NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikZeitschriftenartikel
Christoph Metzke, Fabian Kühnel, Jonas Weber, Günther Benstetter
Scanning Thermal Microscopy of Ultrathin Films: Numerical Studies Regarding Cantilever Displacement, Thermal Contact Areas, Heat Fluxes, and Heat Distribution
Nanomaterials, vol. 11, no. 2
2021
DOI: 10.3390/nano11020491
Abstract anzeigen
New micro- and nanoscale devices require electrically isolating materials with specific thermal properties. One option to characterize these thermal properties is the atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) technique. It enables qualitative mapping of local thermal conductivities of ultrathin films. To fully understand and correctly interpret the results of practical SThM measurements, it is essential to have detailed knowledge about the heat transfer process between the probe and the sample. However, little can be found in the literature so far. Therefore, this work focuses on theoretical SThM studies of ultrathin films with anisotropic thermal properties such as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and compares the results with a bulk silicon (Si) sample. Energy fluxes from the probe to the sample between 0.6 µW and 126.8 µW are found for different cases with a tip radius of approximately 300 nm. A present thermal interface resistance (TIR) between bulk Si and ultrathin h-BN on top can fully suppress a further heat penetration. The time until heat propagation within the sample is stationary is found to be below 1 µs, which may justify higher tip velocities in practical SThM investigations of up to 20 µms−1. It is also demonstrated that there is almost no influence of convection and radiation, whereas a possible TIR between probe and sample must be considered.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikZeitschriftenartikel
C. Niu, Y. Zhang, Y. Cui, X. Li, W. Liu, W. Ni, H. Fan, N. Lu, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei, D. Liu
Effect of temperature on the growth and surface bursting of He nano-bubbles in W under fusion-relevant He ion irradiations
Fusion Engineering and Design, vol. 163, no. Available online 26 December 2020
2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2020.112159
Abstract anzeigen
Under fusion-relevant He+ irradiations, the W surface temperature is one of the most important parameters for controlling the fuzz growth over the W divertor targets, which is associated with the surface bursting of He nano-bubbles. Using He reaction rate model in W, we investigate the effect of temperature on the growth and surface bursting of He nano-bubbles under low-energy (100 eV) and large-flux (∼1022/m2⋅s) He+ irradiations. Increasing the irradiation temperature from 750 to 2500 K leads to a significant change in both the radius of He nano-bubbles and He retention. At an elevated temperature, He solute atoms prefer to rapidly diffuse into He nano-bubbles, thus affecting their concentration, growth and surface bursting. The decrease in He retention is attributed to an increase in the hop rate of solute He atoms in the W top layer, resulting in the significant He release from the W surface. The radius and density of He nano-bubbles calculated by our model are consistent with our experimental observation.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikZeitschriftenartikel
W. Ni, Y. Zhang, Y. Cui, C. Niu, L. Liu, H. Fan, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei, D. Liu
The effect of fusion-relevant He ion flux on the evolution of He nano-bubbles in W
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, vol. 62, no. 6
2020
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6587/ab8242
Abstract anzeigen
Based on a He reaction rate model in W, we have analyzed the effect of fusion-relevant He+ flux on the evolution and surface bursting of He nano-bubbles in W. The concentrations of solute He atoms, trapped He atoms, and He nano-bubbles, and the radius of He nano-bubbles have been obtained as a function of depth, He+ dose, and He+ flux. He retentions in W are also calculated as the function of He+ dose and flux. Our modeling shows that the He+ flux varying from 5.0 × 1018 to 5.0 × 1024 m−2centerdots−1 significantly affects the concentration of solute He atoms diffusing in W and trapped He atoms, the evolution of He nano-bubbles, and He retention in W. Both the concentration and radius of He nano-bubbles in W show the dependence on He+ flux, and their surface bursting leads to an increase ($\Delta {A_{b - Burst}}$) in the W surface area, thus the growth of W nano-fuzz. When He+ flux increases 5.0 × 1018 to 5.0 × 1024m−2centerdots−1, the bursting rate of He nano-bubbles is greatly reduced, accompanied by an increase in $\Delta {A_{b - Burst}}$. However, $\Delta {A_{b - Burst}}$ is less dependent on the fusion-relevant He+ flux varying from 9.0 × 1020 to 1.6 × 1022m−2centerdots−1, which is consistent with the measured W nano-fuzz growth by He/D2 plasmas.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
