Thermal annealing of patterned metal surfaces

The fabrication of nano/micropatterned metallic samples by deposition techniques is one of the most relevant topics in modern technologies. The physical properties of the patterned film depend markedly on the morphology and size of the grains that constitute the building blocks of the system. Therefore, the study of possible routes for modifying grain size without distortion of the nano/micropattern is a crucial point for the fabrication of metallic samples with specific structural and physical properties. Here, we study the effect of postdeposition thermal annealing on nano/micropatterned standing free copper films. Results show that for temperatures T < 0.5T(m), with T-m being the melting temperature, thermal treatment for short times increases grain size and improves the electric conductivity of the sample without distortion of nano/micropatterns with wavelengths in the micrometer range.