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Model for electron-beam-induced crystallization of amorphous Me–Si–C (Me = Nb or Zr) thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2014

Olof Tengstrand ,
Nils Nedfors ,
Matilda Andersson ,
Jun Lu ,
Ulf Jansson ,
Axel Flink ,
Per Eklund  and
Lars Hultman
Olof Tengstrand*
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
Nils Nedfors
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden 751 21, Uppsala, Sweden
Matilda Andersson
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden 751 21, Uppsala, Sweden
Jun Lu
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
Ulf Jansson
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden 751 21, Uppsala, Sweden
Axel Flink
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden 581 83, Linköping, Sweden and Impact Coatings AB, Sweden 582 16, Linköping, Sweden
Per Eklund*
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
Lars Hultman
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
*
a)Address all correspondence to these authors. e-mail: olote@ifm.liu.se
b)e-mail: perek@ifm.liu.se
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Abstract

We use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for in situ studies of electron-beam-induced crystallization behavior in thin films of amorphous transition metal silicon carbides based on Zr (group 4 element) and Nb (group 5). Higher silicon content stabilized the amorphous structure while no effects of carbon were detected. Films with Nb start to crystallize at lower electron doses than the Zr-containing ones. During the crystallization, equiaxed MeC grains are formed in all samples with larger grains for ZrC (∼5 nm) compared to NbC (∼2 nm). The phenomenon of self-terminating crystallization at a dimension of 2–5 nm is explained by segregation of Si that is expelled from growing metal carbide grains into the surrounding amorphous phase matrix, which limits diffusion of the metal and carbon.

Keywords

transmission electron microscopy (TEM)electron irradiationradiation effects
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 23 , 14 December 2014 , pp. 2854 - 2862
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

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