Synchrotron Characterization of Texture and Stress Evolution in Ag Films

Abstract

AbstractReal-time in-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements were performed at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source to characterize both the texture evolution and stresses within the individual texture components of Ag films during recrystallization. As deposited films had a nearly perfect (111) fiber texture. During isothermal anneals, stress and texture were characterized in real-time as the texture evolved into a strong (001) fiber. An Avrami analysis of the evolving texture fractions yielded very different activation energies for films on different barrier layers, suggesting different governing mechanisms were responsible for secondary grain growth. The strains were used to test a common model for texture prediction that assumes the same strain within each texture component. It was found that secondary (001) grains were able to grow primarily strain free. Selection for this strain energy minimizing orientation occurred during the nucleation process during which texture interactions play an important role. By using these real time measurements, we are able to show that driving forces for texture transformations in metal films may not be as simple previously described.