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Strain-arranged structure in amorphous films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2012

Vera Lyahovitskaya*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials & Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Yishay Feldman
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Ilya Zon
Affiliation:
Department of Materials & Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Alex Yoffe
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Anatoly I. Frenkel
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Yeshiva University, New York, New York 10016
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: vera.lyahovitsky@weizmann.ac.il

Abstract

Amorphous films [BaTiO3 (BTO), SrTiO3 (STO), SrRuO3] on substrates and self-supported films (BTO and STO) were produced by controlling the film/substrate adhesion energy (level of clamping). The stress value in an as-deposited film depends on the clamping level, which defines the stress relief mode. In highly stressed films, the stress abatement is achieved via plastic transformation resulting in formation of “the strain-arranged structure of elastic domains.” Film fractures and delamination occur if the stress magnitude is too high and exceeds the elastic limit of the material. If the stress magnitude is low, the conditions favorable for nucleation and crystallization can arise. Stress in self-supported films is relieved mainly via shape change during film preparation, and the conditions favorable for nucleation and crystallization in annealed self-supported films arise more frequently.

Information

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012
Figure 0

FIG. 1. Optical images of surface morphology of as-deposited SRO (400-nm thick) films: (a) on smooth Si, (b) on smooth Si with amorphous buffer layer (TiO2, 50 nm). Top view in reflected light (c) and (e) and local areas without substrate in transmitted light (d) and (f) of two films: (c) and (d) on nonpolished side of Si and (e) and (f) on treated by 9-μm diamond.

Figure 1

FIG. 2. Optical images of surface SRO films: (a) film (400-nm thick) on treated by 1-μm diamond after 380 °C, (b) film (400-nm thick) on treated by 9-μm diamond after 450 °C, (c) crack in nonstoichiometric (400-nm thick) film on treated by 9-μm diamond after 380 °C (SEM image), and (d) film (800-nm thick) on a treated by 9-μm diamond after 450 °C.

Figure 2

FIG. 3. Amorphous polydomain structures: (a) optical and SEM images of boundaries: 1,2-STO, 3-SRO. (b) SRO (treated by 9-μm diamond, very density pattern), (c) BTO visualization by condensation chilled waters vapor: 1-initial surface, 2–4 with water (at different magnification), (d) visualization by crystallization: initial surface of STO (1) and SRO (3); surfaces with crystals (2,4).

Figure 3

FIG. 4. Cracks on domain boundaries (a) BTO and (b) SRO; (c) delamination of nonstoichiometric SRO film (SEM images); (d) XRD patterns of SRO (400-nm thick) films: as-deposited, after 420 and 530 °C.

Figure 4

FIG. 5. Top view of the shape modification in as-deposited s-s BTO films by gradual increase temperature from RT up to 180 °C: (a) planar and (b) buckled.

Figure 5

FIG. 6. Optical images in reflected and transmitted cross-polarized light of s-s BTO films after 570 °C: (a) and (b) amorphous, (c) partially crystalline and (d) fully crystalline (excluding amorphous areas tethered to edges).

Figure 6

FIG. 7. Optical images in reflected (1), transmitted cross-polarized (2), and transmitted (3) light of two (annealed at 570 °C) s-s BTO films before and after x-ray synchrotron irradiation.

Figure 7

FIG. 8. Optical images in reflected and transmitted cross-polarized light (with different direction of the light polarizer and analyzer) of s-s STO films after 520 °C: (a) amorphous and (b–d) partially crystalline.