Quantum size effects in Friedel oscillations inside films

An analytical formula of density oscillations is found for metallic films of finite thickness. The result shows that the quantum size effect on density oscillations is surprisingly more evident in the middle of the film. As a result, the density oscillations in a finite film cannot be regarded as a simple addition of the two sets of Friedel oscillations for half-infinite metal no matter how thick the film is. This analytical result is confirmed by our numerical jellium-model computation. Such quantum size effect should exist in all the electron-mediated interactions that are driven by the Friedel oscillations. As an example, we indeed find it also exists in Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida interactions inside films.     

TEM studies on the formation of nano crystallites of Si by metal induced crystallization

In the present investigations, we have grown the nano-crystallites of Si by metal induced crystallization process. Layers of two different metals (Al and Au) were deposited on either side of Si using thermal evaporation technique to study metal induced crystallization. Annealing of such samples was carried out in the hot stage of TEM. We have found that the crystallization of amorphous silicon starts at 150 °C through the formation of metal silicides. Formation of metal silicides was observed through selected area diffraction. Nearly complete formation of nano crystallites of Si throughout the sample was observed at 200 °C. High-resolution TEM studies confirm the formation of nano-crystallites of Si all along the film.     

Manifestation of work function difference in high order Gundlach oscillation

Gundlach oscillation (or the standing-wave state) is a general phenomenon manifesting in the tunneling spectrum acquired from a metal surface using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Previous studies relate the energy shift between peaks of the lowest-order Gundlach oscillation observed on the thin film and the metal substrate to the difference in their work functions. By observing Gundlach oscillations on Ag/Au(111), Ag/Cu(111), and Co/Cu(111) systems, we demonstrate that the work function difference is not the energy shift of the lowest order but the ones of higher order where a constant energy shift exhibits. Higher order Gundlach oscillations can thus be applied to determine the work function of thin metal films precisely.     

Numerical investigation of hydrodynamics behaviour of melt layer during laser cutting of steel

Understanding of the melt layer hydrodynamic behaviour during laser-cutting process under gas jet assistance is of high importance for cut quality control. In the present work, a numerical model is developed to calculate the three-dimensional behaviour of the melt flow on the kerf front, while an inert gas jet interacts with the melt film. Fluent CFD code is used to solve the governing hydrodynamic equations by finite volume method. The results show that the melt flow on the kerf front reveals a strong instability, which depends on the cutting speed and on the gas jet velocity. Global flow behaviour (gas and molten metal flows) computed using a laminar model, reveals oscillations of the gas–metal liquid interface, which is assimilated to Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The origin of this instability is discussed in terms of instabilities in thermal dynamics and hydrodynamics. Instability in thermal dynamics is related to the localized melting, while the instability in hydrodynamics is governed by forces balance between gas and resistant surface tension.     

Nonlinear absorption of ultrashort laser pulses in thin metal films

Self-consistent simulations of the ultrafast electron dynamics in thin metal films were performed. A regime of nonlinear oscillations was observed that corresponds to ballistic electrons bouncing back and forth against the films' surfaces. When an oscillatory laser field is applied to the film, the field energy is partially absorbed by the electron gas. Maximum absorption occurs when the period of the external field matches the period of the nonlinear oscillations, which, for sodium films, lies in the infrared range. Possible experimental implementations are discussed.     

Experimental evidence and theoretical analysis for the chiral symmetry breaking in the growth front of conglomerate crystal phase of 1,1'-binaphthyl

Chirally asymmetric states, chemical oscillations, propagating chemical waves, and spatial patterns, are examples of far-from-equilibrium self-organization. We have found that the crystal growth front of 1,1(')-binaphthyl shows many of the characteristics of an open system in which chiral symmetry breaking has occurred. From its supercooled molten phase, 1,1(')-binaphthyl crystallizes as a conglomerate of R and S crystals when the temperature is above 145 degrees C. In addition, 1,1(')-binaphthyl in its molten phase is always racemic due to its high racemization rate. Under appropriate conditions, bimodal probability distribution of enantiomeric excess (ee) with maxima around 60% was observed. The ee was mass independent, indicating that the growth front maintains a constant ee. A kinetic model that theoretically analyzes the chiral symmetry breaking transition in the growth front of a conglomerate crystal phase was formulated. Computer simulation of the model reproduced not only the average but also the large variation of the ee observed in crystallization experiments.     

