In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Imaging of Electromigration in Platinum Nanowires

Abstract

Abstract:In situ transmission electron microscopy was performed on the electromigration in platinum~Pt! nanowires~14 nm thick, 200 nm wide, and 300 nm long! with and without feedback control. Using the feedback control mode, symmetric electrodes are obtained and the gap usually forms at the center of the Pt nanowire. Without feedback control, asymmetric electrodes are formed, and the gap can occur at any position along the wire. The three-dimensional gap geometries of the electrodes in the Pt nanowire were determined using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy; the thickness of the nanowire is reduced from 14 nm to only a few atoms at the edge with a gap of about 5-10 nm.

In situ visualisation of electromigration in Pt nanobridges at elevated temperatures

“…2(d). This result corresponds to the experiments reported previously by our group and others [15,16].…”

Capillary origami of micro-machined micro-objects: Bi-layer conductive hinges

“…9. This value of current density is close to the reported values in the literature at which electromigration has been observed [39,40]. However, the failure could also be attributed to the high temperature induced by the high current density, which is linked to the degradation of platinum films [41].…”

In situ TEM study of reversible and irreversible electroforming in Pt/Ti:NiO/Pt heterostructures

“…Based on the width of the cone (30 nm base diameter), we estimate the maximum current density to be 3 × 10 7 A/cm 2 . Electromigration has been reported for Cu, Al, and Pt wires at current densities of the order of 1 × 10 6 A/cm 2 . In addition, simulations of the temperature distribution around nanoscale conducting bridges during electroforming of Pt/TiO 2 /Pt heterostructures suggest that Joule heating could significantly raise the local temperature greater than 323 °C .…”