Abstract
Small whiskers of indium, In, were observed self-extruding from grain boundaries of the ternary carbide, Zr2InC, after several weeks at room temperature. Using a heating stage in the scanning electron microscope, the In structures growth rate was accelerated for real time observation. At temperatures below the melting point of In (157 °C), whiskers form; as temperature is slowly increased to above 157°C, a transformation occurs from whiskers to spheres. Some whiskers transform directly into spheres; others shrink back into the Zr2InC matrix. Once formed, the sphere population coarsens and is monitored in real time, with larger spheres growing at the expense of smaller ones. The whisker growth rates depend on temperature and are linear with time; the sphere growth rate is virtually instantaneous. Applications such as nanowires, quantum dots and interconnects in micro-devices may be possible if the location and rate of growth of the whiskers/spheres can be controlled.
