Grain boundary segregation in multicrystalline silicon: correlative characterization by EBSD, EBIC, and atom probe tomography

Stoffers, Andreas; Cojocaru‐Mirédin, Oana; Seifert, W.; Zaefferer, Stefan; Riepe, Stephan; Raabe, Dierk

doi:10.1002/pip.2614

Cited by 85 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…28,29) As a result, the lack of electrical and chemical activities of coherent GBs is generally accepted. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Furthermore, the effects of the GB structure on the characteristic variations in I ON and V th shown in Fig. 4(c) are discussed.…”

Section: Nbd-2di and Analysismentioning

confidence: 98%

Individual analysis of inter and intragrain defects in electrically characterized polycrystalline silicon nanowire TFTs by multicomponent dark-field imaging based on nanobeam electron diffraction two-dimensional mapping

Asano¹,

Takaishi²,

Oda³

et al. 2018

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.

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We visualize the grain structures for individual nanosized thin film transistors (TFTs), which are electrically characterized, with an improved data processing technique for the dark-field image reconstruction of nanobeam electron diffraction maps. Our individual crystal analysis gives the oneto-one correspondence of TFTs with different grain boundary structures, such as random and coherent boundaries, to the characteristic degradations of ON-current and threshold voltage. Furthermore, the local crystalline uniformity inside a single grain is detected as the difference in diffraction intensity distribution.

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Section: Nbd-2di and Analysismentioning

confidence: 98%

Individual analysis of inter and intragrain defects in electrically characterized polycrystalline silicon nanowire TFTs by multicomponent dark-field imaging based on nanobeam electron diffraction two-dimensional mapping

Asano¹,

Takaishi²,

Oda³

et al. 2018

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.

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“…Taken from the work of Stoffers et al [13,14]. Figure 4 shows an example where Mn is strongly segregated to dislocations and grain boundaries.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The systematic manipulation of lattice defects through their trapping effect on solutes and associated means of modifying them in terms of confined ordering or transformation effects requires characterization methods that are suited to probe such phenomena at sufficiently high chemical, spatial and crystallographic resolution [3, [8][9][10][11][12][13]. Such correlative characterization of lattice defects can be achieved by the use of atom probe tomography in concert with scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy and/or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) [1, 8,11].…”

Section: Probing Grain Boundary Segregation By Correlative Atom Probementioning

confidence: 99%

1 billion tons of nanostructure – segregation engineering enables confined transformation effects at lattice defects in steels

Raabe

Ponge

Wang

et al. 2017

IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng.

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Abstract. The microstructure of complex steels can be manipulated by utilising the interaction between the local mechanical distortions associated with lattice defects, such as dislocations and grain boundaries, and solute components that segregate to them. Phenomenologically these phenomena can be interpreted in terms of the classical Gibbs adsorption isotherm, which states that the total system energy can be reduced by removing solute atoms from the bulk and segregating them at lattice defects. Here we show how this principle can be utilised through appropriate heat treatments not only to enrich lattice defects by solute atoms, but also to further change these decorated regions into confined ordered structural states or even to trigger localized decomposition and phase transformations. This principle, which is based on the interplay between the structure and mechanics of lattice defects on the one hand and the chemistry of the alloy's solute components on the other hand, is referred to as segregation engineering. In this concept solute decoration to specific microstructural traps, viz. lattice defects, is not taken as an undesired effect, but instead seen as a tool for manipulating specific lattice defect structures, compositions and properties that lead to beneficial material behavior. Owing to the fairly well established underlying thermodynamic and kinetic principles, such local decoration and transformation effects can be tuned to proceed in a self-organised manner by adjusting (i) the heat treatment temperatures for matching the desired trapping, transformation or reversion regimes, and (ii) the corresponding timescales for sufficient solute diffusion to the targeted defects. Here we show how this segregation engineering principle can be applied to design selforganized nano-and microstructures in complex steels for improving their mechanical properties.

