The effect of slope and number of arms on the structural properties of square tower-like manganese thin films

In this work, square tower-like manganese (STMn) thin films on glass substrates using were obtained using Glancing Angle Deposition “GLAD” technique. Three types of nanostructures are prepared with different number of arms and different slopes by placing a shadowing block in the center of the substrate holder. The structural characterization of the obtained thin films was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Results showed that the slope angle (a), the grain size, porosity and surface roughness of the films decreases with increasing distance from the edge of the shadowing block (decreasing the slope of nanostructure). Structural properties of thin films were obtained using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The intensity of the main peak of STMn with 8 arms and 10 arms increases and STMn with 9 arms decreases with increasing the edge of the shadowing block. The results show that the strain on the nanostructures of the STMn with 8 arms and STMn with 10 arms decreases with increasing distance from the edge of the shadowing block due to the increase in the intensity of the main peak. While strain on the nanostructure of the STMn with 9 arms increases with increasing distance from the edge of the shadowing block.