Electron microscopy observation of whiskers and hillocks formed on an Al film deposited on to a glass substrate

Hillocks and whiskers formed on an Al film deposited on to a glass substrat e have been characterized by plan-view as well as cross-sectional transmiss ion electron microscopy. Most of the hillocks and whiskers were nucleated i n the middle of the bottom grains and few dislocations were observed inside the bottom grains. Hillocks inherit the orientations from the bottom grain s, while whiskers do not. A new formation mechanism of hillocks and whisker s where surface diffusion and impurity-enhanced grain-boundary diffusion pl ay important roles has been proposed.