Specific features of the formation of ytterbium films on the Si(111) surface at room temperature

The processes accompanying the formation of ytterbium films on the Si(111) surface at room temperature are investigated by the contact potential difference method, Auger electron spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and thermal desorption spectroscopy. It is shown that the grown metal films are uniform in thickness and that Si atoms virtually do not dissolve in the films. The atoms of the silicon substrate can diffuse in limited amounts into the Yb metal film only when the surface is bombarded by high-energy primary electron beams employed in Auger electron spectroscopy. The results obtained permit the conclusion that the previously observed oscillations of the work function in Yb-Si(111) thin-film structures cannot originate from dissolution of silicon atoms in the ytterbium film.     

AlCl3-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films

It is reported that the direct contact between Al and amorphous silicon (a-Si) enhances the crystallization of a-Si films. But the polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films crystallized by the direct contact of Al metal film suffer the problems of rough surface. In our study, we utilized the AlCl₃ vapor during the a-Si films deposition instead of Al metal film to enhance crystallization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the AlCl₃ vapor so successfully enhanced the crystallization of a-Si films that the crystallization was completed in 5 h at 540 °C. And the orientation of the poly-Si film deposited with AlCl₃ vapor is much more random than that of annealed with Al metal under layer. But the average grain size is much larger than that. Moreover, the surface of the AlCl₃-induced crystallized poly-Si film was much smoother than that of the Al-induced poly-Si film. The Al and Cl incorporation into the poly-Si film was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and found that the quantity of Al and Cl incorporated into the Si film was below the detection limit of XPS.     

A theory of thin metal films: electron density,potentials and work function

Electron densities, potentials, and work functions of thin metal films are calculated self-consistently. The planar uniform-background model and the density-functional formalism are used similarly as in the theory of metal surfaces by Lang and Kohn. Electron densities and potentials are discussed for r_s = 4 both as function of the position in the film and of film thickness. Numerical results for the dependence of the work function on film thickness are given for r_s = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. As functions of film thickness electron densities, potentials and work functions show oscillations with a period of one-half the Fermi wavelength. The amplitude of the oscillations in potentials and work functions is about 1 eV for one monolayer and 0.1 eV for films of 20 Å thickness. A comparison with non-self-consistent calculations reveals the necessity of self-consistent computations. The relevance of the results to work function measurements and to investigations of thermodynamic and transport properties are discussed. The influence of the film geometry on calculations designed for surfaces per se is examined.     

Thin noble metal films on Si (111) investigated by optical second-harmonic generation and photoemission

Thin noble metal films (Ag, Au and Cu) on Si (111) have been investigated by optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) in combination with synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy. The valence band spectra of Ag films show a quantization of the sp-band in the 4-eV energy range from the Fermi level down to the onset of the d-bands. For Cu and Au the corresponding energy range is much narrower and quantization effects are less visible. Quantization effects in SHG are observed as oscillations in the signal as a function of film thickness. The oscillations are strongest for Ag and less pronounced for Cu, in agreement with valence band photoemission spectra. In the case of Au, a reacted layer floating on top of the Au film masks the observation of quantum well levels by photoemission. However, SHG shows a well-developed quantization of levels in the Au film below the reacted layer. For Ag films, the relation between film thickness and photon energy of the SHG resonances indicates different types of resonances, some of which involve both quantum well and substrate states. Received: 16 October 2001 / Revised version: 14 March 2002 / Published online: 29 May 2002     

