Quantum Confinement Drives Macroscopic Stress Oscillations at the Initial Stage of Thin Film Growth

David Flötotto, Zumin Wang, Lars P. H. Jeurgens, and Eric J. Mittemeijer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 045501 – Published 27 July 2012
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Abstract

Functionalization of thin-film heterostructures on the basis of their electrical, optical and magnetic properties, requires precise control of the film stresses that develop during the growth process. By using real-time in situ stress measurements, the present study reveals strikingly that the in-plane film stress oscillates with increasing film thickness at the initial stage of epitaxial Al(111) film growth on a Si(111)3×3Al surface, with a periodicity of 2 times the Fermi wavelength of bulk Al and a stress variation from maximum to minimum as large as 100 MPa. Such macroscopic stress oscillations are shown to be caused by quantum confinement of the free electrons in the ultrathin epitaxial metal film. The amplitude, period, and phase of the observed stress oscillations are consistent with predictions based on the free electron model and continuum elasticity.

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  • Received 18 April 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.045501

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

David Flötotto1, Zumin Wang1,*, Lars P. H. Jeurgens1,†, and Eric J. Mittemeijer1,2

  • 1Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (formerly Max Planck Institute for Metals Research), Heisenbergstraße 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 2Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany

  • *Corresponding author. z.wang@is.mpg.de
  • Present address: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 4 — 27 July 2012

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