Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology 

About: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology is an academic journal published by American Institute of Physics. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Thin film & Sputtering. It has an ISSN identifier of 0022-5355. Over the lifetime, 20403 publications have been published receiving 449676 citations. The journal is also known as: The Journal of vacuum science and technology.

Influence of apparatus geometry and deposition conditions on the structure and topography of thick sputtered coatings

Abstract: Two cylindrically symmetric and complementary sputtering geometries, the post and hollow cathodes, were used to deposit thick (∼25-μ) coatings of various metals (Mo, Cr, Ti, Fe, Cu, and Al-alloy) onto glass and metallic substrates at deposition rates of 1000–2000 A/min under various conditions of substrate temperature, argon pressure, and plasma bombardment. Coating surface topographies and fracture cross sections were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Polished cross sections were examined metallographically. Crystallographic orientations were determined by x-ray diffraction. Microstructures were generally consistent with the three-zone model proposed by Movchan and Demchishin [Fiz. Metal. Metalloved. 28, 653 (1969)]. Three differences were noted: (1) at low argon pressures a broad zone 1–zone 2 transition zone consisting of densely packed fibrous grains was identified; (2) zone 2 columnar grains tended to be faceted at elevated temperatures, although facets were often replaced by smooth flat surf...

Microstructural evolution during film growth

Abstract: Atomic-scale control and manipulation of the microstructure of polycrystalline thin films during kinetically limited low-temperature deposition, crucial for a broad range of industrial applications, has been a leading goal of materials science during the past decades. Here, we review the present understanding of film growth processes—nucleation, coalescence, competitive grain growth, and recrystallization—and their role in microstructural evolution as a function of deposition variables including temperature, the presence of reactive species, and the use of low-energy ion irradiation during growth.

Nanosphere lithography: A materials general fabrication process for periodic particle array surfaces

Abstract: In this article nanosphere lithography (NSL) is demonstrated to be a materials general fabrication process for the production of periodic particle array (PPA) surfaces having nanometer scale features. A variety of PPA surfaces have been prepared using identical single‐layer (SL) and double‐layer (DL) NSL masks made by self‐assembly of polymer nanospheres with diameter, D=264 nm, and varying both the substrate material S and the particle material M. In the examples shown here, S was an insulator, semiconductor, or metal and M was a metal, inorganic ionic insulator, or an organic π‐electron semiconductor. PPA structural characterization and determination of nanoparticle metrics was accomplished with atomic force microscopy. This is the first demonstration of nanometer scale PPA surfaces formed from molecular materials.

The microstructure of sputter-deposited coatings

Abstract: Microstructure is a critical consideration when polycrystalline or amorphous thin films are used for applications such as microcircuit metallization layers and diffusion barriers. The trend in device fabrication toward lower processing temperatures means that such coatings must often be deposited at substrate temperatures T that are low relative to the coating material melting point Tm. The structure of vapor deposited coatings grown under these conditions consists typically of a columnar growth structure, defined by voided open boundaries, which is superimposed on a microstructure which may be polycrystalline (defined by metallurgical grain boundaries) or amorphous. The voided growth structure is clearly undesirable for most applications. Its occurrence is a fundamental consequence of atomic shadowing acting in concert with the low adatom mobilities that characterize low T/Tm deposition, and its formation can be enhanced by the surface irregularities which are common to microcircuit fabrication. This pap...

Theory of ripple topography induced by ion bombardment

Abstract: When an amorphous solid is etched by an off‐normal incidence ion beam, a ripple topography often results. A theory explaining the origin of these waves is presented. For incidence angles close to the normal, we find that the ripple wave vector is parallel to the surface component of the beam direction, provided that longitudinal straggling of the beam is not too large. The ripple orientation is rotated by 90° when the beam is close to grazing incidence. The wavelength given by the theory varies as λ∼( f T)−1/2 exp(−ΔE/2kBT) for high temperatures T and low fluxes f, where ΔE is the activation energy for surface self‐diffusion. The predicted magnitude of the wavelength is in reasonable accord with experiments in this regime.