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Growth mechanism for nanotips in high electric fields
Ville Jansson1, Ekaterina Baibuz1, Andreas Kyritsakis1
1Helsinki Institute of Physics and Department of Physics, P.O. Box 43, (Pehr Kalms gata 2), FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Nanotechnology
|May 15, 2020
Summary
High electric fields drive atom diffusion, causing nanotips to grow from surface imperfections. This atomistic simulation reveals a new mechanism for nanotip formation and growth, enhanced by higher fields and temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Physics
- Computational Physics
Background:
- Atomic diffusion on metallic surfaces is influenced by applied electric fields.
- Field-induced sharpening of microscopic tips is known, but underlying mechanisms require clarification.
- Understanding nanotip formation is crucial for advanced materials and devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism of nanotip growth from surface asperities under high electric field gradients.
- To investigate the role of biased atomic diffusion in nanostructure formation.
- To provide a physically motivated simulation model for field-driven surface evolution.
Main Methods:
- Atomistic simulations utilizing a Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model.
- Incorporation of a new theory describing electric field effects on atomic migration barriers.
- Validation of the model by reproducing experimentally observed tungsten surface faceting patterns.
Main Results:
- Biased diffusion in high electric field gradients initiates nanotip growth from small surface asperities.
- The nanotip growth mechanism is enhanced by increasing electric fields and temperatures.
- The simulation model accurately reproduced characteristic faceting patterns observed in experiments.
Conclusions:
- The study presents a validated atomistic simulation of field-driven nanotip growth.
- Biased diffusion under electric fields provides a clear mechanism for nanotip formation.
- The findings offer insights into surface evolution and nanostructure fabrication under electric fields.
