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Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers

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Miller, DC; Herrmann, CF; Maier, HJ; George, SM; Stoldt, CR; Gall, K
Published in: Thin Solid Films
February 12, 2007

The structure and composition of Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers were examined both before and after annealing. The microstructural observations are used to explain the sophisticated curvature-temperature relationships presented in Part I of this paper series. For both pre- and post-annealed specimens, the gold consisted of columnar {111} grains with a {001} subcomponent. The gold contains numerous through-thickness twins. The gold layer of the microcantilever structures was seen to undergo abnormal grain growth, which became stagnated by diffusion of chromium and silicon through the film. The free surface of the gold consisted of nanometer sized nodular hills 59 ± 13 nm in diameter. The nodule and similar sized "dimple" surface features remained despite extensive secondary grain growth in the gold. Microstructural evolution was dominated by self-diffusion at temperatures less than 150 °C, grain coarsening at temperatures between 150 and 225 °C, and interdiffusion along grain boundaries at 225 °C. Grain boundary grooves were observed to form within the timeframe of experiments at 225 °C and then widen significantly as silicon was detected at the free surface of the gold. The use of alumina surface coatings that were thicker than approximately 30 nm altered the morphological changes and diffusional transport within the multilayer beams. Curvature evolution trends are correlated to the observed changes in the morphology of the metal films for limited, moderate, and elevated thermal exposure regimes and also according to the use of surface coatings. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Thin Solid Films

DOI

ISSN

0040-6090

Publication Date

February 12, 2007

Volume

515

Issue

6

Start / End Page

3224 / 3240

Related Subject Headings

  • Applied Physics
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 10 Technology
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences
 

Citation

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Miller, D. C., Herrmann, C. F., Maier, H. J., George, S. M., Stoldt, C. R., & Gall, K. (2007). Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers. In Thin Solid Films (Vol. 515, pp. 3224–3240). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2006.01.045
Miller, D. C., C. F. Herrmann, H. J. Maier, S. M. George, C. R. Stoldt, and K. Gall. “Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers.” In Thin Solid Films, 515:3224–40, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2006.01.045.
Miller DC, Herrmann CF, Maier HJ, George SM, Stoldt CR, Gall K. Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers. In: Thin Solid Films. 2007. p. 3224–40.
Miller, D. C., et al. “Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers.” Thin Solid Films, vol. 515, no. 6, 2007, pp. 3224–40. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2006.01.045.
Miller DC, Herrmann CF, Maier HJ, George SM, Stoldt CR, Gall K. Thermo-mechanical evolution of multilayer thin films: Part II. Microstructure evolution in Au/Cr/Si microcantilevers. Thin Solid Films. 2007. p. 3224–3240.
Journal cover image

Published In

Thin Solid Films

DOI

ISSN

0040-6090

Publication Date

February 12, 2007

Volume

515

Issue

6

Start / End Page

3224 / 3240

Related Subject Headings

  • Applied Physics
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 10 Technology
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences