Applications of texture in thin films

Thin films are important in a variety of applications, including optical, magnetic,and electronic devices. The origin of microstructure in films formed by physical vapor deposition depends primarily on the homologous deposition temperature, which determines the grain structure and substructure. Texture is coupled to grain structure development through several kinetic parameters, principally surface diffusivity and interfacial energy. The representation of such fiber textures is facilitated by simplified pole intensity versus tilt angle plots rather than entire pole figures. The reliability of thin film interconnection materials such as aluminum alloys is heavily leveraged on both texture and grain structure. The properties of thin magnetic films depend on both the crystallographic texture and the grain shape anisotropy.