Articles you may be interested inFormation of Pd nanocrystals in titanium-oxide film by rapid thermal annealing of reactively cosputtered TiPdO films J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 29, 021006 (2011); 10.1116/1.3549112 Thermal oxidation of polycrystalline tungsten nanowire J. Appl. Phys. 108, 094312 (2010); 10.1063/1.3504248 Relieving Sn whisker growth driven by oxidation on Cu leadframe by annealing and reflowing treatments J. Appl. Phys. 102, 043521 (2007); 10.1063/1.2770832 Room-temperature semiconductor gas sensor based on nonstoichiometric tungsten oxide nanorod film Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 213105 (2005); 10.1063/1.1929872X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy study on the thermal stability of WO 3 thin films Tungsten oxide whiskers were prepared on a tungsten thin film by oxidation with H 2 O and a subsequent annealing treatment at a temperature of over 900°C in a vacuum. The tungsten oxide formed by oxidation was transformed into smooth, straight whiskers with a monoclinic-crystalline structure after the vacuum annealing treatment. The whiskers showed an oxygen-deficient stoichiometry and a crystalline structure consistent with W 18 O 49 , which was dependent on the annealing temperature and vacuum used. The competition between the whisker growth and the dissociation of W oxide has a significant effect on the crystal shape, as well as the size of the whiskers. A change in the binding state during whisker formation indicates that some of the dissociated W oxide contributes to whisker formation and that crystalline whiskers are grown at nucleation sites through this process.

The effect of annealing on SiGe films was investigated using scanning photoelectron spectroscopy ͑SPEM͒. Films annealed at a temperature above 950°C in N 2 ambient show a drastic morphological change. The difference in the chemical state between an islandlike surface and flat surface is dependent on the Si and Ge contents. In addition, the chemical state of the flat surface is closely related to differences in Si and Ge content, resulting in a donutlike shape. The oxidation of Ge is suppressed during the annealing process because of the lower heat of formation of GeO 2 than for SiO 2 . Thus, differences in content and the extent of oxidation are major determinants of the chemical state in the islandlike shape. The characteristic donutlike shape reflects kinetic changes in the SiGe content during the annealing process.