Coarsening mechanisms in a metal film: From cluster diffusion to vacancy ripening

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1995 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.652· OSTI ID:278794

Wen, J; Evans, J W; Bartelt, M C; Burnett, J W; Thiel, P A ^[1]

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1. Departments of Chemistry and Mathematics, and Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 (United States)

Coarsening of Ag films on Ag(100) at room temperature occurs primarily via diffusion-mediated coalescence of two-dimensional adatom clusters, rather than by Ostwald ripening, up to a coverage of 0.65 monolayer. Above 0.8 monolayer, vacancy clusters coarsen primarily via Ostwald ripening, due to their much lower diffusivity. An asymmetric transition region separates these two regimes, characterized by a near-percolating structure which undergoes self-similar coarsening. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 278794
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 76; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ADSORPTION
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION
FILM GROWTH
MICROSTRUCTURE
MORPHOLOGY
PERCOLATION CLUSTERS
SILVER
THIN FILMS