In-situ investigation on the crystallization property and microstructure evolution induced by thermal annealing and electron beam irradiation of titanium antimony thin film

Abstract

The crystallization properties of tellurium-free Ti30Sb70 thin films were examined by in situ electrical resistance measurements. The amorphous-to-polycrystalline transformation and microstructure evolution of the Ti30Sb70 material induced by thermal annealing and electron beam irradiation were detected by transmission electron microscopy. The crystallized Ti30Sb70 thin film under the effect of thermal heating and electron beam exhibited nanoscale grains with a homogeneous distribution. The crystalline phase can be indexed as a rhombohedral Sb structure and the crystalline grains were surrounded by the amorphous phase. The Ti element may exist in the amorphous state and can be considered to destroy the long-range order lattice of Sb crystal grains. The unique structure contributed to the improvement of thermal stability and localization of atom diffusion in a nanoscale during the reversible phase transition process.