In situ observation of microstructural changes of embedded silver particles

Thin plasma polymer films with embedded silver particles were deposited by simultaneous plasma polymerization and metal evaporation as multilayer systems. The multilayer consists of a first plasma polymer layer, a plasma polymer metal composite layer and a second plasma polymer layer, and the silver particles are embedded completely. During annealing in situ in the electron microscope, large, nearly spherical silver particles were formed. These recrystallization is a result of atomic diffusion along the particle surface and along the grain boundaries. At a multilayer system with well-separated silver particles, very small particles (d less than or equal to 10 nm) disappear during annealing, but no significant changes of the size and shape of larger (20 less than or equal to d less than or equal to 60 nm) particles were found. This was interpreted as a result of atomic diffusion of silver through the polymer matrix (Ostwald ripening). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.