The Surface Morphology of Titanium Nitride / Copper Bilayers Annealed at High Temperatures

1993 ◽  
Vol 318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio C. Berti ◽  
Shyam P. Murarka ◽  
Laura E. Brooke
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Titanium Nitride ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Copper Film ◽  
Copper Films

ABSTRACTBilayers of 40 nm titanium nitride and 500 nm copper were sputter deposited on oxidized silicon substrates. The films were annealed for one hour at temperatures from 400° C to 800° C in either vacuum or Ar/H2, ambients. Neither x-ray diffraction or Rutherford backscattering spectrometry indicated any interaction between the titanium nitride and copper films. While no differences in surface morphology were detected at annealing temperatures of less than 500° C, above this temperature a strong dependence on annealing ambient was found. In the vacuum annealed samples, surface grooves formed at the grain boundaries of the copper film. These grooves became progressively larger as the annealing temperature was increased, eventually leading to void formation. Only small grain boundary grooves were present in the Ar/H2, annealed films regardless of annealing temperature. The driving force for the formation of the grooves is believed to be a difference between the grain boundary and surface energies in the copper films. It is speculated that in Ar/H2 anneals this driving force is reduced because hydrogen segregates to the copper grain boundaries and lowers the grain boundary energy.The formation of grooves was found to retard copper grain growth and texturing. Resistivity of the copper film was also found to increase if the void density was sufficiently high.

Grain Boundary Atomic Structures in SrTiO3 and BaTiO3

2007 ◽  
Vol 558-559 ◽  
pp. 851-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahisa Yamamoto ◽  
Teruyasu Mizoguchi ◽  
S.Y. Choi ◽  
Yukio Sato ◽  
Naoya Shibata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Rate Dependency ◽  
Atomic Structures ◽  
Current Voltage ◽  
Single Grain ◽  
Current Voltage Characteristics ◽  
Theoretical Results

SrTiO3 bicrystals with various types of grain boundaries were prepared by joining two single crystals at high temperature. By using the bicrystals, we examined their current-voltage characteristics across single grain boundaries from a viewpoint of point defect segregation in the vicinity of the grain boundaries. Current-voltage property in SrTiO3 bicrystals was confirmed to show a cooling rate dependency from annealing temperature, indicating that cation vacancies accumulate due to grain boundary oxidation. The theoretical results obtained by ab-initio calculation clearly showed that the formation energy of Sr vacancies is the lowest comparing with Ti and O vacancies in oxidized atomosphere. The formation of a double Schottky barrier (DSB) in n-type SrTiO3 is considered to be closely related to the accumulation of the charged Sr vacancies. Meanwhile, by using three types of low angle boundaries, the excess charges related to one grain boundary dislocation par unit length was estimated. In this study, we summarized our results obtained in our group.

Effect of Grain Boundary Energy Anisotropy on Faceting and Migration of Low Angle Grain Boundaries

2014 ◽  
Vol 783-786 ◽  
pp. 1634-1639
Author(s):  
Dmitri A. Molodov ◽  
Jann Erik Brandenburg ◽  
Luis Antonio Barrales-Mora ◽  
Günter Gottstein
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Migration Behavior ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Orientation Contrast ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Twist Boundaries

The faceting and migration behavior of low angle <100> grain boundaries in high purity aluminum bicrystals was investigated. In-situ technique based on orientation contrast imaging was applied. In contrast to the pure tilt boundaries, which remained straight/flat and immobile during annealing at elevated temperatures, mixed tilt-twist boundaries readily assumed a curved shape and steadily moved under the capillary force. Computational analysis revealed that this behavior is due to the inclinational anisotropy of grain boundary energy, which in turn depends on boundary geometry – the energy of pure tilt low angle <100> boundaries is anisotropic, whereas that of mixed tilt-twist boundaries isotropic with respect to boundary inclination.

Grain-Boundary Energy and Grain-Boundary Groove Angles in Ice

1972 ◽  
Vol 11 (62) ◽  
pp. 265-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigenao Suzuki ◽  
Daisuke Kuroiwa
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy ◽  
Boundary Groove ◽  
Grain Boundary Grooves

Abstract Relative grain-boundary energies in ice were measured as a function of mismatch angles made by the c-axes or a-axes in grains, using ice specimens having triple grain boundaries. It was found that the Read–Shockley equation for grain-boundary energy was valid for grain boundaries tilted between 0° and 15°. Angles of the solid–vapour grain-boundary groove in ice were measured by the use of micro-interferometry at grain-boundary grooves covered with extremely thin metalic foil. The data were compared with those measured by a silvered replica of grain-boundary grooves.

Survey of Grain Boundary Energies in Four Elemental Metals

2012 ◽  
Vol 715-716 ◽  
pp. 179-179
Author(s):  
David L. Olmsted ◽  
Elizabeth A. Holm ◽  
Stephen M. Foiles
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Energy Minimization ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Atomic Scale ◽  
Energy Structure ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy ◽  
Fcc Metals ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Boundary Properties

Grain boundary properties depend on both composition and structure. To test the relative contributions of composition and structure to the grain boundary energy, we calculated the energy of 388 grain boundaries in four elemental, fcc metals: Ni, Al, Au and Cu. We constructed atomic-scale bicrystals of each boundary and subjected them to a rigorous energy minimization process to determine the lowest energy structure. Typically, several thousand boundary configurations were examined for each boundary in each element.