H. Fan, Y. Zhang, D. Liu, C. Niu, L. Liu, W. Ni, Y. Xia, Z. Bi, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei
Tensile stress-driven cracking of W fuzz over W crystal under fusion-relevant He ion irradiations
Nuclear Fusion, vol. 60, no. 4
2020
DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ab71bb
Abstract anzeigen
Although W fuzz is formed in the divertor region of the fusion reactor, no theory may clearly explain the W fuzz growth mechanism. In this study, we observe the growth process of W fuzz over W crystal under ITER-relevant He ion irradiations. We propose the tensile stress-driven cracking of nano-structured fuzz during the initial growth of W fuzz. We demonstrate that the existence of tensile stress is due to the swelling of He nano-bubbles in the fuzz. After this cracking, the W fuzz breaks away from the planar network and grows over the W surface, where the micro-stress in the W surface layer acts as the driving force.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
Christoph Metzke, Werner Frammelsberger, Jonas Weber, Fabian Kühnel, K. Zhu, M. Lanza, Günther Benstetter
On the Limits of Scanning Thermal Microscopy of Ultrathin Films
Materials, vol. 13, no. 3
2020
DOI: 10.3390/ma13030518
Abstract anzeigen
Heat transfer processes in micro- and nanoscale devices have become more and more important during the last decades. Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based method for analyzing local thermal conductivities of layers with thicknesses in the range of several nm to µm. In this work, we investigate ultrathin films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), copper iodide in zincblende structure (γ-CuI) and some test sample structures fabricated of silicon (Si) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) using SThM. Specifically, we analyze and discuss the influence of the sample topography, the touching angle between probe tip and sample, and the probe tip temperature on the acquired results. In essence, our findings indicate that SThM measurements include artefacts that are not associated with the thermal properties of the film under investigation. We discuss possible ways of influence, as well as the magnitudes involved. Furthermore, we suggest necessary measuring conditions that make qualitative SThM measurements of ultrathin films of h-BN with thicknesses at or below 23 nm possible.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
W. Ni, L. Liu, Y. Zhang, C. Niu, H. Fan, G. Song, D. Liu, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei
Effect of intermittent He/D ion irradiations on W nano-fuzz growth over W targets
Vacuum, vol. 173, no. March
2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.vacuum.2019.109146
Abstract anzeigen
The intermittent He/D ion irradiations of polycrystalline W have been performed at the ion energy of 50 eV by changing the time of the single irradiations and the irradiation temperature. All irradiated W specimens have been observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the effect of intermittent He/D ion irradiations on the W fuzz growth has been analyzed. The W fuzz growth over W targets does not show the clear dependence on the intermittent He/D ion irradiations, where the He/D ion fluence of the single irradiations typically varies from 5.0 × 1024 to 2.5 × 1025/m2. However, a slight change in the W surface temperature during the single He ion irradiations significantly affects the W fuzz growth rate. Analysis indicates that W fuzz growth is significantly affected by the total He ion fluence varying from 5.0 × 1024 to 5.0 × 1025/m2 and the irradiation temperature varying from 1100 to 1450 K. This current study will play a crucial role in understanding the W fuzz growth under the periodic He/D ion irradiations of W divertor in fusion reactors, such as ELMs.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
Z. Bi, D. Liu, Y. Zhang, L. Liu, Y. Xia, Y. Hong, H. Fan, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei, L. Yan
The evolution of He nanobubbles in tungsten under fusion-relevant He ion irradiation conditions
Nuclear Fusion, vol. 59, no. 8
2019
DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ab2472
Abstract anzeigen
He-induced W nanofuzz growth over the W divertor target is one of the main limiting factors affecting the current design and development of fusion reactors. In this paper, based on He reaction rate model in W, we simulate the growth and evolution of He nanobubbles during W nanofuzz formation under fusion-relevant He+ irradiation conditions. Our modeling unveils the existence of He nanobubble-enriched W surface layer (<10 nm), formed due to the He diffusion in W crystal into defect sites. At an elevated temperature, the growth of He bubbles in the W surface layer prevents He atoms diffusing into the deep layer (>10 nm). The formation of W nanofuzz at the surface is attributed to surface bursting of high-density He bubbles with their radius of ~4 nm, and an increase in the surface area of irradiated W. Our findings have been well confirmed by the experimental measurements.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
W. Ni, L. Liu, Y. Zhang, H. Fan, G. Song, D. Liu, Günther Benstetter, G. Lei
Mass loss of pure W, W-Re alloys, and oxide dispersed W under ITER-relevant He ion irradiations
Journal of Nuclear Materials, vol. 527
2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151800
Abstract anzeigen
In this study, polycrystalline W, W-Re alloys, and La2O3 and Y2O3 dispersion-strengthened W have been irradiated by our large-power materials irradiation experimental system (LP-MIES) at the irradiation temperature of 1360–1460 K. Our measurements show that the W nano-fuzz layer which is < 5.2 μm thick has been formed over all the specimens exposed to the low-energy (50 or 100 eV) and high-flux (1.37 × 1022–1.62 × 1022 ions/m2⋅s) He+ irradiations. The mass loss of the fuzz layer almost linearly increases with the He+ fluence, which does not show any dependence on the thickness of fuzz layer varying from 1.1 to 5.2 μm La2O3 and Y2O3 dispersions into W significantly suppress the growth of W fuzz, indicating that He diffusion and the evolution of He nano-bubbles in the near-surface can be significantly influenced due to the dispersion. After He+ (100 eV) irradiation at He+ fluence of 5.83 × 1026/m2, the mass loss of 0.1 vol% - 1.0 vol% La2O3-dispersed W is about 20% lower than the one of the pure W, and the La2O3 dispersed W exhibits the best erosion resistance among various W material grades. Our analysis indicates that both the surface sputtering of W fuzz by energetic ions and surface bursting of He nano-bubbles can be responsible for the mass loss of W under ITER-relevant He+ irradiations.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
C. Wen, X. Jing, F. Hitzel, C. Pan, Günther Benstetter, M. Lanza
In Situ Observation of Current Generation in ZnO Nanowire Based Nanogenerators Using a CAFM Integrated into an SEM
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 11, no. 17, pp. 15183-15188
2019
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b00447
Abstract anzeigen
In this work, we monitor in situ the movement of ZnO piezoelectric nanowires by using a conductive atomic force microscope integrated into a scanning electron microscope. This setup allows seeing the bending of the nanowires and simultaneously measuring the currents generated. We conclude that the currents generated not only come from piezoelectric effect, but also from contact potential and triboelectric effect. These contributions have been ignored in all previous reports in this field, meaning that the power conversion efficiency of these devices may have been systematically overestimated. Our study helps to clarify the working mechanism of piezoelectric nanogenerators based on ZnO nanowires.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikF: Maschinenbau und MechatronikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
L. Jiang, Jonas Weber, F. Puglisi, P. Pavan, L. Larcher, Werner Frammelsberger, Günther Benstetter, M. Lanza
Understanding Current Instabilities in Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy
Materials, vol. 12, no. 3
2019
DOI: 10.3390/ma12030459
Abstract anzeigen
Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) is one of the most powerful techniques in studying the electrical properties of various materials at the nanoscale. However, understanding current fluctuations within one study (due to degradation of the probe tips) and from one study to another (due to the use of probe tips with different characteristics), are still two major problems that may drive CAFM researchers to extract wrong conclusions. In this manuscript, these two issues are statistically analyzed by collecting experimental CAFM data and processing them using two different computational models. Our study indicates that: (i) before their complete degradation, CAFM tips show a stable state with degraded conductance, which is difficult to detect and it requires CAFM tip conductivity characterization before and after the CAFM experiments; and (ii) CAFM tips with low spring constants may unavoidably lead to the presence of a ~1.2 nm thick water film at the tip/sample junction, even if the maximum contact force allowed by the setup is applied. These two phenomena can easily drive CAFM users to overestimate the properties of the samples under test (e.g., oxide thickness). Our study can help researchers to better understand the current shifts that were observed during their CAFM experiments, as well as which probe tip to use and how it degrades. Ultimately, this work may contribute to enhancing the reliability of CAFM investigations.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
L. Liu, S. Li, D. Liu, Günther Benstetter, O. Man, J. Michalicka, Y. Zhang, Y. Hong, H. Fan, W. Ni, Q. Yang, Y. Wu, Z. Bi
The effect of O2 impurity on surface morphology of polycrystalline W during low-energy and high-flux He+ irradiation
Fusion Engineering and Design, vol. 139, pp. 96-103
2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2019.01.003
Abstract anzeigen
The interaction between the impurities (such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) and the plasma-facing materials (PFMs) can profoundly influence the performance and service of the PFMs. In this paper, we investigated the influence of oxygen (O2) impurity in the helium radio frequency (RF) plasma on the surface morphology of polycrystalline tungsten (W) irradiated at the surface temperature of 1450 ± 50 K and the ion energy of 100 eV. The pressure ratio of O2 to He (R) in RF source varied from 4.0 × 10−6 to 9.0 × 10-2. The total irradiation flux and fluence were ˜1.2 × 1022 ions·m-2·s-1 and ˜1.0 × 1026 ions·m-2, respectively. After He+ irradiation, the specimen surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that with increasing R from 4.0 × 10−6 to 9.0 × 10-2 the thickness of nano-fuzz layer at the W surface was thinner and thinner, accompanied by the formation of rod-like structures. The erosion yield increased from 5.2 × 10-4 to 2.3 × 10-2 W/ion when R varied from 4.0 × 10-6 to 9.0 × 10-2. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that tungsten oxides were formed at the near surface of specimens when R exceeded 1.8 × 10-2. The erosion yield measurements revealed that in addition to surface physical sputtering process, the chemical erosion process could occur due to the interaction between oxygen-containing species and W at the surface. The results indicated that the presence of O2 impurity in He plasma can obviously affect the surface microstructure of W. The study suggested that O2 impurity can effectively reduce the growth of nano-fuzz structures.
NachhaltigF: Elektrotechnik und MedientechnikI: IQMAZeitschriftenartikel
S. Chen, L. Jiang, M. Buckwell, X. Jing, Y. Ji, E. Grustan-Gutierrez, Günther Benstetter, F. Hui, Y. Shi, M. Rommel, A. Paskaleva, W. Ng, A. Mehonic, A. Kenyon, M. Lanza
On the Limits of Scalpel AFM for the 3D Electrical Characterization of Nanomaterials
Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 28, no. 52
2018
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201802266
Abstract anzeigen
Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) has been widely used for electrical characterization of thin dielectrics by applying a gentle contact force that ensures a good electrical contact without inducing additional high‐pressure related phenomena (e.g., flexoelectricity, local heat, scratching). Recently, the CAFM has been used to obtain 3D electrical images of thin dielectrics by etching their surface. However, the effect of the high contact forces/pressures applied during the etching on the electrical properties of the materials has never been considered. By collecting cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy images at the etched regions, it is shown here that the etching process can modify the morphology of Al2O3 thin films (producing phase change, generation of defects, and metal penetration). It is also observed that this technique severely modifies the electrical properties of pSi and TiO2 wafers during the etching, and several behaviors ignored in previous studies, including i) observation of high currents in the absence of bias, ii) instabilities of etching rate, and iii) degradation of CAFM tips, are reported. Overall, this work should contribute to understand better the limitations of this technique and disseminate it among those applications in which it can be really useful.
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