PREPARATION OF ATOMICALLY SMOOTH ALUMINUM FILMS - CHARACTERIZATION BY TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

摘要

Atomically smooth aluminum films with thicknesses of about 200 nm were prepared by vacuum evaporation of Al on heated mica substrates at 250 and 350 degrees C. Characterization of the Rims by transmission electron microscopy and transmission electron diffraction showed that the films consist of single crystals about 300 nm in diameter with the (111) face. The crystals are oriented randomly along the [111] direction perpendicular to the substrate. Atomic force microscopy observation of the films gave the morphology and roughness of the film surfaces. It was found that the faces of the crystals of the films formed at 250 and 350 degrees C are atomically smooth and the root-mean-square roughness of the film surfaces is about 0.6 nm over an area of 1 mu m(2). [References: 35]