
Laser Deposition ◽  
Combined System ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

We have designed and developed a combined system of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) for observations of insulator metal oxide surfaces. With this system, the long-period iterations of sputtering and annealing used in conventional methods for preparing a metal oxide film surface are not required. The performance of the combined system is demonstrated for the preparation and high-resolution NC-AFM imaging of atomically flat thin films of anatase TiO2(001) and LaAlO3(100).

Grain Size Effect on Lattice of Ni Nanocrystals Prepared Through Polyol Method

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4127-4131 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Okram ◽  
Kh. Namrata Devi ◽  
H. Sanatombi ◽  
Ajay Soni ◽  
V. Ganesan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Polyol Method ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Scanning Electron

Nanocrystalline nickel powders were prepared with grain size 'd' in the range 40–100 nm diameters through polyol method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used for characterization. XRD of the prepared samples consistently matched with standard fcc structure of nickel without any impurity peak. Detailed analysis and calculations using Scherrer equation for (111) peak revealed systematic increase in line width and peak shifting towards lower diffraction 2θ angles with decrease in nickel to ethylene glycol mole ratio. Different values of d estimated from various peaks of each sample suggested associated microstrains in the nanograins. Values of d estimated from X-ray diffraction patterns were compared with those obtained from atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy results, and discussed. Observed lattice expansion is explained, on the basis of a theoretical model of linear elasticity.

Surface Morphology Investigation of Au and Pt Electroless Contact on ZnCdTe Crystal by Atomic Force Microscopy

1995 ◽  
Vol 378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyu Hu ◽  
Zhihua Hu ◽  
K. T. Chen ◽  
M. A. George ◽  
A. Burger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Aqueous Solutions ◽  
Single Crystals ◽  
Platinum Metal ◽  
Heat Treatments ◽  
Metal Contacts ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

AbstractGold and platinum metal contacts have been deposited on the cleaved and etched surfaces of ZnCdTe single crystals by “electroless” method from AuCl3, PtCl2 and PtCl4 aqueous solutions with different concentrations and deposition times. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has been employed to reveal the surface morphology of metal contacts and it was found that for AuCl3 and PtCl2 solutions, the surface morphology and grain size are similar, and uniformly distributed. The surface morphology on contact made from PtCl4 shows a larger grain size, higher roughness and non-uniformity. The effect of different heat treatments to the surface morphology will be discussed.

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