Microstructural characterization of phase-separated co-deposited Cu–Ta immiscible alloy thin films

Powers, Max; Derby, Benjamin; Shaw, Alex; Raeker, Evan; Misra, Amit

doi:10.1557/jmr.2020.100

Microstructural characterization of phase-separated co-deposited Cu–Ta immiscible alloy thin films

Journal Article · Tue May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Materials Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2020.100· OSTI ID:1630735

Powers, Max ^[1]; Derby, Benjamin ^[2]; Shaw, Alex ^[2]; Raeker, Evan ^[2]; Misra, Amit ^[2]

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Texas A&M University
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Elevated temperature co-sputtering of immiscible elements ends in a variety of self-organized morphologies due to phase separation. Cu–Ta is used as a model system to understand the evolution of phase-separated microstructural morphologies by co-sputtering thin films with nominal 50–50 at.% composition at four temperatures: 25, 400, 600, and 800 °C. Scanning/transmission electron microscopy of the film cross sections showed the microstructure morphology varied from nanocrystalline Cu–Ta at 25 °C to a wavy ribbon-like structure at 400 °C, to Cu-rich agglomerates surrounded by Ta-rich veins at 600 and 800 °C. In the agglomerate-vein morphology, microstructural features were present on two length scales, from a few nanometers to a few tens of nanometers, thus making the structures hierarchical. On the nanoscale, the Cu-rich agglomerates contained Ta precipitates, whereas the Ta-rich veins had embedded Cu nanocrystals. The various microstructures can be attributed to the highly disparate constituent element interdiffusion at the deposition temperatures with the Cu having orders of magnitude higher mobility than Ta at the deposition temperatures. This research of processing–microstructure relationship will be useful in guiding the design of hierarchical multiphase microstructures in binary or multicomponent thin films with tailored mechanical properties.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003857

OSTI ID:: 1630735

Journal Information:: Journal of Materials Research, Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 35; ISSN 0884-2914

Publisher:: Materials Research SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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