Abstract

Chromium films with a thickness of 10–40 nm deposited onto silicon substrates by magnetron sputtering are subjected to the action of electric current induced by the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever in air under regular environmental conditions. The melting process at the nanoscale, electric field-induced migration of material, and the chemical reaction of chromium oxidation that occur in melt craters formed around the region affected by the current are investigated using optical and scanning electron microscopies, AFM, and Raman spectroscopy. The flow of melted material induced by electric current is accompanied by the formation and motion of an array of spherical nanoparticles in the melt crater along its periphery. We propose that the formation of nanodrop array at relatively low current densities can be explained by the chromium oxidation reaction and the surface tension of melted material on the silicon substrate.

中文翻译：

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铬薄膜中的熔化和电迁移

摘要

通过磁控溅射沉积在硅基板上的厚度为10–40 nm的铬膜在正常环境条件下，在空气中经受原子力显微镜（AFM）悬臂尖端感应的电流作用。使用光学和扫描电子显微镜，原子力显微镜和拉曼光谱法研究了纳米级的熔化过程，电场诱导的材料迁移以及在受电流影响的区域周围形成的熔融火山口中发生的铬氧化的化学反应。由电流感应的熔融材料的流动伴随着球形纳米颗粒在熔融弹坑内沿其外围形成和运动。