Stress induced grain boundaries in thin Co layer deposited on Au and Cu

Tomasz Zientarski,Dariusz Chocyk

doi:10.1007/s00339-016-0432-x

Abstract

In this work, the structure and stress evolution in Co/Au and Co/Cu two-layer systems during deposition were studied. The growth of this system is evaluated by employing molecular dynamic simulations with potentials based on the embedded atom method theory. We used the kinematical scattering theory and the Ackland–Jones bond-angle method to the structural characterisation of deposited layers. In both systems, only compressive stress is observed during the deposition process and process relaxation of stress is visible. In Co/Au systems, creation of grains and grain boundaries is observed.

Highlights

The growth of thin metal layers of the material on different substrates may results in different changes in the stresses in these layers [1]
In this work, the structure and stress evolution in Co/Au and Co/Cu two-layer systems during deposition were studied. The growth of this system is evaluated by employing molecular dynamic simulations with potentials based on the embedded atom method theory
We performed a series of molecular dynamic simulations of growing Co films on Au and Cu substrate

Summary

Introduction

The growth of thin metal layers of the material on different substrates may results in different changes in the stresses in these layers [1]. Stress changes in the deposited layers are often accompanied by structural changes. The structural changes are one of the mechanisms that cause stress relaxation in the deposited layers. Understanding the relationship between changes of stress and structure is very important for the application of such systems. In one-layer systems, stress changes may be caused by reconstruction or formation of defects. For a variety of transition metals, such as Fe, Ni, or Co, the reconstruction process induces self-organised growth [2,3,4].

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