The electrochemical responses of AlO{sub x}/Al thin films have been investigated as a function of film growth conditions which produce films with different grain orientation, size and morphology. Films with smooth, 150 nm diameter, randomly oriented grains show a higher pitting potential and lower passive current than those films with large grain-boundary grooving from a mixture of smooth micron-sized, (200)-oriented grains and 300--500 nm diameter, (220)-oriented grains. These results suggest that surface roughness from grain-boundary grooving affects the pitting resistance more strongly than does the grain boundary density.
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