Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T21:45:58.933Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructural characterization of reactions in Al–Zr thin film couples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

K.P. Mingard  and
B. Cantor
K.P. Mingard
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH, United Kingdom
B. Cantor
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH, United Kingdom
Get access

Abstract

The mechanisms of reaction in sputter-deposited Al–Zr thin film couples have been investigated using extensive transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations of cross-sectional specimens prepared by the novel use of an ultramicrotome. The TEM observations greatly facilitated understanding of composition-depth profiles obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). The reaction between Al and Zr in thin films, and the influence of Cu on this reaction, was shown by the TEM to be much more complex than previously reported in studies that largely used RBS. Reaction of Al and Zr in sputter-deposited films occurs in two stages. Initially reaction occurs by growth of an amorphous layer at the Zr interface and is promoted by intermixing of Al and Zr during deposition. Growth of an amorphous layer in an Al-transition metal thin film couple has not been reported previously. Subsequently, the amorphous layer is consumed by growth of microcrystalline Al3Zr from the Zr/reaction layer interface. The transition from growth of amorphous to microcrystalline Al3Zr results in thickening of the reaction layer with an overall growth rate exponent of 1/3. The Al3Zr grows with the metastable L12 cubic structure, except in the presence of Cu, when it grows with the tetragonal DO23 structure. The fine initial Al and Zr grain sizes limit the influence of Cu on the morphology of the reaction; in all cases, a continuous and uniform reaction layer thickness is observed by TEM.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , February 1993 , pp. 274 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1Bower, R.W.Appl. Phys. Lett. 23, 99–101 (1973).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Ting, C.Y. and Crowder, B.L.J. Electrochem. Soc. 129, 2590 (1982).Google Scholar
3Howard, J.K.White, J.F. and Ho, P.S.J. Appl. Phys. 49, 4083–4093 (1978).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Howard, J. K.Lever, R. F.Smith, P. S. and Ho, P. S.J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 13, 68–71 (1976).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Harrison, L.G.Trans. Faraday Society 57, 1191 (1961).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Wittmer, M.LeGoues, F. K. and Huang, H. C. W.J. Electrochem. Soc. 132, 1450 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Smith, P. J.Howard, J. K.Chu, W. K. and Lever, R. F.Proc. 34th Conf. Electron Microsc. Soc. America pp. 634–635 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Lever, R. F.Howard, J. K.Chu, W. K. and Smith, P. J.J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 14, 158–161 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Huang, H. C. W. and Wittmer, M.Proc. Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. 25, 157–162 (1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Wittmer, M. H. Huang, C. W. and LeGoues, F. K.Philos. Mag. A 53, 687–707 (1986).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Colgan, E.G.Palmstrom, C.J. and Mayer, J.W.J. Appl. Phys. 58, 1838–1840 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Tardy, J. and Tu, K.N.Phys. Rev. B 32, 2070–2081 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Chu, W. K.Mayer, J. W. and Nicolet, M. A.Backscattering Spec-trometry (Academic Press, New York, 1978).Google Scholar
14Bethune, B.Furneaux, R. C. and Wood, G. C.J. Mater. Sci. 12, 1764–1780 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Timsit, R. S.Hutchison, J. L. and Thornton, M. C.Ultramicroscopy 15, 371–374 (1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Ohashi, T. and Ichikawa, R.Metall. Trans. 3, 2300–2302 (1972).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Hori, S.Saji, S. and Takehara, A.Jpn. J. Light Metals 31, 793–797 (1979).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18Srinavasan, S.Desch, P. B. and Schwartz, R. B.Scripta Metall. Mater. 25, 2513–2516 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Kidson, G. V. and Miller, G. D.J. Nucl. Mater. 12, 61 (1964).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20Newcomb, S.B. and Tu, K.N.Appl. Phys. Lett. 48, 1436–1438 (1986).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21Fecht, H.J. and Johnson, W.L.J. Non-Cryst. Solids 117/118, 704–707 (1990).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22Westdorp, J.F.M. Ph.D. Thesis University of Utrecht (1986), quoted in Ref. 23; F. Savis Mater. Res. Soc. Symp., Ion Beam Interactions with Solids (1985).Google Scholar
23Johnson, W.L.Prog. Mater. Sci. 30, 81–134 (1986).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24Ma, E.Thompson, C. V. and Clevenger, L. A.J. Appl. Phys. 69, 2211–2218 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar