Electron Microscopic Observation on Sulphuration of Vacuum-Deposited Silver Films

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Abstract
Sulphuration process of vacuum-deposited silver films and orientation relationship between silver and its sulphide were examined by transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction method. Acanthite (β-Ag2S) crystals grew with a relation of (012)Ag2S//(001)Ag and Ag2S//Ag on the (001) single-crystal surface of silver, and with a relation of (012)Ag2S//(111)Ag and Ag2S//Ag on the (111) surface. The sulphide crystals were nucleated at random over the silver surface and the dislocations in silver did not seem to play any special role in the nucleation of sulphide. The crystals which appeared at stacking faults or twins were larger than those formed at the other sites. The films were often broken-down and transparent regions were observed. The sulphide crystals became such thick crystals as did not transmit the 100 kV electron beam. The results seem to show that a surface diffusion of silver is very fast even at room temperature and a factor controlling the growth of sulphide crystals.