Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization and control of microstructure in combinatorially prepared aluminum-silicon thin film nanocomposites

  • Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the application of thin film combinatorial deposition methods to systematically control the microstructure of AlxSi(1−x) alloys through variations in composition and growth temperature. Discrete libraries of compositionally graded films have been sputter deposited onto silicon substrates to produce two structural phase regions: amorphous a-(Al-Si) and amorphous a-Si plus crystalline c-Al. The microstructure was investigated using x-ray diffraction while atomic force microscopy techniques were used to obtain surface morphology and phase distribution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Cibula: The mechanism of grain refinement of sand castings in aluminum alloys. J. Inst. Met. 76, 3211949–1950.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. A.K. Rao Prasada, K. Das, B.S. Murty, M. Chakraborty: Effect of grain refinement on wear properties of Al and Al–7Si alloy. Wear 257, 148 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. D.G. McCartney: Grain refining of aluminum and its alloys using inoculants. Int. Mater. Rev. 34, 247 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. C. Subramanian: Some considerations towards the design of a wear resistant aluminum alloy. Wear 155, 193 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. D. Casellas, A. Beltran, J.M. Prado, A. Larson, A. Romero: Microstructural effects on the dry wear resistance of powder metallurgy Al–Si alloys. Wear 257, 730 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. T.J. Konno, R. Sinclair: In situ HREM of crystallization reactions. Mater. Chem. Phys. 35, 99 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. R. Cremer, S. Richter: Rapid chemical and structural characterization of metastable thin-film libraries by a combination of electron probe microanalysis and scanning x-ray diffract. Surf. Interface Anal. 34, 686 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. F. Bellamy: High throughput synthesis (combinatorial chemistry) in the pharmaceutical industry. Actual Chimique 9, 4 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  9. X.D. Xiang, X. Sun, G. Briceno, Y. Lou, K. Wang, H. Chang, Wallace-W.G. Freedman, S. Chen, P. Schultz: A combinatorial approach to materials discovery. Science 268, 1738 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R. Schlogl: Combinatorial electrochemical synthesis and screening of Pt–WO3 catalysts for electro-oxidation of methanol. Angew. Chem. 37, 2333 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. J. Wang, Y. Yoo, C. Gao, I. Takeuchi, X. Sun, H. Chang, X.D. Xiang, P. Schultz: Identification of a blue photoluminescent composite material from a combinatorial library. Science 279, 1712 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. H. Chang, C. Gao, I. Takeuchi, Y. Yoo, J. Wang, P. Schultz, X.D. Xiang, R.P. Sharma, M. Downes, T. Venkatesan: Combinatorial synthesis and high throughput evaluation of ferroelectric/dielectric thin-film libraries for microwave applications. Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 2185 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. H.M. Reichenbach, P.J. McGinn: Combinatorial synthesis of oxide powders. J. Mater. Res. 16, 967 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. C.H. Olk, G.G. Tibbetts, D. Simon, J.J. Moleski: Combinatorial preparation and infrared screening of hydrogen sorbing metal alloys. J. Appl. Phys. 94, 720 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. J. Hanak: Multiple-sample concept in materials research: Synthesis, compositional analysis and testing of entire multicomponent systems. J. Mater. Sci. 5, 964 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. J. Hanak: A quantum leap in the development of new materials and devices. Appl. Surf. Sci. 223, 1 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. G. Briceño, H. Chang, X. Sun, P.G. Schultz, X.D. Xiang: Class of cobalt oxide magnetoresistance materials discovered with combinatorial synthesis. Science 270, 273 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. X.D. Xiang: High throughput synthesis and screening for functional materials. Appl. Surf. Sci. 223, 54 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. J.C. Zhao: A combinatorial approach for efficient mapping of phase diagrams and properties. J. Mater. Res. 16, 1565 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. H. Koinuma, I. Takeuchi: Combinatorial solid-state chemistry of inorganic materials. Nat. Mater. 3, 429 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Combinatorial Materials Syntheses, edited by I. Takeuchi and X.D. Xiang Marcel Dekker New York(2003).

  22. U. Koster, P. Weiss: Crystallization and decomposition of amorphous silicon-aluminum films. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 17, 359 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. D. Dimova-Malinovska, V. Grigorov, M. Nikolaeva-Dimitrova, O. Angelov, N. Peev: Investigation of structural properties of poly-Si thin films obtained by Al induced crystallization in different atmospheres. Thin Solid Films 501, 358 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. J. Klein, J. Schneider, M. Muske, S. Gail, W. Fuhs: Aluminuminduced crystallization of amorphous silicon: Influence of the aluminum layer on the process. Thin Solid Films 451–452, 481 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. M. Naka, T. Shibayanagi, M. Maeda, S. Zhao, H. Mori: Formation and physical properties of Al base alloys by sputtering. Vacuum 59, 252 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Z. Shao, J. Mou, D. Czajkowsky, J. Yang, J. Yuan: Biological atomic force microscopy: What is achieved and what is needed. Adv. Phys. 45, 1 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. G.K.H. Pang, K.Z. Baba-Kishi, A. Patel: Topographic and phase-contrast imaging in atomic force microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 81, 35 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Q. Zhong, D. Inniss, V.B. Elings: Self-oscillating tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Surf. Sci. 290, L688 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Y. Kim, C.M. Lieber: Machining oxide thin films with an atomic force and object formation on the nanometer scale. Science 257, 375 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. R.G. Winkler, J.P. Spatz, S. Sheiko, M. Moller, P.R. Reineker, O. Marti: Forces affecting the substrate in resonant tapping force microscopy. Phys. Rev. B 54, 8908 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. H. Watanabe, Y. Sato, C. Nie, A. Ando, S. Ohtani, N. Iwamoto: The mechanical properties and microstructure of Ti–Si–N nanocomposite films by ion plating. Surf. Coat. Technol. 169–170, 452 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Y.G. Shen, Z.J. Liu, N. Jiang, H.S. Zhang, K.H. Chan, Z.K. Xu: Effect of silicon addition on surface morphology and structural properties of titanium nitride films grown by reactive unbalanced direct current-magnetron sputtering. J. Mater. Res. 19, 523 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. R. Cremer, D. Neuschutz: Optimization of (Ti, Al)N hard coatings by a combinatorial approach. Inter. J. Inorg. Mater. 3, 1181 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. S.M. Han, R. Shah, R. Banerjee, G.B. Viswanathan, B.M. Clemens, W.D. Nix: Combinatorial studies of mechanical properties of Ti–Al thin films using nanoindentation. Acta Mater. 53, 2059 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials and Processes Laboratory, General Motors Research and Development Center, Warren, Michigan, 48090, USA

    C. H. Olk & D. B. Haddad

Authors
  1. C. H. Olk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. B. Haddad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. H. Olk.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Olk, C.H., Haddad, D.B. Characterization and control of microstructure in combinatorially prepared aluminum-silicon thin film nanocomposites. Journal of Materials Research 21, 1221–1228 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2006.0164

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2006.0164

Search

Navigation