| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/N23325/01 |
| Title: |
THEORY OF SURFACE ELECTROMIGRATION |
| Principal Investigator: |
Palmer, Professor RE |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Organisation: |
University of Birmingham |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 April 2000 |
Ends: |
31 March 2003 |
Value (£): |
62,836
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Electronics |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
Electromigration is the phenomenon of mass transport in a solid driven by the application of an electrical current and/or field. Electromigration in the bulk and at grain boundaries is relatively well characterised and understood. However, the possibility of significant electromigration at surfaces is largely unexplored. In the proposed research, the problem of electromigration on metal surfaces will be studied theoretically from a microscopic viewpoint. Using multiple scattering theory to describe the behavior of the current carriers at metallic surfaces, we will study the fundamental physical processes that give rise to the forces that drive surface electromigration. This theory will be used to evaluate the electromigration driving force for adatoms and vacancies on ordered and disordered substrates and in the vicinity of step edges and islands. The driving force experienced by steps, 2D islands and 3D clusters will be studied and combined with simple models of driven surface diffusion to understand the link between the miscroscopic driving forces and the evolution of surface morphology induced by electromigration.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.bham.ac.uk |