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In situ observation of electromigration in micrometre‐sized gold stripes by scanning force microscopy
Author(s) -
de Pablo P. J.,
Asenjo A.,
Colchero J.,
Serena P. A.,
GómezHerrero J.,
Baró A. M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9918(200008)30:1<278::aid-sia784>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - electromigration , hillock , nanometre , anode , materials science , current density , mass transport , nanoscopic scale , in situ , cathode , nanotechnology , microscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , optics , composite material , electrode , physics , engineering physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , chromatography
In the present study we evaluate the morphology changes in evaporated gold thin stripes of micrometre sizes under high current densities. Using scanning force microscopy to image the time evolution of the metallic stripe, we obtain clear evidence of electromigration by an in situ observation of mass transport from cathode to anode. This mass transport is correlated with the formation of hillocks and voids, which present a spatial distribution that also indicates the influence of temperature gradients. Thus, we introduce a new technique to characterize, in a quantitative manner, the electromigration phenomena as a function of current density, temperature, etc. at the nanometre scale. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.