Exploring stability of a nanoscale complex solid solution thin film by \(\textit {in situ}\) heating transmission electron microscopy

  • Combining thin film deposition with \(\textit {in situ}\) heating electron microscopy allows to understand the thermal stability of complex solid solution nanomaterials. From a CrMnFeCoNi alloy target a thin film with an average thickness of ~10 nm was directly sputtered onto a heating chip for \(\textit {in situ}\) transmission electron microscopy. We investigate the growth process and the thermal stability of the alloy and compare our results with other investigations on bulk alloys or bulk-like films thicker than 100 nm. For the chosen sputtering condition and SiNx substrate, the sputter process leads to the Stranski–Krastanov growth type (i.e., islands forming on the top of a continuous layer). Directly after sputtering, we detect two different phases, namely CoNi-rich nanoscale islands and a continuous CrMnFe-rich layer. \(\textit {in situ}\) annealing of the thin film up to 700°C leads to Ostwald ripening of the islands, which is enhanced in the areas irradiated by the electron beam during heating. Besides Ostwald ripening, the chemical composition of the continuous layer and the islands changed during the heating process. After annealing, the islands are still CoNi-rich, but lower amounts of Fe and Cr are observed and Mn was completely absent. The continuous layer also changed its composition. Co and Ni were removed, and the amount of Cr lowered. These results confirm that the synthesis of a CrMnFeCoNi thin film with an average thickness of ~10 nm can lead to a different morphology, chemical composition, and stability compared to thicker films (>100 nm).

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Metadaten
Author:Alba Garzón ManjónORCiDGND, Siyuan ZhangGND, Bernhard VölkerGND, Michael MeischeinORCiDGND, Alfred LudwigORCiDGND, Christina ScheuGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-86874
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-021-00217-x
Parent Title (English):MRS bulletin
Publisher:Springer
Place of publication:Berlin
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2022/03/07
Date of first Publication:2022/02/03
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Volume:47
First Page:371
Last Page:378
Institutes/Facilities:Institut für Werkstoffe, Materials Discovery and Interfaces
Dewey Decimal Classification:Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Ingenieurwissenschaften, Maschinenbau
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
faculties:Fakultät für Maschinenbau
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International