Nanostructure optimization of Zr-W-Ti metallic glass thin films via multitarget co-sputtering with oblique angle deposition approach

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 886; p. 161265
• Main Authors: Kowong, Rattanachai, Denchitcharoen, Somyod, Lertvanithphol, Tossaporn, Triamnak, Narit, Chananonnawathorn, Chanunthorn, Jaruwongrungsee, Kata, Klamchuen, Annop, Muthitamongkol, Pennapa, Phae-ngam, Wuttichai, Nakajima, Hideki, Songsiriritthigul, Prayoon, Horprathum, Mati
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.12.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Amorphous materials; Chemical composition; Critical point; Deposition; Electron microscopes; Metallic glasses; Multitarget co-sputtering; Nanorods; Nanostructure; Nanostructured metallic glasses; Oblique angle deposition; Optimization; Photoelectrons; Silicon substrates; Sputtering; Substrate angle; Thin films; Titanium; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Zr-W-Ti; Oblique angle deposition; Substrate angle; Multitarget co-sputtering; Zr-W-Ti; Nanostructured metallic glasses
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.161265

•The multitarget co-sputtering with oblique angle deposition demonstrates fabricated Zr-W-Ti NMGs thin films.•The substrate angle crucial parameter for controlled nanomorphology.•Chemical composition depends on the substrate angle.•All prepared Zr-W-Ti NMGs thin films were X-ray amorphous. [Display omitted] In this work, we systematically investigated the Zr-W-Ti nanostructured metallic glasses (NMGs) thin films on silicon (Si) wafer substrate fabricated via multitarget co-sputtering with oblique angle deposition (OAD) technique. By varying the substrate angles (θs) from 0° to 55°, the evolution of Zr-W-Ti NMGs from dense to nanocolumnar and nanorod film were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-FEM), which created by the self-shadowing effect. The critical point of substrate angles was around 15° to produce the nanocolumnar and 40° to form the nanorod structure. The relationship among the substrate angles and the Zr-W-Ti NMGs tilted angle (β) was determined and discussed in detail with two theoretical correlations as the "Tangent rule" and "Cosine rule." The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studied revealed the different chemical compositions. The results obtained from grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicated that the prepared Zr-W-Ti NMGs thin films exhibit an amorphous structure. Ultimately, it suggests that the multitarget co-sputtering with the OAD technique provides NMGs thin films, enabling applications in gas storage and sensor devices due to their well-defined nanostructured morphological and chemical composition characteristics.