Chemistry-mediated two-dimensional to three-dimensional transition of In thin films
Creators
- 1. Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180 (United States)
- 2. Department of Physics and Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (China)
- 3. Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong)
- 4. Department of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)
- 5. Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China)
Description
This letter reports a mechanism of chemistry-mediated two-dimensional to three-dimensional (2D-3D) transition during In thin film deposition, and the corresponding evolution of nanoscale islands. Using magnetron sputtering technique, we deposit In on Au substrate. Despite the fact that In wets on Au, In islands prevail over the uniform film soon after the deposition starts. The 2D-3D transition is found to be a result of the formation of Au3In on the Au substrate. The alloy formation leads to nonwetting of In, thereby the high mobility of In atoms and In clusters, and eventually well-separated In islands. The structures of In and Au are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron diffraction
Additional details
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1063/1.1767595;
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Applied Physics Letters
- Journal Volume
- 84
- Journal Issue
- 26
- Journal Page Range
- p. 5401-5403
- ISSN
- 0003-6951
- CODEN
- APPLAB
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 36047661
- Subject category
- S36: MATERIALS SCIENCE;
- Descriptors DEI
- ATOMIC CLUSTERS; DEPOSITION; ELECTRON DIFFRACTION; GOLD ALLOYS; INDIUM ALLOYS; MAGNETIC ISLANDS; MAGNETRONS; NANOSTRUCTURES; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; SPUTTERING; SUBSTRATES; THIN FILMS; THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
- Descriptors DEC
- ALLOYS; COHERENT SCATTERING; DIFFRACTION; ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; ELECTRON TUBES; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT; FILMS; MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS; MICROSCOPY; MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT; MICROWAVE TUBES; SCATTERING; TRANSITION ELEMENT ALLOYS
Optional Information
- Notes
- (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics