AVS 50th International Symposium
    Thin Films Thursday Sessions
       Session TF-ThA

Invited Paper TF-ThA7
Epitaxial Growth of Nanostructured Metal/Metal Oxide Thin Films by Ultrahigh Vacuum In-situ TEM

Thursday, November 6, 2003, 4:00 pm, Room 329

Session: In-Situ / Ex-Situ & Real-Time Monitoring
Presenter: M. Yeadon, IMRE, Singapore
Authors: M. Yeadon, IMRE, Singapore
J. Yu, National University of Singapore
W. Tian, University of Michigan
H.P. Sun, University of Michigan
X.Q. Pan, University of Michigan
C.B. Boothroyd, IMRE, Singapore
R.A. Lukaszew, University of Toledo
R. Clarke, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Correspondent: Click to Email
The structure and properties of metal: metal oxide systems are of substantial importance in applications ranging from magnetic storage and spintronic devices to supported catalysts. In some metal/oxide systems it is possible to achieve epitaxial growth and the properties of the films may strongly depend on the interfacial structure as well as their growth mode. Using a modified ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscope (the MERLION system), we have investigated the nucleation and growth of Ni thin films on electron transparent metal oxide substrates. The system is equipped with solid source electron beam evaporators together with gas injection capability, all within the polepiece of the electron microscope which has a base pressure of 1.5x10@super -10@Torr. The talk will focus on the early stages of nucleation and growth. Real-time video recordings of the observed microstructural evolution will be presented. Some results from related in-situ experiments involving the growth of other thin films and nanostructured materials will also be presented.