Mode selection in nearly-self-sustained explosive crystallization

We study a model of a driven thermally activated, exothermic process, in the context of explosive crystallization of a thin amorphous film. In the limit in which self-sustained crystallization at a speed close to the laser scan speed is almost possible, the model reduces to a single autonomous second-order differential equation for the amorphous-crystalline interface position. The steady state of this equation represents a straight-line interface advancing into the amorphous region at a speed equal to the laser scan speed. As a control parameter is increased, this steady state of the model becomes linearly unstable, undergoing a Hopf bifurcation which gives rise to oscillations of the interface velocity. For parameter ranges in which the interface remains a straight line, the amplitude, period, and form of these oscillations is calculated as a function of the control parameter. A similar equation, valid when the interface does not necessarily remain straight but may take on a long-wavelength shape, is also derived; it is harder to analyze.     

Quantum-well wave-function localization and the electron-phonon interaction in thin Ag nanofilms

The electron-phonon interaction in thin Ag nanofilms epitaxially grown on Cu(111) is investigated by temperature-dependent and angle-resolved photoemission from silver quantum-well states. Clear oscillations in the electron-phonon coupling parameter as a function of the silver film thickness are observed. Different from other thin film systems where quantum oscillations are related to the Fermi-level crossing of quantum-well states, we can identify a new mechanism behind these oscillations, based on the wave-function localization of the quantum-well states in the film.     

Spectral emissivity modeling of steel 201 during the growth of oxidation film over the temperature range from 800 to 1100 K in air

This study explores the spectral emissivity modeling of steel 201 during the growth of oxidation film over the temperature range from 800 to 1100 K at 1.5 μm. The radiance coming from the specimen is received by an InGaAs photodiode detector. The specimen temperature is obtained by averaging the two platinum–rhodium thermocouples, which are tightly welded in the front surface of specimen near the measuring area viewed by the detector. The variation of spectral emissivity with the temperature is studied at a given heating time. The variation of spectral emissivity with the heating time is evaluated at a definite temperature. The strong oscillations of spectral emissivity are observed and discussed in detail, which originate from the interference effect between the radiation stemming from the oxidization film on the specimen surface and the radiation coming from the specimen surface. The measurement uncertainties of spectral emissivity contributed only by the surface oxidization are about 3.2–14.1%. At a given heating time, the variation of spectral emissivity with the temperature abides well by a simple analytic functional form. And at a definite temperature, the variation of spectral emissivity with the heating time can also be well reproduced by fitting except for the periodical oscillations.     

Electron-beam-initiated crystallization of iron-carbon films

A structure formed in nanocrystalline iron-carbon films exposed to an electron beam was studied. Explosive crystallization (EC) with the formation of dendrite and cellular-dendritic instabilities at a rate of up to 1 cm/s was observed. It was shown that the dependence between the growth rate of dendrite branches (or cells) during EC and the rounding radius of dendrite branch tips can be approximately described by equations used to calculate the crystal growth in supercooled melts. To explain the EC mechanism, a model of a liquid zone formed at the crystallization front was used. It was shown that the liquid zone arises due to energy accumulated in the film in the nanocrystalline state. It was assumed that this energy was accumulated due to the energy of elastic stresses.     

Ablation of polymer foils for backside opening of thin film layered flexible polymer substrates

For increasing the packing density of electronic devices and enabling 3D wiring, new concepts of interconnection for flexible circuit boards are required. The backside wiring is one innovative concept which, however, requires interconnections from the back to the front side by means of vias.Results on backside opening of polymer foils for exposing a thin metal film deposited at the front side are presented. For the experiments, a thin polyimide foil covered with a thin molybdenum metal film was used. By using mask projection of a pulsed UV-laser beam (248 nm, 20 ns) polymer foil was ablated. The laser ablation process must be adjusted in the manner to avoid damage of the thin metal film, to prevent cones formation at laser ablation, but still enabling the clean ablation of the polymer. The influence of process parameters on the backside opening is discussed and compared with theoretical estimations of the laser-induced temperatures. Using a two-step ablation process applying first high fluences to ablate the main part of the foil and finishing with low laser fluence turns out to be advantageous. This backside opening (BSO) can be used to perform an electrical contact from the backside.     

