Evolution of anisotropic microstructure and residual stress in sputtered Cr films

A series of Cr films with varying thicknesses have been prepared using a multiple moving substrate deposition geometry. These films have been investigated with several experimental techniques, including synchrotron x-ray scattering, pole figures, electron microscope, and double crystal diffraction topography. It was found that the in-plane stresses are highly anisotropic in these Cr films. The anisotropic stresses, characterized by two principal stresses in two characteristic directions defined by the deposition geometry, are quantified based on a methodology given in the Appendix. The plan view transmission electron microscopy observations reveal that the Cr films develop well-organized microstructures. The grains, which are elongated along the radial direction, are crystallographically aligned as well. The development of crystallographic texture in the Cr films, further revealed by pole figures and azimuthal (ϕ) x-ray scans, depends on both the deposition geometry and the film thickness. The preferential orientation of film growth is [110] for thinner films (<1.6 μm), and then becomes [111] for thicker films. Correspondingly, the in-plane texture varies in a conformal manner. In the former case, [100] and [110] directions of grains preferentially align along the radial direction and the direction of platen rotation, respectively. In the latter case, the preferential orientation of grains in the radial direction becomes [112], while that in the direction of rotation remains to be [110]. The occurrence of the anisotropic stresses and their dependence on film thickness is related to the evolution of the anisotropic structure and in-plane texture. The correlation is discussed in terms of the modulus effect associated with in-plane texture, the stress relief at intercolumnar voids, and the texture transition. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69911/2/JAPIAU-92-12-7183-1.pd

Evolution of in-plane texture in reactively sputtered CrN films

The microstructure and texture of chromium nitride films reactively sputtered on silicon substrates were investigated using x-ray scattering, pole figures, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Under the given deposition geometry, the CrN films were shown to develop a in-plane texture. The three preferred crystallographic orientations of the CrN films approximately coincided with the characteristic directions associated with the deposition geometry. There appear to be two regimes that govern the microstructural evolution and texture development for reactively sputtered chromium films. The first one involves the deposition conditions that lead to the formation of a single, stable phase such as stöichiometric CrN (above certain level of nitrogen partial pressure). In this regime, the film growth appears to be controlled by local epitaxy in individual columns, competitive grain growth, and kinetic roughening. The film characteristics resulted from this regime include the development of the in-plane texture, well-organized microstructures with relatively coarse grains, increased surface roughness, and large tensile stress. The second regime involves the transitional region prior to formation of the stable phase CrN in which significant microstructural refinements take place. This transitional region is associated with the thermodynamically metastable phase CrNxCrNx or the presence of multiple phases. The continuous renucleations during film growth disrupt the local epitaxy and impede kinetic roughening. This leads to film characteristics manifested by weakened or no texture, ultrafine microstructure (e.g., nanocrystalline structures), reduced surface roughness, and a tendency for residual stress to transit from tensile to compressive.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87655/2/023525_1.pd

Surface roughness and in-plane texturing in sputtered thin films

Real surfaces are not flat on an atomic scale. Studying the effects of roughness on microstructural evolution is of relevance because films are sputtered onto nonideal surfaces in many applications. To this end, amorphous rough substrates of two different morphologies, either elongated mounds or facets, were fabricated. The microstructural development of films deposited onto these surfaces was examined. In particular, the development of a preferred crystallographic orientation in the plane of growth in 400 nm thick Mo films grown on the rough substrates was studied using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron diffraction, and high resolution x-ray diffraction (using ϕ scans in the symmetric grazing incidence x-ray scattering geometry with a synchrotron light source). It was found that the degree of texturing was dependent upon the type of roughness and its orientation during deposition. By limiting the average oblique angle of incident adatom flux, rough surfaces slowed the development of in-plane texture. Comparison between experimental data and theoretical predictions showed that a recent analytical model is able to reasonably predict the degree of texturing in films grown onto these surfaces. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70129/2/JAPIAU-84-3-1346-1.pd

Growth textures of thick sputtered films and multilayers assessed via synchrotron transmission Laue

The growth textures of thick sputtered Mo metallizations and Mo/W multilayers, were characterized via a synchrotron white‐beam (WB) x‐ray transmission Laue technique. Transmission x‐ray diffraction studies of Mo specimens up to 61 μm thick were performed with WB synchrotron radiation; while the practical thickness limit for similar observations using a conventional laboratory Cu K(α) x‐ray source is ten times smaller. This unique approach used polychromatic x rays to simultaneously produce diffraction from a wide spread of orientations of many crystallographic planes for all the grains within a relatively large specimen volume (≊60×106 μm3). These patterns were obtained for polycrystalline 31‐ and 61‐μm‐thick Mo/W multilayer specimens, and a 35‐μm‐thick‐monolithic Mo foil specimen. In all three cases the alignment of specimen grains was similar to what would be expected for single‐crystal transmission patterns, except that the recorded intensity distributed was less localized. The WB transmission images were indexed using a reciprocal space construction for the Laue case. In the multilayers, the grains were oriented out‐of‐plane such that 〈110〉 crystallographic planes were aligned in the direction of sputter growth, while in the monolithic Mo specimen 〈111〉 crystallographic planes were so aligned, i.e., perpendicular to the deposition substrate. A spread in orientation of ∼5° was measured in the multilayer specimens, while the monolithic Mo specimen showed a spread of ∼30° when compared to a perfect single‐crystal orientation. Preferred orientation was also observed within the plane of growth to varying degrees for all three samples. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.  Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71326/2/JAPIAU-78-6-3812-1.pd

