title: Optimization of the nanotwin-induced zigzag surface of copper by electromigration.
abstract: By adding nanotwins to Cu, the surface electromigration (EM) slows down. The atomic mobility of the surface step-edges is retarded by the triple points where a twin meets a free surface to form a zigzag-type surface. We observed that EM can alter the zigzag surface structure to optimize the reduction of EM, according to Le Chatelier's principle. Statistically, the optimal alternation is to change an arbitrary (111)/(hkl) zigzag pair to a pair having a very low index (hkl) plane, especially the (200) plane. Using in situ ultrahigh vacuum and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, we examined the effects of different zigzag surfaces on the rate of EM. The calculated rate of surface EM can be decreased by a factor of ten.
authors.affiliation: University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. hsin.pin@gmail.com kntu@seas.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Hsin-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: National Chiao Tung University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, No. 1001, University Rd., Hsinchu 300, Taiwan. WWWu@mail.nctu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chun-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: National Chiao Tung University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, No. 1001, University Rd., Hsinchu 300, Taiwan. WWWu@mail.nctu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chun-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National Chiao Tung University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, No. 1001, University Rd., Hsinchu 300, Taiwan. WWWu@mail.nctu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wen-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: National Tsing-Hua University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, Republic of China. ljchen@mx.nthu.edu.tw cnliao@mx.nthu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chien-Neng
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: National Tsing-Hua University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, Republic of China. ljchen@mx.nthu.edu.tw cnliao@mx.nthu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Lih-Juann
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: University of California at Los Angeles, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. hsin.pin@gmail.com kntu@seas.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: King-Ning
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Tu