Grain size distribution analysis in polycrystalline LiF thin films by mathematical morphology techniques on AFM images and X-ray diffraction data

The influence of the deposition temperature on the grain size of polycrysta lline lithium fluoride (LiF) thin films is studied using a mathematical mor phology method. On atomic force microscopy images of the LiF surface, the g rain sizes and shapes are determined by applying the watershed technique, t ogether with a shape factor algorithm. Also, the domain size of the film st ructure, determined by an X-ray diffraction data analysis, is compared and correlated with the mean grain size as a function of the deposition tempera ture. In both cases a linear increase with temperature and a very good agre ement among the two structural parameters (grain and domain size) was found .