Ion assisted deposition of crystalline TiNi thin films by electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced sputtering

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 36; no. 6A; pp. 3629 - 3634
• Main Authors: MISINA, M, SETSUHARA, Y, MIYAKE, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japanese journal of applied physics 01.06.1997
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Nickel base alloys; Plasma; RBS; Intermetallic compounds; Electron cyclotron-resonance; Physical radiation effects; Ions; Crystal growth from vapors; XRD; Experimental study; Texture; Thin films; Binary alloys; Cathode sputtering; Titanium alloys; Chemical composition; Transition element alloys
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.36.3629

Electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma enhanced sputtering with magnetic-mirror plasma confinement is characterized by low working pressures and large ion flux densities. TiNi thin films were deposited by this technique onto preheated Si (111) substrates. The crystal structure and composition of the films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, respectively. The substrate temperature T cr necessary for deposition of crystalline TiNi films was determined as a function of the ion-to-metal flux ratio j ion / j Ti+Ni and ion energy E i . T cr as low as 555 K was found for j ion / j Ti+Ni =3.9 and E i =150 eV. Substrate temperatures higher than T cr resulted in a textured crystal structure. Factors affecting the composition of the deposited thin films are also discussed.