The evolution of texture in thin films and multilayers via synchrotron transmission Laue and grazing-incidence X-ray scattering

Sputter-deposited films and multilayers are used for a wide variety of applications including protective coatings on turbine engine blades, magnetic recording heads, optical elements, electronic packaging, X-ray filters and monochromator components to name a few examples. This wide range of interest requires growth thicknesses from a few nanometres to tens of micrometres depending on the product. In many applications, specific film textures in the growth direction as well as in the plane of growth are required. The control and manipulation of these textures can be accomplished by using advanced characterization techniques to select particular processing conditions. A variety of X-ray methods including grazing-incidence X-ray scattering, conventional pole figure studies and synchrotron white-beam transmission Laue scattering were used to study texture evolution for the thinnest films up to the thickest multilayer coatings.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48901/2/jd950d58.pd

Clinical consequences of submicroscopic malaria parasitaemia in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Submicroscopic malaria parasitaemia is common in both high- and low-endemicity settings, but its clinical consequences are unclear. METHODS: A cohort of 364 children (0.5-10 years of age) and 106 adults was followed from 2011 to 2016 in Tororo District, Uganda using passive surveillance for malaria episodes and active surveillance for parasitaemia. Participants presented every 90 days for routine visits (n = 9075); a subset was followed every 30 days. Participants who presented with fever and a positive blood smear were treated for malaria. At all routine visits microscopy was performed and samples from subjects with a negative blood smear underwent loop-mediated isothermal amplification for detection of plasmodial DNA. RESULTS: Submicroscopic parasitaemia was common; the proportion of visits with submicroscopic parasitemia was 25.8% in children and 39.2% in adults. For children 0.5-10 years of age, but not adults, having microscopic and submicroscopic parasitaemia at routine visits was significantly associated with both fever (adjusted risk ratios [95% CI], 2.64 [2.16-3.22], 1.67 [1.37-2.03]) and non-febrile illness (aRR [CI], 1.52 [1.30-1.78], 1.26 [1.09-1.47]), compared to not having parasitaemia. After stratifying by age, significant associations were seen between submicroscopic parasitaemia and fever in children aged 2-< 5 and 5-10 years (aRR [CI], 1.42 [1.03-1.98], 2.01 [1.49-2.71]), and submicroscopic parasitaemia and non-febrile illness in children aged 5-10 years (aRR [CI], 1.44 [1.17-1.78]). These associations were maintained after excluding individuals with a malaria episode within the preceding 14 or following 7 days, and after adjusting for household wealth. CONCLUSIONS: Submicroscopic malaria infections were associated with fever and non-febrile illness in Ugandan children. These findings support malaria control strategies that target low-density infections

Vδ2+ T cell response to malaria correlates with protection from infection but is attenuated with repeated exposure.

Vδ2+ γδ T cells are semi-innate T cells that expand markedly following P. falciparum (Pf) infection in naïve adults, but are lost and become dysfunctional among children repeatedly exposed to malaria. The role of these cells in mediating clinical immunity (i.e. protection against symptoms) to malaria remains unclear. We measured Vδ2+ T cell absolute counts at acute and convalescent malaria timepoints (n = 43), and Vδ2+ counts, cellular phenotype, and cytokine production following in vitro stimulation at asymptomatic visits (n = 377), among children aged 6 months to 10 years living in Uganda. Increasing age was associated with diminished in vivo expansion following malaria, and lower Vδ2 absolute counts overall, among children living in a high transmission setting. Microscopic parasitemia and expression of the immunoregulatory markers Tim-3 and CD57 were associated with diminished Vδ2+ T cell pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Higher Vδ2 pro-inflammatory cytokine production was associated with protection from subsequent Pf infection, but also with an increased odds of symptoms once infected. Vδ2+ T cells may play a role in preventing malaria infection in children living in endemic settings; progressive loss and dysfunction of these cells may represent a disease tolerance mechanism that contributes to the development of clinical immunity to malaria

Measuring Socioeconomic Inequalities in Relation to Malaria Risk: A Comparison of Metrics in Rural Uganda.

