Morphology and orientation of the equilibrated Au-sapphire (1010) interface

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 41; no. 16; pp. 5371 - 5375
• Main Authors: SADAN, Hila, KAPLAN, Wayne D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.08.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Chemical industry and chemicals; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Interface structure and roughness; Metals. Metallurgy; Miscellaneous; Morphology; Physics; Sapphire; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Technical ceramics; Scanning electron microscopy; Gold; Crystal orientation; Solid-solid interfaces; Experimental study; Ceramic metal contact; Oxide ceramics; Orientation relation; Interface structure; Transmission electron microscopy; Sapphire; Morphology; Aluminium oxides
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-006-0407-y

Metal-sapphire (alpha-Al2O3) interfaces have been the focus of basic studies in the investigation of metal-ceramic interfaces. The surface energy of low index planes in sapphire was extensively studied in the last decade, by analyzing the equilibrium shape (Wulff shape) of cavities equilibrated at relatively high temperatures. It was found that the low energy planes (facets) at 1,600 and 1,800 DGC in air and vacuum are: the C-plane {0001), the R-plane {1012}, the A-plane {1210}, the P-plane {1123} and the S-plane {1011}. The prismatic (M-plane) {1010} was not experimentally observed, although it was theoretically predicted to be a low energy plane.