Size-dependent structural characteristics of thin bismuth films

• Published in: Thin solid films 1992-03, Vol.209 (1), p.32-37
• Main Authors: Ramadan, A.A., El-Shabiny, A.M., El-Sayed, N.Z.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Metals. Metallurgy; Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface and interface dynamics and vibrations; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-6090(92)90006-W

Bismuth thin films in the thickness range from 10 to 200 nm were deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation. The films were investigated by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. No anomalous dependence of the structural features on the film thickness was observed but only a normal monotonic variation. All the samples were polycrystalline with a high degree of preferred orientation. The [0001] H or [111] R fibre texture was against heat treatment. The residual strain decreased abruptly with increasing thickness up to 30 nm while the grain size increased up to a thickness of 100 nm and then exhibits almost no further change. The substructure within the individual grain, such as twining and/or stacking faults, was considered on the basis of the large values of grain size revealed by direct observation with transmission electron microscopy compared with those obtained from X-ray diffraction line profile analysis. A structure-properties (electrical) intercorrelation was proved.