Magnetron sputtering: a review of recent developments and applications

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:17175/FULLTEXT02

Ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD): A review of technology and applications

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) is an emerging technology that has gained substantial interest among academics and industrials alike. HPPMS, also known as HIPIMS (high power impulse ...

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering: A review on scientific and engineering state of the art

This updated version of the popular handbook further explains all aspects of physical vapor deposition (PVD) process technology from the characterizing and preparing the substrate material, through deposition processing and film characterization, to post-deposition processing. The emphasis of the new edition remains on the aspects of the process flow that are critical to economical deposition of films that can meet the required performance specifications, with additional information to support the original material. The book covers subjects seldom treated in the literature: substrate characterization, adhesion, cleaning and the processing. The book also covers the widely discussed subjects of vacuum technology and the fundamentals of individual deposition processes. However, the author uniquely relates these topics to the practical issues that arise in PVD processing, such as contamination control and film growth effects, which are also rarely discussed in the literature. In bringing these subjects together in one book, the reader can understand the interrelationship between various aspects of the film deposition processing and the resulting film properties. The author draws upon his long experience with developing PVD processes and troubleshooting the processes in the manufacturing environment, to provide useful hints for not only avoiding problems, but also for solving problems when they arise. He uses actual experiences, called 'war stories', to emphasize certain points. Special formatting of the text allows a reader who is already knowledgeable in the subject to scan through a section and find discussions that are of particular interest. The author has tried to make the subject index as useful as possible so that the reader can rapidly go to sections of particular interest. Extensive references allow the reader to pursue subjects in greater detail if desired. The book is intended to be both an introduction for those who are new to the field and a valuable resource to those already in the field. The discussion of transferring technology between R&D and manufacturing provided in Appendix 1, will be of special interest to the manager or engineer responsible for moving a PVD product and process from R&D into production. Appendix 2 has an extensive listing of periodical publications and professional societies that relate to PVD processing. The extensive Glossary of Terms and Acronyms provided in Appendix 3 will be of particular use to students and to those not fully conversant with the terminology of PVD processing or with the English language. This title is fully revised and updated to include the latest developments in PVD process technology. It includes 'War stories' drawn from the author's extensive experience emphasize important points in development and manufacturing. Appendices include listings of periodicals and professional societies, terms and acronyms, and material on transferring technology between R&D and manufacturing.

Handbook of physical vapor deposition (PVD) processing

Multi-element high-entropy alloys are alloy systems with n (5≤n≤13) principal elements each having an atomic percentage no more than 35%. Using the alloys of Fe-Co-Ni-Cr-Cu-Al-Mn and Fe-Co-Ni-Cr-Cu-Al0.5 as target material in reactive sputtering, nitride films were deposited. The hysteresis curves of the two high-entropy alloys in reactive sputtering are quite different in comparison to those of elements or simple alloys. The film deposition rate decreased with increasing nitrogen gas flow and the highest film thickness was in excess of 2.5 μm. The alloy films are crystalline with structures of a mixed FCC and BCC or simple FCC solid solution, while the crystallinity of the nitride films decreased and approached amorphous with increasing nitrogen gas flow. The composition of the alloy films was similar to their original targets, and the nitrogen content of the nitride films increased with increasing nitrogen flow, to a maximum of 41.1 at.% nitrogen. The values of resistivity of the two alloy films were 108 and 135 μΩ cm, respectively, and those of their nitride films increased with nitrogen flow, to a factor of 3 of the alloy film. The rms surface roughness measured by AFM decreased significantly from 9 to 13 nm for the alloy films to only 1–3 nm for the nitride films. Values of hardness are about 4 GPa for alloy films and about 11 GPa for nitride films. The growth rate, the resistivity, and the hardness of the resulting nitride films were not affected too much by substrate bias due to the amorphous nature of the nitride films.

Nanostructured nitride films of multi-element high-entropy alloys by reactive DC sputtering

Aluminum oxide coatings were reactively direct current magnetron sputtered using an arc suppression unit to stop arcing on the cathode. The process was very controllable when the arc suppression unit was used, and it did not produce any debilitating arcing as is commonly found with conventional reactive direct current magnetron sputtering. Arc suppression is a major advancement in reactive dc magnetron sputtering technology. With the automatic feedback partial pressure control of the reactive gas, all compositions of AlOx, where 0≤x≤1.5, are possible. There are no forbidden compositions as there are with flow control of the reactive gas. All coatings were deposited with a floating substrate bias, and the color of the AlOx films ranged from metallic when there was no or a small partial pressure of oxygen during deposition to a very clear film when the oxygen partial pressure was 0.08 mTorr. The clear film was amorphous, and its average index of refraction, n, was 1.6. The Vickers hardness of the clear film...

Reactive direct current magnetron sputtering of aluminum oxide coatings

Carbon nitride thin films were prepared using an ionized magnetron sputtering system. An inductively coupled rf plasma was generated in the region between the sputtering source (high purity graphite) and the substrate table. An argon–nitrogen mixture was used as the sputtering gas. Sputtered atoms which pass through the radio frequency (rf) plasma may be ionized, and the degree of ionization depends on several processing variables, such as the gas total pressure, reactive gas partial pressure, and applied rf power. Pulsed substrate bias voltage was varied up to −500 V. Chemical bonding and composition of the deposited films were studied by infrared and Auger electron spectroscopy, respectively. An ultramicroindentation system was used to measure the hardness. Nitrogen was found to be bonded to carbon in various configurations. The dependence of the nitrogen‐to‐carbon ratio and film hardness on the deposition conditions was studied. Under optimum conditions, films with nitrogen‐to‐carbon ratio ∼0.3–0.4 and...

S. Lopez

Papers

Reactive direct current magnetron sputtering of aluminum oxide coatings

Ionized magnetron sputter deposition of amorphous carbon nitride thin films