Ion-induced grain growth and texturing in refractory thin films—A low temperature process

Selective grain growth can be promoted in thin films independently of the materials intrinsic properties, such as the melting temperature, by ion-irradiation. This enables the previously impossible evolution of large grain-sized microstructures with controlled crystallographic textures even in refractory metals, such as α-tantalum. Experimental results from materials with different crystal structure are compared on the basis of a theoretical model, which reveals the differences in ion-induced grain-growth dynamics.