Grain Growth in Films with Initial 3D Microstructure

Grain growth in films with h/〈D〉0=3.5−7.5, where h is the film thickness and 〈D〉0 the initial average grain diameter, was studied by means of computer simulation. The growth kinetics during 3D®2D microstructure transformation do not obey the parabolic law commonly used for the grain growth description. By the end of the transformation, 〈D〉/h is not grater than 2. The drag effect of thermal grooves also results in 〈D〉/h < 2 to the end of the microstructure transformation.