Crystal Research and Technology
Cryst. Res. Technol. 40, 509 (2005) - Abstract -

Evolution of stress and structure in Cu thin films

D. Chocyk, T. Zientarski*, A. Proszynski, T. Pienkos**, L. Gladyszewski**, and G. Gladyszewski

Lublin University of Technology, ul. Nadbystrzycka 38, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
*Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, M. Curie-Sklodowska University, ul. Gliniana 33, 20-614 Lublin, Poland
**Department of General Physics, Institute of Physics, M. Curie-Sklodowska University, pl. M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland

Keywords stress, thin films, copper, molecular dynamics simulation, Lennard-Jones fluid
PACS 81.40.Jj, 81.15.Ef, 61.50.Ah, 61.66.Bi, 68.37.Ps, 62.20.Dc, 81.05.Bx
DOI 10.1002/crat.200410376

Evolution of stresses developing in Cu thin films during and after deposition by thermal evaporation in UHV system is studied. Thin films were deposited on 100 μm thick Si substrate at room temperature. Deposition rates for the films were changed between 0.2 Å/s and 2.0 Å/s, while the total thickness was changed from 7.7 nm to 155 nm. Deformation analysis of crystalline lattice and microstructure was performed by x-ray diffraction measurements. The surface morphology of film was studied by atomic force microscopy. The average stress in the films was determined by measuring the radius of curvature of samples. For thin films three stages of stress evolution (compressive, tensile and compressive) were we distinguished. This behavior is characteristic for materials with a Volmer-Weber mode. A three-dimensional molecular dynamics technique was applied for simulating the stress calculation during thin film growth. The results obtained from the simulation are consistent with the experimental results.




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