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Title: Bonding of thin-film gold bicrystals in the presence of light impurities as studied by electron microscopy and ion beam analysis

Journal Article · · Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States)
 [1];  [2]; ; ;  [3]
  1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering Max-Planck-Inst. fuer Metallforschung, Stuttgart (Germany). Inst. fuer Physics
  2. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
  3. Max-Planck-Inst. fuer Metallforschung, Stuttgart (Germany). Inst. fuer Physics

The present note describes an electron microscopy and ion beam analysis study of the bonding of thin-film Au bicrystals. The single crystal Au films were grown on (001) surfaces of cleaved NaCl single crystals containing cleavage steps of various heights, some of which are as high as 10[mu]m. They were then partially bonded under pressure at 195 C in ambient atmosphere and then transferred into an electron microscope where the evolution of the bonding and formation of the (001) twist boundary structure were observed during heating (in the absence of pressure) by means of hot-stage in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). During this stage of bonding grain boundary dislocations with Burgers vector component perpendicular to the boundary are observed to climb in the boundary plane. The movement of these dislocations is associated with atomic mass transport and appear to be associated with changes in the sizes of bubbles in the interface which, in turn, are influenced by the segregation to them of insoluble light impurities which were present at the surfaces of the thin films prior to bonding. For a more detailed assessment of this point a nuclear reaction analysis of a thin-film bicrystal was performed in order to detect light impurities in the interface plane. The mechanisms of the dislocation climb and interface formation during the various states of bonding and the role of interfacial impurities are discussed below.

DOE Contract Number:
FG02-87ER45310
OSTI ID:
6936104
Journal Information:
Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States), Vol. 31:11; ISSN 0956-716X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English