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Abstract:
The nature of bonding evolving at a metal/oxide interface depends strongly on the termination of oxide surface stabilized in the bonding environment. Specific surface treatments in ultrahigh vacuum allow control of the termination of sapphire (alpha-Al2O3) (0001) surface varying from hydroxyl-terminated to aluminum-terminated to oxygen-terminated surfaces. With this capability, the interfacial bonding forming between epitaxial Cu films and sapphire (0001) substrates can be tailored. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal that the interatomic interaction at the interface plays a decisive role in determining wetting, orientation relationship, and thermal behavior of Cu thin films. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.
