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Isothermal differential dilatometry based on X-ray analysis applied to stress relaxation in thin ion-beam-sputtered Pt films

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Abstract

Relaxation of stress and point defects in ion-beam-sputtered Pt films with a thickness of 20 and 40 nm during isothermal annealing was investigated. First, isothermal differential dilatometry measurements based on X-ray analysis were carried out between 130 and 400 °C. They show that the relaxation of compressive stress is associated with the formation of vacancies at the surface. From the measurements, an activation enthalpy of 0.14 eV was estimated for the stress relaxation process. In addition, self-diffusion experiments of Pt were carried out on the same type of films using stable 194Pt tracer. From secondary ion mass spectrometry on samples annealed for longer times, an activation enthalpy of 0.5 eV for Pt diffusion in grain boundaries was estimated. The influence of vacancy creation at the surface, vacancy transport, and the annihilation of non-equilibrium bulk interstitials and thermally created vacancies on stress relaxation is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work is based on measurements carried out at the Rossendorf beam line (BM20) at ESRF, Grenoble, and the Swiss spallation neutron source SINQ, PSI, Villigen. We acknowledge the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility for provision of synchrotron radiation facilities and the Pauls Scherrer Institute for neutron facilities. We thank J. Uhlendorf and F. Strauß for help with sample preparation and L. Dörrer for help with SIMS measurements. This research has been supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under the contract Schm1569/13-3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Metallurgie, TU Clausthal, Robert-Koch-Str. 42, 38678, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

    Wolfgang Gruber & Harald Schmidt

  2. Institut für Ionenstrahlphysik und Materialforschung, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Box 510119, 01314, Dresden, Germany

    Carsten Baehtz

  3. Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232, Villigen Psi, Switzerland

    Thomas Geue & Jochen Stahn

  4. Clausthaler Zentrum für Materialtechnik, Leibnizstraße 9, 38678, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

    Harald Schmidt

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  1. Wolfgang Gruber
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Gruber.

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Gruber, W., Baehtz, C., Geue, T. et al. Isothermal differential dilatometry based on X-ray analysis applied to stress relaxation in thin ion-beam-sputtered Pt films. J Mater Sci 52, 1647–1660 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0458-7

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