Thermal stability of platinum, palladium and silver films on yttrium-stabilised zirconia

Platinum, palladium and silver films with different microstructures have been prepared on differently orientated yttrium-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) substrates by pulsed laser deposition and then annealed at temperatures between 200 °C and 850 °C. Thereby, an influence of the type of metal, of the microstructure of the as-prepared film and of the orientation of the substrate on the annealing behaviour could be determined. The following annealing effects were observed for platinum, palladium and silver films: i) sharpening of the film boundary, ii) smoothing of the film surfaces, iii) sharpening of the texture [thereby: reduction of the fraction of small angle and twin grain boundaries], iv) grain growth and accordingly reduction of the fraction of grains as well as v) grooving at grain boundaries, vi) void formation at the metal|YSZ-interface, vii) hole formation within the films and viii) reduction of the fraction of droplets. In the case of palladium films also ix) oxidation [between 300 °C ≤ T < 750 °C] and stronger de-wetting phenomena than for platinum [with x) waving of the film and xi) island formation at T ≥ 750 °C] have been found. Silver films are not oxidised, but show stronger de-wetting phenomena than platinum and palladium, with xi) island formation and xii) evaporation of the silver at T ≥ 550 °C. Interestingly, silver films on (111) orientated YSZ are thermally much more stable than silver films on the other orientated substrates up to 750 °C. The annealing effects were described by interface, grain boundary and surface energy minimization.