STUDIES OF TIN NUCLEATION AND GROWTH BY SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPYIN WATER

In this article we report on investigations of the nucleation and grow th of TiN on tungsten by use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in distilled water. In water tip wear is significantly reduced and the S TM images are reproducible by successive scannings. Simultaneous measu rements of topography and tunneling barrier signals give new informati on on material compositions, which is supplementary to the results obt ained by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron micros copy combined with energy dispersive x-ray analysis and Auger electron spectroscopy. The combination of methods give an improved understandi ng of the nucleation and growth of TiN on W not available by the diffe rent methods separately.