The effect of substrate vibration on Ag nanoparticle formation on SiO2 via thermally-induced dewetting: A molecular dynamics study

L Wang, THIN SOLID FILMS, 767, 139674 (2023).

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2023.139674

Thermally-induced metallic film dewetting on a substrate has huge advantages in paralleled nanofabrication. Although various regulation method of the dewetting process have been investigated, a mobile supporting substrate has been rarely considered. This work investigates how the vertical vibration of a SiO2 substrate affects the thermally- induced silver (Ag) film dewetting by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. It is revealed that the substrate vibration can significantly promote the dewetting, which dramatically decreases the characteristic dewetting time. This principle of dewetting promotion remains for a tested range of film thickness from 0.2 nm to 0.6 nm. During the substrate vibration, the inertance of Ag film amplifies the film instability and thus promote the dewetting. For a 0.4 nm thick Ag film, the MD simulation shows that appropriate vibration period (T) and vibration amplitude (A) to achieve the promoted dewetting are approximately 2 -100 ps and 0.1 -0.4 angstrom, respectively.

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