The objective of this dissertation is to develop amorphous metal thin films (AMTFs)
for two-terminal electrical device and nanolaminate applications. Two AMTFs, ZrCuAlNi
and TiAl, are investigated in both two-terminal electrical device and nanolaminate applications.
Material properties including composition, atomic order, surface morphology, surface
potential, and electrical resistivity are explored. Application of AMTFs as electrodes in
tunneling MIM diodes leverages the ultra-smooth AMTF surface morphology which results
from the amorphous atomic order of AMTFs. Analysis methodologies using tunneling MIM
diode I-V characteristics are described. A methodology used to estimate potential barrier
heights is applied to tunneling MIM diode with differing lower electrode material, upper
electrode material and upper electrode deposition technique. A second methodology used to
estimate relative tunneling MIM diode insulator thickness is also presented. The presented
I-V characteristic analysis methodologies illustrate that tunneling MIM diodes fabricated
with AMTF lower electrodes possess tunable I-V characteristics. Nanolaminates are layered
materials fabricated with alternating dissimilar thin-film layers. The flexibility of AMTF
nanolaminates is illustrated through the presentation of amorphous metal/oxide nanolaminates
fabricated with differing AMTFs and aqueous solution deposited oxides. TEM and
XPS depth profile analysis of realized nanolaminates are presented. The optical dielectric
response of ZrCuAlNi/aluminum phosphate oxide (AlPO) and TiAl/AlPO nanolaminates are
evaluated through polarized reflectance measurements and effective medium theory. The optical
dielectric response of the nanolaminates differ from the optical dielectric response of
the component layers. ZrCuAlNi/AlPO and TiAl/AlPO nanolaminates therefore satisfy the
definition of metamaterials. / Graduation date: 2012 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from May 9, 2012 - May 9, 2013
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/29124 |
| Date | 17 April 2012 |
| Creators | Cowell, E. William III |
| Contributors | Wager, John |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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