Columnar And Nodular Growth Of Thin Films

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Abstract
For many dielectric and metallic thin films particularly those condensed by physical vapor deposition, a columnar structure can be disclosed by using microfractographical methods with the high resolution electron microscope. From a survey of experimental work and computer simulations of nucleation and growth of thin films, a simple model with the only assumptions of self-shadowing and immediate sticking of impinging particles (i.e. no relaxation or surface diffusion of adatoms or admolecules) is deduced which describes columnar growth adequately. With the same model nodular structures can also be obtained from computer simulations which are in good agreement with the experimental observations made with the scanning electron microscope. Hence, columnar and nodular growth can be concluded to have the same physical origin.

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