The Origin and Implications of (111)-Textured Grains Obtained via Nucleation and Growth of Solids in Pulsed-Laser-Quenched Al Films on SiO₂

Abstract

We have investigated excimer laser irradiation of 2000-Å-thin as-deposited Al films on SiO 2 . Microstructural analysis of the irradiated films conducted with AFM and EBSD techniques reveals that there exists a wide energy density interval over which large equaxed grains with a strong (111) texture are obtained. Based on thermal, transformational, and microstructural considerations, we propose a heterogeneous nucleation model to account for the observed behaviors, and discuss the implication of the model on the phenomenon of heterogeneous nucleation of crystalline solids in condensed systems as regards the thermodynamic role played by the orientation of subcritical clusters.

Resolving Bulk and Grain Boundary Transport Properties of TiO2 Thin Films Enabled by Laser‐Induced Anisotropic Morphology

“…Thin film processing methods based on laser‐induced melting and solidification have been employed for tailoring the microstructure of Si12 and metallic films such as Al13 and NiTi 14. These methods, however, have not been applied before to ceramic films because of their brittleness and high melting temperatures.…”