Surface Morphology of Nb Films by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition

1996 ◽  
Vol 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Ji ◽  
Gary S. Was ◽  
J. Wayne ◽  
Neville R. Moody

AbstractNiobium films of thickness 50 nm to 1000 nm were deposited by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) using ion energies of 0, 500 and 1000 eV, and R ratios (ion-to-atom arrival rate ratio) of 0, 0.1, and 0.4 on (100) silicon and (0001) sapphire substrates. The films have columnar structures and the column width increases with normalized energy (En = E × R). The surface morphology depends on both the normalized energy of the ion beam, En, and the film thickness. All films have dome-like surface features that are oriented along the ion beam incident direction. The dimension of these features increases with normalized energy and film thickness. Surface roughness also increases with normalized energy and film thickness, with the root mean square (rms) roughness increasing from 1.6 nm for the PVD sample (100 nm thick) to 36.7 nm for the IBAD film (1000 eV, R = 0.4, 800 nm thick). The surface morphology of IBAD films is the result of a combination of channeling and shadowing effects.

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 2292-2295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Joon Park ◽  
Young-Joon Baik ◽  
Jae Hyoung Choi ◽  
Jeong Yong Lee ◽  
Jun-Hee Hahn

BN films consisting of c-BN and h-BN phases were synthesized using an ion-beam-assisted deposition process. In contrast to conventional observations, the c-BN and h-BN phases did not form separate layers, but were distributed in the form of nano-sized grains throughout the film thickness. No distinctly aligned h-BN layer was observed before the c-BN phase. Such a mixed character of the film was attributed to a localized ion bombardment effect instead of the macro-stress. Possibly because of the presence of scattered h-BN phases, the thin film described here possessed a low hardness of about 20 GPa and a low stress of about 5 GPa, compared with other reported c-BN-containing films.


1995 ◽  
Vol 396 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Was ◽  
J. W. Jones ◽  
L. Parfitt ◽  
C.E. Kalnas ◽  
M. Goldiner

AbstractThe origin of residual stresses were studied in both crystalline metallic films and amorphous oxide films made by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). Monolithic films of AI2O3 were deposited during bombardment by Ne, Ar or Kr over a narrow range of energies, E, and a wide range of ion-to-atom arrival rate ratios, R and were characterized in terms of composition, thickness, density, crystallinity, microstructure and residual stress. The stress was a strong function of ion beam parameters and gas content and compares to the behavior of other amorphous compounds such as MoSix and WS12.2 With increasing normalized energy (eV/atom), residual stress in crystalline metallic films (Mo, W) increases in the tensile direction before reversing and becoming compressive at high normalized energy. The origin of the stress is most likely due to densification or interstitial generation. Residual stress in amorphous films (Al2O3, MoSix and WSi2.2) is initially tensile and monotonically decreases into the compressive region with increasing normalized energy. The amorphous films also incorporate substantially more gas than crystalline films and in the case of Al2O3 are characterized by a high density of voids. Stress due to gas pressure in existing voids explains neither the functional dependence on gas content nor the magnitude of the observed stress. A more likely explanation for the behavior of stress is gas incorporation into the matrix, where the amount of incorporated gas is controlled by trapping.


1994 ◽  
Vol 354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandar S. Mudholkar ◽  
Levi T. Thompson

AbstractMolybdenum nitrides are active and selective hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) catalysts. The catalytic properties of molybdenum nitrides were found to be dependent on the structural properties. The purpose of research described in this paper was to synthesize molybdenum nitride thin films with well defined structures and stoichiometries using ion beam assisted deposition. The films were deposited by evaporating Mo metal, and simultaneously bombarding the growing film with low energy nitrogen ions. The phase constituents of the films were determined using x-ray diffraction and the film composition was obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry.The film composition and phase constituents were strong functions of the ion-to-atom arrival rate ratio, ion energy and ion angle of incidence. Differences in the film composition for different arrival rate ratios and ion angles of incidence were interpreted based on reflection and sputtering effects. Our results suggest that phase formation was governed by the effective energy density per deposited atom. Evaluation of the effective energy density per deposited atom and its physical significance in ion beam assisted deposition is discussed.