Effect of inclination dependence of grain boundary energy on the mobility of tilt and non-tilt low-angle grain boundaries

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 980-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-E. Brandenburg ◽  
L.A. Barrales-Mora ◽  
D.A. Molodov ◽  
G. Gottstein
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy

The Influence of Anisotropic Grain Boundary Energy on Triple Junction Morphology and Grain Growth

1998 ◽  
Vol 529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander H. King
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Boundary Migration ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Dihedral Angles ◽  
Grain Boundary Migration ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy ◽  
Boundary Curvature ◽  
Energy Anisotropy

AbstractWe consider some examples of triple junction equilibration in the presence of grain boundary energy anisotropy. It is shown that the presence of one or two cusp-trapped grain boundaries can reduce the restrictions upon the dihedral angles formed with the remaining (isotropic) boundaries This allows for a reduction in the average grain boundary curvature, and thus in the driving force for grain boundary migration.

An identification scheme of grain boundaries and construction of a grain boundary energy database

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 1152-1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Kyu Kim ◽  
Won-Seok Ko ◽  
Hyuk-Joong Lee ◽  
Seong Gyoon Kim ◽  
Byeong-Joo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Grain Boundary Energy ◽  
Identification Scheme

Constrained Grain Boundary Diffusion In Thin Copper Films

2004 ◽  
Vol 821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus J. Buehler ◽  
Alexander Hartmaier ◽  
Huajian Gao
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Theoretical Analysis ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Diffusion ◽  
Grain Boundary Diffusion ◽  
Atomic Scale ◽  
Diffusional Creep ◽  
Copper Films ◽  
And Diffusion

AbstractIn a recent study of diffusional creep in polycrystalline thin films deposited on substrates, we have discovered a new class of defects called the grain boundary diffusion wedges (Gao et al., Acta Mat. 47, pp. 2865-2878, 1999). These diffusion wedges are formed by stress driven mass transport between the free surface of the film and the grain boundaries during the process of substrate-constrained grain boundary diffusion. The mathematical modeling involves solution of integro-differential equations representing a strong coupling between elasticity and diffusion. The solution can be decomposed into diffusional eigenmodes reminiscent of crack-like opening displacement along the grain boundary which leads to a singular stress field at the root of the grain boundary. We find that the theoretical analysis successfully explains the difference between the mechanical behaviors of passivated and unpassivated copper films during thermal cycling on a silicon substrate. An important implication of our theoretical analysis is that dislocations with Burgers vector parallel to the interface can be nucleated at the root of the grain boundary. This is a new dislocation mechanism in thin films which contrasts to the well known Mathews-Freund-Nix mechanism of threading dislocation propagation. Recent TEM experiments at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research have shown that, while threading dislocations dominate in passivated metal films, parallel glide dislocations begin to dominate in unpassivated copper films with thickness below 400 nm. This is consistent with our theoretical predictions. We have developed large scale molecular dynamics simulations of grain boundary diffusion wedges to clarify the nucleation mechanisms of parallel glide in thin films. Such atomic scale simulations of thin film diffusion not only show results which are consistent with both continuum theoretical and experimental studies, but also revealed the atomic processes of dislocation nucleation, climb, glide and storage in grain boundaries. The study should have far reaching implications for modeling deformation and diffusion in micro- and nanostructured materials.

The Influence of the Exterior Surface on Grain Boundary Mobility Measurements

2014 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
pp. 56-65
Author(s):  
Amy Novick-Cohen ◽  
Anna Zigelman ◽  
Arkady Vilenkin
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Mean Curvature ◽  
Boundary Energy ◽  
Polycrystalline Materials ◽  
Normal Velocity ◽  
Exterior Surface ◽  
Mean Curvature Motion ◽  
Curvature Motion ◽  
Half Loop

Polycrystalline materials typically contain a very large number of grains whose surrounding grain boundaries evolve over time to reducethe overall energy of the microstructure. The evolution of the microstructure is influencedby the motion of the exterior surface since the grain boundaries couple to the exterior surface of the specimen; these effects can be appreciable especially in thin specimens. We model these effects using the classical framework of Mullins, in whichgrain boundaries move by mean curvature motion, Vn =A κ, and the exterior surface evolves by surface diffusion, Vn = -BΔs κ. Here Vn and κ denote the normal velocity and the mean curvature of the respective evolving surfaces, and Δs is the surface Laplacian. A classical way to determine A, the ``reduced mobility," is to make measurements based on the half-loop bicrystalline geometry. In this geometry one of the two grains, which embedded within the other, recedes at a roughly constant rate which can provide an estimate for A. In this note, we report on findings concerning the effects of the exterior surface on grain boundary motion and mobility measurements in the context of the half-loop bicrystalline geometry. We assume that the ratio of grain boundary energy to the exterior surface energy is small, and suitable assumptions are made of the specimen aspect ratio.

Annealing Temperature and Grain Size Effect on the Grain Boundary Ledge (Density) Structure in Nickel

1977 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
Eswarahalli Venkatesh
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Grain Size Effect ◽  
Density Structure ◽  
Sheet Mill ◽  
Experimental Parameters ◽  
Boundary Ledge

In recent years many researchers have shown great interest in understanding the structure of grain boundaries1,2 and their influence on the mechanical properties of metals and alloys3-5. It has been shown that the structure of grain boundaries can be changed by appropriate thermomechanical treatments6. There are many experimental parameters that can influence the grain boundary ledge structure. The influence of annealing temperature and grain size are considered here.In the present work, pure (99.98%) nickel sheet mill rolled (hot) to 0.022 in. thick was used. One batch of sample was cut and rolled to 40% reduction in thickness and annealed at 800-1125°K in argon,and air cooled to achieve a constant grain size of 50 μm in all samples. A second set of samples was cut and rolled 10-70% reduction in thickness and similarly annealed at 800-1325°K so as to obtain different samples with grain size of 2, 30, 50, and 150 μm.

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