Thermal stability of grain structure for Ag nanotwinned films sputtered with substrate bias
Journal
Materialia
Journal Volume
20
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
In this study, different grain growth paths after aging at various temperatures for 1 h were observed in Ag nanotwinned thin films with and without substrate bias voltage, which led to large differences in thermal stability. As-deposited Ag nanotwinned thin films with and without substrate bias voltage were characterized by FIB, EBSD, and TEM, which revealed thinner equiaxial fine-grained regions, higher amounts of (111)-oriented grains and denser nanotwin stacking perpendicular to the growth direction of columnar grains in thin films with -150 V substrate bias voltage. Due to the better lattice arrangement and densification of the crystal structure due to substrate bias voltage, the microstructures remained almost unchanged, except for a little equiaxial grain growth, even after aging at 450 °C for 1 h. However, in the Ag nanotwinned thin film without substrate bias voltage, severe abnormal grain growth (AGG) occurred after aging at only 250 °C for 1 h. Better understanding of the differences in thermal stability in nanotwinned thin films is provided in this study, and the findings will be beneficial for experimental design for further applications. ? 2021
Subjects
Abnormal grain growth
Ag thin film
Nanotwins
Substrate bias
Thermal stability
Bias voltage
Crystal structure
Film growth
Grain growth
Thin films
Ag thin films
Fine grained
Growth paths
Nanotwinned
Stackings
Substrate bias voltages
Thin-films
Thermodynamic stability
Type
journal article