In situ spectromicroscopic study of nickel induced lateral crystallization of amorphous silicon thin film using SPESM

Scanning photoelectron spectromicroscopy (SPESM) has been used to study nickel metal induced lateral crystallization (Ni-MILC) of amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin films, produced by in situ annealing of vacuum deposited Ni patterned films on a-Si. The spatial variations in the chemical composition of the Ni-MILC of a-Si were directly imaged. High-resolution photoemission spectra of both Si 2p and Ni 3p core levels and valence band were used to evaluate morphological changes and chemical interactions. Our direct spectromicroscopic characterization clearly shows that the Ni-MILC process in UHV leads to the lower crystallization temperature and a faster crystallization speed of a-Si, and a poly-Si film with high-crystallinity can be obtained. A unified mechanism for the enhanced growth rate of the high-crystallinity poly-Si film produced by Ni-MILC in UHV is proposed.     

Solution-based metal induced crystallization of a-Si

This paper investigates a simplified metal induced crystallization (MIC) of a-Si, named solution-based MIC (S-MIC). The nickel inducing source was formed on a-Si from salt solution dissolved in de-ionized water or ethanol. a-Si thin film was deposited with low pressure chemical vapour deposition or plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition as precursor material for MIC. It finds that the content of nickel source formed on a-Si can be controlled by solution concentration and dipping time. The dependence of crystallization rate of a-Si on annealing time illustrated that the linear density of nickel source was another critical factor that affects the crystallization of a-Si, besides the diffusion of nickel disilicide. The highest electron Hall mobility of thus prepared S-MIC poly-Si is 45.6cm²/(V.s). By using this S-MIC poly-Si, thin film transistors and display scan drivers were made, and their characteristics are presented.     

Laser-induced fabrication of randomly distributed nanostructures in fused silica surfaces

The nanostructuring of dielectrics is a big challenge for laser patterning methods. In this study a novel laser structuring method for the fabrication of randomly distributed nanostructures, called laser-induced front side etching using in situ pre-structured metal layers (IPSM-LIFE), is presented. The pulsed laser irradiation of a thin metal film deposited onto a dielectric substrate with fluences below the ablation threshold results in the formation of randomly distributed metal structures by self-assembly processes. Further pulsed laser irradiation of these metal structures with higher or equal laser fluences causes the formation of complex patterns at the surface of the dielectric due to localized ablation and melting processes of the dielectric surface induced by the absorption of the laser energy by the metal structures and the local energy transfer into the dielectric surface. The pattern formation observed in the film and the dielectrics substrate after irradiation of 10 nm chromium layers on fused silica, with laser pulses (Δt _p =25 ns, λ=248 nm), was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Different features with a lateral size down to a few tens of nanometers, like concentric ring patterns, donut-like structures, and bar patterns were observed at the dielectric.     

A molecular-dynamics study of oscillations of unclosed crystal nanostructures based on bilayer metal films

Behavior of unclosed nanostructures is investigated in the course of their formation from bilayer films of a Ni–Cu system with crystal structure. The investigation is performed on the basis of the molecular dynamics method using a many-body potential of interatomic interaction. It is shown that the edges of an unclosed nanostructure produced from a bilayer metal film can perform free harmonic oscillations. The dependence of the oscillation amplitude of the nanostructure on the size of the initial film is investigated. Optimum geometrical parameters of the initial film are determined in order to form unclosed nanostructures oscillating with maximum amplitude. The results obtained are promising for the development of components for nanodevices of different types and applications.