Search Results (3)

The characterization of scanning tip morphology is crucial for accurate linewidth measurements. Conventional rectangular characterizers are affected by lateral distortion caused by the nonlinearities in AFM scanning, leading to errors between the actual characterization results and the true values. In this study, we innovatively developed self-traceable two-dimensional nano-gratings using chromium atomic deposition technology and extreme ultraviolet interference lithography. We used this structure as a characterizer for conducting scanning tip characterizations.This paper analyzed the periodic stability of the grating sample during scanning and corrected the lateral distortion of atomic force microscopy (AFM) at scan scales of 0.5 µm and 1 µm based on its self-traceable characteristics. Additionally, we extracted the angle information of the scanning tip in the X direction and Y direction within a scan scale of 0.5 µm. The results demonstrate that the two-dimensional grating sample exhibited excellent periodic stability during scanning. The characterization errors for the tip’s X direction and Y direction angles are within ±2°, showing high consistency. This study highlights that self-traceable two-dimensional grating samples have the capability for in situ bidirectional characterization of tip information, providing a creative solution for the development of new-style tip characterizers. Full article

Cr/low-carbon steel surface composites were prepared by aqueous solution co-deposition and high-temperature solid-state diffusion technology, and the macro rule of the solid-state diffusion of chromium on the surface of low-carbon steel was analyzed. The molecular dynamics (MD) method was used to simulate and calculate the diffusion process of the Cr/Fe interface, and the macro and micro diffusion mechanisms were analyzed. The results show that the diffusion of the chromium in iron is the combined action of the temperature, crystal structure and lattice distortion, and the diffusion coefficients of chromium in α-Fe and γ-Fe have little difference. The vacancy diffusion mechanism of the first adjacent transition is the main diffusion mode. In practice, chromium atoms diffuse along the grain boundaries of the low-carbon steel matrix and provide pinning at the grain boundaries to prevent grain growth. The simulation law is in good agreement with the experimental law. The variation law of the average diffusion coefficient of chromium atoms with temperature is obtained. The diffusion rate of chromium in the bcc crystal structure is obviously higher than that in the fcc crystal structure. In the same crystal structure, the diffusion coefficient of chromium increases with the increase in temperature. However, in the lattice transition temperature region, the diffusion coefficient of chromium gradually decreases with the increase in temperature until the end of the transformation. Full article

Chromium (III) oxide is a technologically interesting material with attractive chemical, catalytic, magnetic and mechanical properties. It can be produced by different chemical and physical methods, for instance, by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition, thermal decomposition of chromium nitrate Cr(NO₃)₃ or ammonium dichromate (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇, magnetron sputtering and atomic layer deposition. The latter method was used in the current work to deposit Cr₂O₃ thin films with thicknesses from 28 to 400 nm at deposition temperatures from 330 to 465 °C. The phase composition, crystallite size, hardness and modulus of elasticity were measured. The deposited Cr₂O₃ thin films had different structures from X-ray amorphous to crystalline α-Cr₂O₃ (eskolaite) structures. The averaged hardness of the films on SiO₂ glass substrate varied from 12 to 22 GPa and the moduli were in the range of 76–180 GPa, as determined by nanoindentation. Lower values included some influence from a softer deposition substrate. The results indicate that Cr₂O₃ could be a promising material as a mechanically protective thin film applicable, for instance, in micro-electromechanical devices. Full article