Reactions of thin film bilayers of nickel on silicon-germanium alloys

Solid state reactions between 1000A thick Nickel films and 4000A thick amorphous Si$\sb{\rm 1-x}$Ge$\sb{\rm x}$ films, deposited with the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) technique, are examined with the novel use of two in-situ analytical techniques: An in-situ 4-point probe resistance measurement, done during vacuum annealing of the bilayers, yields information about changes in the whole electrically conductive volume of the film structure. In-situ X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is also done during vacuum annealing of the bilayer structure, and yields information about phase changes that occur at the surface of the sample. The combination of cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses of specifically heat treated samples with the in-situ measurements allows identification of: the first phase to form, the phase formation sequence, the kinetics of phase formation, and the primary diffusing species.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Materials Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Patterson, John Kenneth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rockett, Angus A.

• Engineering, Metallurgy
• Engineering, Materials Science

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1995 Patterson, John Kenneth

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9543692
(UMI)AAI9543692

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21693