| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Phase Stability, Phase Transformations, and Reactive Phase Formation in Electronic Materials XXIII
|
| Presentation Title |
The Effect of Nitrogen on the Stability of the β Phase in W Thin Films during Thermal Annealing |
| Author(s) |
Yue Zhao, Shefford P. Baker |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Yue Zhao |
| Abstract Scope |
Discovery of a giant spin Hall effect in the metastable β phase in W thin films has led to intense interest in applications in magnetoresistive random access memory devices. Understanding the stability of β-W at the temperatures experienced during processing and use is crucial for development of such technologies. It is known that incorporation of nitrogen can promote β phase formation; however, its impact on the thermal stability of β-W remains nearly unexplored. We sputtered W films with different nitrogen concentrations, annealed them in vacuum, and developed an x-ray diffraction method to characterize the phase fractions. We find that thermal stability of β-W is enhanced with increasing nitrogen concentration. An analytical model for the β to α phase transformation suggests this is due to the inhibitory effect of nitrogen solutes on phase boundary motion. This model opens up possibilities to tailor the thermal stability of β-W to meet specific requirements. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Thin Films and Interfaces, Other, Other |