Ar+ ion irradiation induced grain growth in Au and Pt thin films

Abstract A comparative study of Ar ion irradiation induced grain growth in Au and Pt thin films (40 nm) has been conducted by transmission electron microscopy. The grain growth rate in Au is about 3.5 times greater than that in Pt films. The saturated grain size in Au film is approximately 130 nm, more than 3 times larger than its film thickness, while the saturated grain size in Pt film is comparable to its film thickness. No secondary grains emerge after irradiation and post-annealing, in contrast with the secondary grain growth in thermally annealed Au and Pt films. Analogous to thermally-induced grain growth, the differences in the growth rates for the irradiated Au and Pt films can be modeled as differences in atomic mobility.