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Critical thickness for the agglomeration of thin metal films
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevB.79.155443
Authors:
C.
Boragno
(Università di Genova)
,
F. B
De Mongeot
(Università di Genova)
,
R.
Felici
(ESRF)
,
I. K.
Robinson
(Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner:
No
Type:
Journal Paper
Journal:
Physical Review B
, VOL 79 (15)
, PAGES 155443
State:
Published (Approved)
Published:
April 2009
Abstract: A thin metal film can exist in a metastable state with respect to breaking into small clusters. In this paper we report on grazing incidence small-angle x-ray scattering studies carried out in situ during the annealing of thin Ni films, between 2 and 10 nm thick, deposited on an amorphous SiO2 substrate. Our results show the presence of two different regimes which depend on the initial film thickness. For thicknesses less than 5 nm the annealing results in the formation of small, compact clusters on top of a residual Ni wetting layer. For thicknesses greater than 5 nm the film breaks into large, well-separated clusters and the substrate shows anuncovered clean surface.
Subject Areas:
Physics
Facility: APS