The surface of silicon−carbon films with chromium and tantalum base nanophase inclusions has been studied with scanning probe microscopy. Film surface images obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed the presence of random roughness whereas the features revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are, depending on metal type and concentration, densely arranged elongated formations up to 120 nm in width and up to 200 nm in length. We hypothesized that the STM features formed by the surface roughness and the distribution of the electron work function characterize the distribution of nanophase particles in the structure of the films. We show that the spatially inhomogeneous distribution of the particles in the film correlates with the formerly found electrical conductivity anisotropy (in similar objects) of metal containing silicon−carbon films.

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