In situ investigation of ion-induced dewetting of a thin iron-oxide film on silicon by high resolution scanning electron microscopy

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4767068· OSTI ID:22089544

Amirthapandian, S. ^[1]; Schuchart, F.; Garmatter, D.; Bolse, W. ^[1]

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1. Institut fuer Halbleiteroptik und Funktionelle Grenzflaechen, Universitaet Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany)

Using our new in situ high resolution scanning electron microscope, which is integrated into the UNILAC ion beamline at the Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany, we investigated the swift heavy ion induced dewetting of a thin iron oxide layer on Si. Besides heterogeneous hole nucleation at defects and spontaneous (homogeneous) hole nucleation, we could clearly identify a dewetting mechanism, which is similar to the spinodal dewetting observed for liquid films. Instead of being due to capillary waves, it is based on a stress induced surface instability. The latter results in the formation of a wavy surface with constant dominant wave-length and increasing amplitude during ion irradiation. Dewetting sets in as soon as the wave-troughs reach the film-substrate interface. Inspection of the hole radii and rim shapes indicates that removal of the material from the hole area occurs mainly by plastic deformation at the inner boundary and ion induced viscous flow in the peripheral zone due to surface tension.

• OSTI ID: 22089544
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 112; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AMPLITUDES
CAPILLARIES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
HEAVY IONS
INSPECTION
INSTABILITY
ION BEAMS
IRON OXIDES
IRRADIATION
LIQUIDS
RESOLUTION
RESONANCE IONIZATION MASS SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE TENSION
THIN FILMS
WAVELENGTHS