Description: Composition-Constitution-Morphology Relationship of Al2O3 Thin Films Deposited by Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition

This title appears in the Scientific Report : 2009

Composition-Constitution-Morphology Relationship of Al2O3 Thin Films Deposited by Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition

We have studied the correlation between the chemical composition. constitution and morphology of Al2O3 using experimental and theoretical means. Combining scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron dispersive X-ray analysis and ab initio calculations, we have investigat...

Personal Name(s):	Snyders, R.
	Jiang, K. / Music, D. / Konstantinidis, St. / Markus, T. / Reinholdt, A. / Mayer, J. / Schneider, M.
Contributing Institute:	Werkstoffstruktur und Eigenschaften; IEF-2 JARA-ENERGY; JARA-ENERGY
Published in:	Surface and coatings technology, 204 (2009)
Imprint:	Amsterdam [u.a.] Elsevier Science 2009
DOI:	10.1016/j.surfcoat.2009.07.019
Document Type:	Journal Article
Research Program:	Rationelle Energieumwandlung
Series Title:	Surface and Coatings Technology 204
Subject (ZB):	J PECVD alumina Cl incorporation Bubble formation Ab initio calculations
	Publikationsportal JuSER

Please use the identifier: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2009.07.019 in citations.

We have studied the correlation between the chemical composition. constitution and morphology of Al2O3 using experimental and theoretical means. Combining scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron dispersive X-ray analysis and ab initio calculations, we have investigated the formation of pores. Desorption measurements show chlorine release from gamma- and alpha-alumina films. Based on ab initio calculations, we have established that Cl can be incorporated in both gamma- and alpha-alumina. Furthermore, two Cl atoms are likely to agglomerate since the total energy is reduced, compared to an unagglomerated configuration. We propose that Cl agglomeration is the first step towards Cl-2 formation and subsequent precipitation and bubble formation. It can be learned that the Cl incorporation has to be minimized during growth of dense alumina coatings. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.