CURRENT-INDUCED SURFACE DISLOCATIONS ON THIN GOLD-FILMS

The appearance and evolution of surface dislocations on the surface of flame-annealed gold films due to current stressing (electromigration) are studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. Many line dislocatio ns are present on the surface of such films, probably formed during th e annealing process. Yet, at room temperature, with no current stressi ng, the formation of new surface dislocations is rare. When a current is applied through the film, new line dislocations often emerge. The n ew dislocations run predominantly in directions close to that of the c urrent, and usually appear in correlation with the onset of the curren t. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.