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Beam-induced crystallization of amorphous Me–Si–C (Me = Nb or Zr) thin films during transmission electron microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2013

Olof Tengstrand ,
Nils Nedfors ,
Matilda Andersson ,
Jun Lu ,
Ulf Jansson ,
Axel Flink ,
Per Eklund  and
Lars Hultman
Olof Tengstrand*
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Nils Nedfors
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden
Matilda Andersson
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden
Jun Lu
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Ulf Jansson
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden
Axel Flink
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden; Impact Coatings AB, Westmansgatan 29, SE-582 16 Linköping, Sweden
Per Eklund
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Lars Hultman
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
*
Address all correspondence to Olof Tengstrand at[email protected]
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Abstract

We report that an electron beam focused for high-resolution imaging rapidly initiates observable crystallization of amorphous Me–Si–C films. For 200-keV electron irradiation of Nb–Si–C and Zr–Si–C films, crystallization is observed at doses of ~2.8 × 109 and ~4.7 × 109 e−/nm2, respectively. The crystallization process is driven by atomic displacement events, rather than heating from the electron beam as in situ annealing (400–600 °C) retains the amorphous state. Our findings demand a critical analysis of alleged amorphous and nanocrystalline ceramics including reassessing previous reports on nanocrystalline Me–Si–C films for possible electron-beam-induced crystallization effects.

Type
Research Letters
Information
MRS Communications , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 151 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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