Interaction of micro-discharges in heptane with metallic multi-layers

Interaction of discharges in heptane with magnetron-sputtered thin films made of aluminum, copper or iron is studied in a pin-to-plate configuration. The behavior of discharges on thin films can be used to better understand the interaction of discharges with given surfaces and it might also improve the reproducibility of the impacts in order to better control their shape. Single layers and bilayers of metals are characterized after impact by SEM, AFM, micro-EDX and nano-SIMS analyses. Discharges last typically for a few hundreds of nanoseconds and dissipated energies range between 1 and 100 mJ. We show that at low impact energy, copper and aluminum are heated and stretched by surface stress. At intermediate energy, melting occurs, leading to the synthesis of external beads by Marangoni's convection. At high energy, the shape of the impact is defined by the pressure release when the discharge stops. When iron is deposited onto silicon, dewetting is an important mechanism. The columnar structure of the deposit may have two distinct roles. On the one hand, gases trapped in intercolumnar boundaries can produce tiny holes. On the other hand, the shock wave can abrade the outermost and less cohesive part of the film if it is made of columns separated by large porosities.