Nano-scale microscopy analysis of thermally activated Co nanoparticles embedded within Sb matrix.

摘要

Scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) have become a crucial tool for studying particles in the nano-range. SPMs and TEM provide valuable information about the structure and properties of nanoscale particles.;We used e-beam evaporator to produce several thin films that made of varying cobalt thicknesses (0.5 nm, 1.0 nm, and 5.0 nm). The SPMs and TEM were used to image the multilayer films. Images were taken before and after thermal annealing the films to study the effect of heat on the structure of the Co nanoparticles embedded in the Sb.;Our results have shown a change in the surface morphology of the thin films. The particle sizes and height were increased after annealing thin films at about 400 K. Also, we have observed that some of the particles were drifting from their location to be near to their neighbors.