Electron postgrowth irradiation of platinum-containing nanostructures grown by electron-beam-induced deposition from Pt(PF3)4

Botman, A.; Hagen, C.W.; Li, J.; Thiel, B.L.; Dunn, K.A.; Mulders, J.J.L.; Randolph, S.; Toth, M.

doi:doi:10.1116/1.3253551

Electron postgrowth irradiation of platinum-containing nanostructures grown by electron-beam-induced deposition from Pt(PF3)4

Title

Electron postgrowth irradiation of platinum-containing nanostructures grown by electron-beam-induced deposition from Pt(PF3)4

Author

Botman, A.
Hagen, C.W.
Li, J.
Thiel, B.L.
Dunn, K.A.
Mulders, J.J.L.
Randolph, S.
Toth, M.

Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

IST/Imaging Science and Technology

Date

2009-12-02

Abstract

The material grown in a scanning electron microscope by electron beam-induced deposition (EBID) using Pt(PF3)4 precursor is shown to be electron beam sensitive. The effects of deposition time and postgrowth electron irradiation on the microstructure and resistivity of the deposits were assessed by transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction, and four-point probe resistivity measurements. The microstructure, notably the platinum nanocrystallite grain size, is shown to evolve with electron fluence in a controllable manner. The resistivity was observed to decrease as a result of postgrowth electron irradiation, with the lowest observed value of 215±15????cm. The authors demonstrate that electron beam-induced changes in microstructure can be caused using electron fluences similar to those used during the course of EBID and suggest that the observed effects can be used to tailor the microstructure and functionality of deposits grown by EBID in situ without breaking vacuum.

Subject

crystallites
electrical resistivity
electron beam deposition
electron beam effects
grain size
nanostructured materials,
platinum compounds
scanning electron microscopy
transmission electron microscopy
tetrakis trifluorophosphine platinum (CAS 19529-53-4)