Scratching the surface: Real-time monitoring of surface changes at the atomic level
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - 11:00
in Physics & Chemistry
A team of researchers at Aix Marseille Université in Marseille, France led by Dr. Frédéric Leroy developed a technique that allows them to follow physical processes occurring at surfaces of materials at the atomic level in situ and in real time. This new process allowed the research team to study the kinetics of decomposition of a thin layer of silicon dioxide deposited onto silicon during a thermal treatment, a critical component in micro-electronics. The approach is based on the principles of electron microscopy.