Socioeconomic position (SEP) is an important risk factor for malaria, but there is no consensus on how to measure SEP in malaria studies. We evaluated the relative strength of four indicators of SEP in predicting malaria risk in Nagongera, Uganda. A total of 318 children resident in 100 households were followed for 36 months to measure parasite prevalence routinely every 3 months and malaria incidence by passive case detection. Household SEP was determined using: 1) two wealth indices, 2) income, 3) occupation, and 4) education. Wealth Index I (reference) included only asset ownership variables. Wealth Index II additionally included food security and house construction variables, which may directly affect malaria. In multivariate analysis, only Wealth Index II and income were associated with the human biting rate, only Wealth Indices I and II were associated with parasite prevalence, and only caregiver's education was associated with malaria incidence. This is the first evaluation of metrics beyond wealth and consumption indices for measuring the association between SEP and malaria. The wealth index still predicted malaria risk after excluding variables directly associated with malaria, but the strength of association was lower. In this setting, wealth indices, income, and education were stronger predictors of socioeconomic differences in malaria risk than occupation

Association between recent overnight travel and use of long-lasting insecticidal nets in rural Uganda: a prospective cohort study in Tororo.

BACKGROUND: The burden of malaria in Uganda remains high, but has become increasingly heterogenous following intensified malaria control. Travel within Uganda is recognized as a risk factor for malaria, but behaviours associated with travel are not well-understood. To address this knowledge gap, malaria-relevant behaviours of cohort participants were assessed during travel and at home in Uganda. METHODS: Residents from 80 randomly selected households in Nagongera sub-county, Tororo district were enrolled into a cohort to study malaria in rural Uganda. All participants were given long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) at enrolment and were evaluated every 4 weeks at the study clinic. Participants were asked if they had travelled overnight from their home, and if so, a questionnaire was administered to capture information on travel details and behaviours. Behaviour while travelling was assessed within 4 weeks following travel during the study clinic visit. Behaviour while at home was assessed using a similar questionnaire during two-weekly home visits. Behaviours while travelling vs at home were compared using log binomial regression models with generalized estimating equations adjusting for repeated measures in the same individual. Analysis of factors associated with LLIN adherence, such as destination and duration of travel, time to bed during travel, gender and age at time of travel, were assessed using log binomial regression models with generalized estimating equations adjusting for repeated measures in the same individual. RESULTS: Between October 2017 and October 2019, 527 participants were enrolled and assessed for travel. Of these, 123 (23.2%) reported taking 211 overnight trips; 149 (70.6%) trips were within Tororo. Participants were less likely to use LLINs when travelling than when at home (41.0% vs. 56.2%, relative risk [RR] 0.73, 95% CI 0.60-0.89, p = 0.002); this difference was noted for women (38.8% vs 59.2%, RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.83, p = 0.001) but not men (48.3% vs 46.6%, RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.67-1.40, p = 0.85). In an adjusted analysis, factors associated with LLIN use when travelling included destination (travelling to districts not receiving indoor residual spraying [IRS] 65.8% vs Tororo district 32.2%, RR 1.80, 95% CI 1.31-2.46, p  7 nights 60.3% vs one night 24.4%, RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.07-3.64, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Travellers, particularly women, were less likely to use LLINs when travelling than when at home. LLIN adherence was higher among those who travelled to non-IRS districts and for more than 1 week, suggesting that perceived malaria risk influences LLIN use. Strategies are needed to raise awareness of the importance of using LLINs while travelling

Associations between red blood cell variants and malaria among children and adults from three areas of Uganda: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Multiple red blood cell (RBC) variants appear to offer protection against the most severe forms of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Associations between these variants and uncomplicated malaria are less clear. METHODS: Data from a longitudinal cohort study conducted in 3 sub-counties in Uganda was used to quantify associations between three red blood cell variants Hb [AA, AS, S (rs334)], alpha thalassaemia 3.7 kb deletion, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency A-(G6PD 202A genotype) and malaria incidence, parasite prevalence, parasite density (a measure of anti-parasite immunity) and body temperature adjusted for parasite density (a measure of anti-disease immunity). All analyses were adjusted for age, average household entomological inoculation rate, and study site. Results for all variants were compared to those for wild type genotypes. RESULTS: In children, HbAS was associated, compared to wild type, with a lower incidence of malaria (IRR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.92, p = 0.003), lower parasite density upon infection (PR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.51-0.85, p = 0.001), and lower body temperature for any given parasite density (- 0.13 ℃, 95% CI - 0.21, - 0.05, p = 0.002). In children, HbSS was associated with a lower incidence of malaria (IRR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.04-0.71, p = 0.02) and lower parasite density upon infection (PR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.18-0.54, p < 0.001). α-/αα thalassaemia, was associated with higher parasite prevalence in both children and adults (RR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.06-1.43, p = 0.008 and RR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.04-2.23, p = 0.03, respectively). G6PD deficiency was associated with lower body temperature for any given parasite density only among male hemizygote children (- 0.19 ℃, 95% CI - 0.31, - 0.06, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: RBC variants were associated with non-severe malaria outcomes. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which they confer protection will improve understanding of genetic protection against malaria