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“…In multicrystalline Silicon (mc-Si), coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries and trace impurities are degrading the electrical performance by promoting charge carrier recombination [4]. Our study gives an unprecedented view in the connection of the grain boundary structure and the related impurity segregation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, recent atomic scale investigations confirmed structural transitions at these interfaces and thus the grain boundary itself can behave like a two-dimensional (2D) phase [2]. Furthermore, roughening or faceting transitions of the boundaries add a topological aspect to the description and properties of grain boundaries [3].In multicrystalline Silicon (mc-Si), coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries and trace impurities are degrading the electrical performance by promoting charge carrier recombination [4]. Our study gives an unprecedented view in the connection of the grain boundary structure and the related impurity segregation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Topological Impurity Segregation at Faceted Silicon Grain Boundaries Studied by Correlative Atomic-Resolution STEM and APT

et al. 2016

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Since the end of the 19 th century the detrimental effect of trace elements on the macroscopic materials properties has been observed [1]. However, the connection to the underlying microstructure was not possible to be resolved at that time. In the past two decades, our understanding of the interplay of lattice defects and local compositional modulations has dramatically changed. Especially the development of atomic resolution microscopy techniques established an unprecedented view into the chemistry and atomic structure of defects and interfaces. Most modern energy related materials are polycrystalline and hence internal interfaces such as grain boundaries largely dominate the macroscopic material behavior. Grain boundaries are separating two crystals with different orientation and are typically regarded as planar defects. However, recent atomic scale investigations confirmed structural transitions at these interfaces and thus the grain boundary itself can behave like a two-dimensional (2D) phase [2]. Furthermore, roughening or faceting transitions of the boundaries add a topological aspect to the description and properties of grain boundaries [3].In multicrystalline Silicon (mc-Si), coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries and trace impurities are degrading the electrical performance by promoting charge carrier recombination [4]. Our study gives an unprecedented view in the connection of the grain boundary structure and the related impurity segregation. The direct correlation of atomic resolution aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and 3D atom probe tomography unravels a topological segregation of Carbon (C) and Iron (FeN) at linear junctions of merging grain boundary facets. The facets are composed of alternating coherent and incoherent grain boundary segments observed for both 3 (Fig. 1a) and 9 (Fig. 2a) grain boundaries. The corresponding solute segregation of C and FeN for the same faceted 3 grain boundary is illustrated in Fig. 1b. It is obvious that both C and FeN are confined to regularly spaced, tubular regions that almost perfectly resemble the topological grain boundary structure.The proof of this topological segregation phenomenon is established by observing the atomic structure of a 9 grain boundary on an APT needle by STEM and a subsequent 3D chemical analysis of the same specimen in the atom probe. The corresponding STEM images and 3D APT reconstruction of C and FeN are illustrated in Fig. 2. The topology of the grain boundary follows the same sequence of alternating coherent and incoherent segments with length between 10 nm and 50 nm. The superimposed APT reconstruction on an annular bright-field (ABF) STEM image of the APT tip confirms the segregation of C, Fe and N to the line segment of two merging grain boundary facets. An outlook on the involved mechanisms leading to this novel segregation phenomenon will be given and the influence of the local strain state at the facet junctions will be discussed in detail.https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi

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Grain boundary segregation in multicrystalline silicon: correlative characterization by EBSD, EBIC, and atom probe tomography

Cited by 85 publications

References 53 publications

Individual analysis of inter and intragrain defects in electrically characterized polycrystalline silicon nanowire TFTs by multicomponent dark-field imaging based on nanobeam electron diffraction two-dimensional mapping

Individual analysis of inter and intragrain defects in electrically characterized polycrystalline silicon nanowire TFTs by multicomponent dark-field imaging based on nanobeam electron diffraction two-dimensional mapping

1 billion tons of nanostructure – segregation engineering enables confined transformation effects at lattice defects in steels

Topological Impurity Segregation at Faceted Silicon Grain Boundaries Studied by Correlative Atomic-Resolution STEM and APT

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