CAREER: Fundamental Aspects of Electrocrystallization Phenomena: An Experimental and Modeling Approach

0093154锌在电化学沉积(ECD)中的过程控制是一个具有挑战性的任务。需要对薄膜形成过程有一个基本的了解，才能开发出沉积变量对薄膜微结构影响的预测性定量模型。在这份职业资助金中，我们对一组具有代表性的电沉积系统的成核和生长过程进行了全面的研究，目的是开发一个这样的模型，从而为金属薄膜的ECD制造提供更好的工具。电化学技术产生关于生长过程的空间平均信息，显微/结构方法提供微观尺度的形态数据，它们结合在一起产生对模型体系电结晶行为的全面描述。这两种技术通过现场和实时监测金属的电响应以及成核和生长过程而独特地结合在一起，形成了用光刻方法制造的微米和纳米电极。实验工作与形核和生长过程的动力学蒙特卡罗模拟相结合，以量化金属类型、电解液化学和沉积变量对所得薄膜微结构的影响。实验结果被用来验证和改进数值模拟，所得到的模型被用来对电解液中的电结晶现象进行定量描述。电子捕获的理论、研究和实践将纳入阿拉巴马大学的本科生和研究生材料工程课程，目的是提高学生在电子捕获技术和应用领域的技能和创造性思维。本科生将接触到这一领域的实验项目。将致力于招收和留住少数群体以及经济和社会风险学生。研究生将有机会参加一门关于ECD理论和实践的高度跨学科的课程，课程中将有实验室课程和模拟工具作为补充。利用这些工具开发的多媒体模块将用于讲座，并通过网络出版向公众提供。ECD技术被广泛应用于厚涂层的制造和通过光刻图形进行沉积。ECD工艺具有独特的能力来监测和控制涂层的形核和生长。这使得ECD非常适合用于微电子、磁记录和MEMS应用的高性能金属涂层的合成，在这些应用中，在广泛的长度范围内控制微结构和织构是必不可少的。

0093154ZangariProcess control in electrochemical deposition (ECD) is a challenging task. A fundamental understanding of the processes involved in film formation is needed to develop a predictive, quantitative model for the effects of deposition variables on film microstructure. In this CAREER grant a comprehensive investigation of nucleation and growth processes of a representative set of electrodeposition systems is undertaken with the objective to develop such a model and thus provide better tools for ECD fabrication of metallic films. Electrochemical techniques, which yield spatially averaged information on the growth process, and microscopy/structural methods, that provide morphological data at the microscopic scale, are coupled to yield a comprehensive description of the electrocrystallization behavior of the model systems. These two techniques are uniquely combined by monitoring in-situ and in real time the electrical response and nucleation and growth processes of metals into micro- and nano-electrodes fabricated by lithographic methods. The experimental effort is integrated with a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of the nucleation and growth process to quantify the effects of metal type, electrolyte chemistry, and deposition variables on the microstructure of the resulting films. The experimental results are used to validate and improve the numerical simulations, and the resulting models are utilized to develop a quantitative description of electrocrystallization phenomena in electrolytic solutions. The theory, research and practice of ECD will be integrated into the undergraduate and graduate materials engineering curricula at the University of Alabama with the objective of enhancing skills and creative thinking of students in the area of ECD technology and applications. Students at the undergraduate level will be exposed to laboratory projects in this field. Attention will be devoted to recruitment and retention of minorities as well as economically and socially at risk students. Graduate students will have the opportunity to attend a highly interdisciplinary course on the theory and practice of ECD, wherein the lectures will be complemented by laboratory sessions and simulation tools. Multimedia modules developed using these tools will be employed in lectures and made available to the general public through web publishing. %%%ECD techniques are widely employed for fabrication of thick coatings and for deposition through lithographic patterns. ECD processes have unique capabilities to monitor and control the nucleation and growth of coatings. This makes ECD ideal for the synthesis of high performance metallic coatings for microelectronics, magnetic recording, and MEMS applications, where control of microstructure and texture over a wide range of length scales is essential.***