In situ AFM, XRD and Resistivity Studies of the Agglomeration of Sputtered Silver Nanolayers

In situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and resistivity studies have been made for RF cathode-sputtered silver nanolayers on different oxide surfaces during heating between room temperature and 400°C. Our earlier AFM and resistivity measurements revealed the agglomeration of layers during heating. The present in situ AFM, XRD and resistivity measurements show a sudden rapid agglomeration of the sputtered ultra-thin silver nanolayers during heating at specific temperatures, which depend on the layer thickness. When the AFM picturing was initiated from a layer surface at a temperature slightly below the specific agglomeration temperature of the layer, the AFM tip excited the surface starting the agglomeration in the area under picturing. This tip-assisted agglomeration phenomenon made it possible to restrict the area of agglomeration and to produce sub-micron structures in the silver nanolayer by AFM.