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    A Study of the Effects of Electromigration on Structures at the Nanoscale

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    447.pdf (26.02Mb)
    Permanent Link
    http://hdl.handle.net/11603/1043
    Collections
    • UMBC Graduate School
    • UMBC Physics Department
    • UMBC Student Collection
    • UMBC Theses and Dissertations
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    Author/Creator
    Unknown author
    Date
    2009-01-01
    Type of Work
    application/pdf
    Text
    dissertations
    Department
    Physics
    Program
    Physics, Applied
    Rights
    This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/specoll/repro.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.edu.
    Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan through a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
    Subjects
    Electromigration
    instability
    mass transport
    Monte Carlo simulation
    nanowire
    step fluctuations
    Abstract
    This thesis summarizes a study of the effects of electromigration on nanoscale metallic structures. We have studied the impact of electromigration on two types of nanoscale systems, and as such the thesis naturally divides into two portions. In the first portion, consisting of Chapters 2-4, we investigate the effects of electromigration on fluctuating step edges. When there is no electromigration present, a step undergoing motion by atoms diffusing along its edge demonstrates power-law scaling in temporal correlation functions. This is verified by approximating the step as a continuum and using Langevin analysis, and the Langevin analysis is extended to include electromigration forces. Under electromigration conditions, specifically for electromigration forces directed into or out-of the step, we find theoretical deviations from the power-law scaling in the correlation function. We demonstrate this in two ways: through Monte Carlo simulation of step edges under electromigration conditions and through experimental measurements of current-stressed steps at the surface of Silver films. We found good phenomenological agreement with the theoretical expectations in both simulation and experiment, as well as good quantitative agreement in the results of the simulations. The second portion of the thesis, consisting of Chapters 5 and 6, detail an investigation of the effects of electromigration on the Rayleigh-Plateau instability in solid nanowires. We begin by deriving an equation of motion for a continuous cylinder and including an electromigration force along the symmetry axis of the cylinder. This is equivalent to a model of a nanowire carrying current, where the electromigration force is modeled as a constant. We find power-law scaling in the pinching process, though the effects of electromigration are to extend the life of the nanowire by prolonging the pinch-off. This is confirmed by conducting kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of Aluminum nanowires under electromigration conditions. We find good agreement with the continuum model for the exponent in the power-law scaling as well as the effect of electromigration on the time at which pinching occurs. We find evidence of self-similar behavior in the continuum model as well as in the simulations.


    Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
    University of Maryland, Baltimore County
    1000 Hilltop Circle
    Baltimore, MD 21250
    www.umbc.edu/scholarworks

    Contact information:
    Email: scholarworks-group@umbc.edu
    Phone: 410-455-3021


    If you wish to submit a copyright complaint or withdrawal request, please email mdsoar-help@umd.edu.

     

     

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    Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
    University of Maryland, Baltimore County
    1000 Hilltop Circle
    Baltimore, MD 21250
    www.umbc.edu/scholarworks

    Contact information:
    Email: scholarworks-group@umbc.edu
    Phone: 410-455-3021


    If you wish to submit a copyright complaint or withdrawal request, please email mdsoar-help@umd.edu.