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The deposition of metal thin-film structures on dielectric or semiconductor substrates is important in a wide range of micro/nanofabrication applications (plasmonics, metamaterials, organic transistors, substrates for graphene growth, field effect devices).
The deposition of metal thin-film structures on dielectric or semiconductor substrates is important in a wide range of micro/nanofabrication applications (plasmonics, metamaterials, organic transistors, substrates for graphene growth, field effect devices).


Noble metals such as Au, Ag, and Pt are often used for the fabrication of these structures. Noble metals are preferred for their high thermal and electrical conductivities, strong and unique optical resonances in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum due to the resonant response of their free electrons to the electric field of light, and chemical inertness. However, their chemical inertness is also a problem during the fabrication process, because the layers adhere poorly to the substrate, leading to different phenomena like delamination, peeling and deterioration of device performance over time
Noble metals such as Au, Ag, and Pt are often used for the fabrication of these structures. Noble metals are preferred for their high thermal and electrical conductivities, strong and unique optical resonances in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum due to the resonant response of their free electrons to the electric field of light, and chemical inertness. However, their chemical inertness is also a problem during the fabrication process, because the layers adhere poorly to the substrate, leading to different phenomena like delamination, peeling and deterioration of device performance over time.


An empiric approach has been applied to the adhesion enhancement, leading to the application of extremely thin adhesion layers between the substrate and the noble metal films. The most used of these adhesion layers are transition metals like Ti and Cr, but the advantages of using these materials as adhesion layers are poorly understood.
An empiric approach has been applied to the adhesion enhancement, leading to the application of extremely thin adhesion layers between the substrate and the noble metal films. The most used of these adhesion layers are transition metals like Ti and Cr, but the advantages of using these materials as adhesion layers are poorly understood.
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image:Picture7.png|Fig. 4: TEM cross section images and 300x300 nm AFM images of the 2nm Cr/2nm Au sample (a-b) and of the 2nm Cr/20nm Au sample (c-d). </gallery>
image:Picture7.png|Fig. 4: TEM cross section images and 300x300 nm AFM images of the 2nm Cr/2nm Au sample (a-b) and of the 2nm Cr/20nm Au sample (c-d). </gallery>


To investigate the crystal orientation of the metal thin-films, tramsimission Kikuchi diffraction was used (Fig. 5a) (see [[LabAdviser/CEN/Nova NanoSEM 600/Transmission Kikuchi diffraction|Transmission Kikuchi diffraction]] for more information). The nanostructure of the 20nm Au film has a bimodal grain size distribution (Fig. 5b). While the smaller grains have different crystal orientations, the large grains (blue color) all have [111] orientation.
To investigate the crystal orientation of the metal thin-films, tramsimission Kikuchi diffraction was used (Fig. 5a) (see [[LabAdviser/314/Microscopy 314-307/SEM/Nova/Transmission Kikuchi diffraction|Transmission Kikuchi diffraction]] for more information). The nanostructure of the 20nm Au film has a bimodal grain size distribution (Fig. 5b). While the smaller grains have different crystal orientations, the large grains (blue color) all have [111] orientation.


Microstructural evolution and growth of metal thin-films deposited by physical vapor deposition on amorphous dielectric substrates follows island growth. The first thin-film growth step is the nucleation of small islands once the activation barrier and the critical nuclei size have been overcome. It is followed by a second step of island growth, during which the impinging atoms contribute to increase island size. The third step, usually happening simultaneously with step 2, is island coalescence, where a strong driving force is present for coarsening through surface atom diffusion and grain boundaries (GB) motion. During this process, the island growth is driven by the minimization of surface and interface energy.
Microstructural evolution and growth of metal thin-films deposited by physical vapor deposition on amorphous dielectric substrates follows island growth. The first thin-film growth step is the nucleation of small islands once the activation barrier and the critical nuclei size have been overcome. It is followed by a second step of island growth, during which the impinging atoms contribute to increase island size. The third step, usually happening simultaneously with step 2, is island coalescence, where a strong driving force is present for coarsening through surface atom diffusion and grain boundaries (GB) motion. During this process, the island growth is driven by the minimization of surface and interface energy.
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The samples with the adhesion layers and 20 nm Au layer were also analyzed. The addition of the adhesion layer had in both cases a profound impact on grain size and orientation of the Au film, as visible in Fig. 7a and 7c. The image shows small grains mainly oriented in the [111] crystal direction, with an average grain size of 40 nm for Ti (Fig. 7b) and 36 nm for Cr (Fig. 7d). During the collection of the TKD maps, only the Kikuchi patterns produced by the electron scattering from the Au layer were recorded and indexed. Cr and Ti layers did not contribute to the pattern formation due to two main reasons: i) they are too thin to produce enough scattered electrons and ii) they are
The samples with the adhesion layers and 20 nm Au layer were also analyzed. The addition of the adhesion layer had in both cases a profound impact on grain size and orientation of the Au film, as visible in Fig. 7a and 7c. The image shows small grains mainly oriented in the [111] crystal direction, with an average grain size of 40 nm for Ti (Fig. 7b) and 36 nm for Cr (Fig. 7d). During the collection of the TKD maps, only the Kikuchi patterns produced by the electron scattering from the Au layer were recorded and indexed. Cr and Ti layers did not contribute to the pattern formation due to two main reasons: i) they are too thin to produce enough scattered electrons and ii) they are
worse electron scattering centers tahn Au because they have a lower atomic number.
worse electron scattering centers than Au because they have a lower atomic number.


[[File:Picture8.png|300px|center|thumb|Fig. 7: TKD IPFZ maps of the growth direction and grain size distributions of the 2-Ti/20-Au sample (a-b) and of the 2-Cr/20-Au sample (c-d).]]
[[File:Picture8.png|300px|center|thumb|Fig. 7: TKD IPFZ maps of the growth direction and grain size distributions of the 2-Ti/20-Au sample (a-b) and of the 2-Cr/20-Au sample (c-d).]]
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