1995 ◽  
Vol 396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor V. Svadkovsk ◽  
Anatoly P. Dostanko

AbstractTwo types of the ion sources for ion beam assisted deposition using inert gases, oxygen or nitrogen are reported. Their design and operational features are presented. Each of them has the properties of two existing main types of the gridless Hall sources: an end-Hall source and the anode-layer version a closed-drift ion source. Basic distinction of the developed sources is the extended range of ion energies in high-current beam for optimization of deposition, cleaning and etching processes.


2001 ◽  
Vol 695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuichi Miyabe ◽  
Masami Aono ◽  
Nobuaki Kitazawa ◽  
Yoshihisa Watanabe

ABSTRACTAluminum nitride (AlN) thin films with columnar and granular structures were prepared by ion-beam assisted deposition method by changing nitrogen ion beam energy, and the effects of the film microstructure and film thickness on their microhardness were studied by using a nano-indentation system with the maximum force of 3 mN. For the columnar structure film of 600 nm in thickness, the microhardness is found to be approximately 24 GPa when the normalized penetration depth to the film thickness is about 0.1. For the granular structure film of 700 nm in thickness, the microhardness is found to be approximately 14 GPa. These results reveal that the microhardness of the AlN films strongly depends on the film microstructure, which can be controlled by regulating the nitrogen ion beam energy.


2002 ◽  
Vol 750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuichi Miyabe ◽  
Masami Aono ◽  
Nobuaki Kitazawa ◽  
Yoshihisa Watanabe

ABSTRACTAluminum nitride (AlN) thin films with different thickness were synthesized by ion-beam assisted deposition on various substrates, Corning 7059 glass, fused silica, Si single crystal, and sapphire, which show the hardness ranging from 7 to 37 GPa. Effects of substrate materials on indentation-hardness of AlN films were studied by using a nanoindentation system equipped with a diamond Berkovich indenter. The maximum force applied to the films was kept at 3 mN. For the films on the Corning 7059 glass substrate, when the normalized penetration depth to the film thickness is 0.98, the film hardness is found to be about 7 GPa, which is close to the hardness of the substrate. While the normalized penetration depth is reduced to 0.11, the film hardness becomes to be about 16 GPa. On the other hand, for the films on the sapphire substrate, when the normalized penetration depth is 0.83, the film hardness is observed to be about 25 GPa, while the normalized penetration depth is reduced to 0.10, the film hardness is found to be about 15 GPa. These results reveal that when the normalized penetration depth to the film thickness is about 0.1, the hardness of the AlN film can be evaluated to be about 15 GPa without being affected by substrate materials.


1993 ◽  
Vol 316 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Goldiner ◽  
G. S. Was ◽  
L. J. Parfitt ◽  
J. W. Jones

ABSTRACTAlumina films synthesized by ion beam assisted deposition (EBAD) were characterized in terms of their microstructure and residual stress. Normalized energy per deposited atom, En, ranged from 0 to 130 eV/atom. The microstructure of PVD films (En=0) is a mixture of crystalline (γ-Al2O3) and amorphous phases and IBAD films are amorphous. Density and stoichiometry vary between 2.6 and 3.1 g/cm3 and 1.3 and 1.6, respectively. Neither are dependent on either ion-to-atom arrival rate ratio, R, or En. The film porosity is in the form of small (4-6 nm) voids of density 1017 - 1018 cm-3. Bombarding gas is incorporated with 80% efficiency to levels of 4-5 at. %. A tensile residual stress of 0.3 GPa exists in PVD films. A rapid transition to high compressive stresses occurs with increased En, with a saturation of -0.4 GPa occurring at high En There is a strong correlation between gas incorporation and residual film stress. However, no existing models are capable of providing a quantitative explanation of the results.


1997 ◽  
Vol 472 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ilias ◽  
J. Pascallon ◽  
V. Stambouli ◽  
D. Bouchier ◽  
G. Nouet

ABSTRACTThe in-depth distribution of phases in c-BN films deposited by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) at two different ion energy values (300 and 600 eV) was investigated using the quantitative IR transmission measurements and the HREM technique. Whatever the value of the studied ion energies, the characteristic layered morphology of c-BN film is observed including the interfacial sp2 zone between the substrate and the c-BN volume. In the case of 600 eV ion energy, this interfacial zone is less well-defined in comparison with 300 eV ion energy and the corresponding thickness is more important. Furthermore, the h-BN phase is more diluted within the c-BN film volume showing that the purest phase concentration of c-BN is found for the lowest ion energy, i.e. 300 eV.


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