Microsc. Microanal. Microstruct. 8, 125-135 (1997)
DOI: 10.1051/mmm:1997111

Influence of Imaging Parameters and Specimen Thinning on Strain Measurements in Au/Ni MBE Multilayers by HREM Image Processing

Pascale Bayle-Guillemaud et Jany Thibault

CEA-Grenoble/Département de Recherche Fondamentale sur la Matière Condensée/SP2M, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France

Abstract
Experimental distortion profiles have been measured in strained Au/Ni MBE multilayers using a quantitative analysis of the HREM micrographs. In order to study the reliability of these measurements, similar analysis have been made on simulated HREM images of Au/Ni interfaces. It is found that the measured profiles are reliable only on a limited range of experimental conditions i.e. microscope defocus and specimen thicknesses. Furthermore, it will be shown that the presence of a mixed layer introduced by the ion beam thinning on both sides of the cross section specimen affects considerably the shape of the strain profile recorded on thin areas.

PACS
6865 - Low dimensional structures: growth, structure and nonelectronic properties.
6860 - Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic.
0780 - Electron and ion microscopes and techniques.
6116D - Electron microscopy determinations of structures.

Key words
electron microscopy -- gold -- lattice constants -- metallic superlattices -- molecular beam epitaxial growth -- nickel -- strain measurement -- imaging parameters -- specimen thinning -- strain measurements -- Au Ni MBE multilayers -- HREM image processing -- distortion profiles -- defocus -- Au Ni


© EDP Sciences 1997