AVS 49th International Symposium
    Thin Films Friday Sessions
       Session TF-FrM

Paper TF-FrM10
In-situ Observation of the Electron-Current Effect on Mass-Flow in Thin Ag Films on an Insulating Substrate@footnote 1@

Friday, November 8, 2002, 11:20 am, Room C-101

Session: Fundamentals of Thin Flm Growth
Presenter: O. Bondarchuk, University of Maryland
Authors: O. Bondarchuk, University of Maryland
M. Degawa, University of Maryland
E.D. Williams, University of Maryland
Correspondent: Click to Email
As electronic device dimensions become smaller, we can expect surface-induced changes in the electrical properties, including transport phenomena@footnote 2@ and electromigration phenomena.@footnote 3-5@ The fluctuations and motion of single-layer steps under the electromigration driving force are the key connection between the atomic scale mechanism and the continuum scale response. This connection can be quantified by using the predictions of Pierre-Louis and Einstein@footnote 5@ concerning the motion of single-layer deep pits and single-layer height islands under an electromigration force. We have designed an experimental configuration to directly test the theoretically predicted shape distortion and net migration of voids and islands, on thin crystalline Ag films using STM. The Ag films of ~100-200 nm thickness with large (0.5-1 mm in size ) features were deposited on mica and studied in-situ under UHV conditions. Growth parameters were tuned to create films with large grains, large atomically flat surface areas, and continuous electrical conductivity while minimizing film thickness. STM imaging was performed with sample carrying up to ~ 1 A, corresponding to a current density of ~ 2.5x105 A/cm2. Voids and islands were created by removing ~0.5 monolayer by 1 keV Ar-ion sputtering at room temperature. Evolution of morphology occurring via thermal activation of metastable structure decay is a competing process with structural evolution via electron current effects. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@Work supported by the NSF NIRT and MRSEC programs.@footnote 2@ O. Pfennigstorf, A. Petkova, H.L. Guenter, and M. Henzler, Phys. Rev. B 65, 045412(2002). @footnote 3@P.J. Rous, Phys. Rev. B61, 1 (2000). @footnote 4@A.V. Latyshev, A.L. Aseev, A.B. Krasilnikov , S.I. Stenin, Surf. Sci. 213, 157 (1989) @footnote 5@O.Pierrre-Louis and T.L. Enstein, Phys.Rev.B62, 13697 (2000).