Influence of the plasma chemistry and energetics on the composition and structure evolution of sputtered oxide thin films
type: CreativeWork
description: In the thesis, the relationship between the plasma chemistry and energetics, and the thin film composition and structure evolution of transition metal oxide thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in an Ar/O2 atmosphere is investigated as a function of the O2 partial pressure (p(O2)). The previously reported composition of films deposited onto grounded non-intentionally heated substrates was correlated with the dominant positive and negative ion populations in the plasma. While the oxygen deficient films were grown in the Ar(+) dominant mode, the close-to-stoichiometric films were grown in the O(+)/O(-) dominant mode. The formation of close-to-stoichiometric ZrO2.1 is observed in the compound mode, while the formation of closed-to-stoichiometric Nb2O4.7 thin films was reported in addition to the compound mode also in the transition mode. This may be understood based on 1.5-1.9 times higher power dissipated in the Nb-Ar-O2 plasma as compared to the Zr-Ar-O2 plasma. It is suggested that at larger power O2 dissociation may be more efficient and lead to the presence of sufficiently high atomic oxygen density to fully oxidize the films. Further, the energy distribution functions (EDF) of O(-) ions of magnetron sputtered Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf in an Ar/O2 atmosphere were measured as a function of the p(O2). Three ion populations were detected in the plasma: low, medium and high energy ions. The EDFs were compared to distributions obtained based on sputtering theory. If the surface binding energy is assumed to be equal to the heat of formation, good agreement between the experiment and theory was achieved. From correlating the measured ion energy distributions with previously published phase stability data, it can be deduced that large fluxes of medium and high energy O(-) ions may enable the formation of crystalline transition metal oxide thin films during low temperature growth. Furthermore, the EDFs of O(-) ions of magnetron sputtered Al were measured as a function of …
abstract: In the thesis, the relationship between the plasma chemistry and energetics, and the thin film composition and structure evolution of transition metal oxide thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in an Ar/O2 atmosphere is investigated as a function of the O2 partial pressure (p(O2)). The previously reported composition of films deposited onto grounded non-intentionally heated substrates was correlated with the dominant positive and negative ion populations in the plasma. While the oxygen deficient films were grown in the Ar(+) dominant mode, the close-to-stoichiometric films were grown in the O(+)/O(-) dominant mode. The formation of close-to-stoichiometric ZrO2.1 is observed in the compound mode, while the formation of closed-to-stoichiometric Nb2O4.7 thin films was reported in addition to the compound mode also in the transition mode. This may be understood based on 1.5-1.9 times higher power dissipated in the Nb-Ar-O2 plasma as compared to the Zr-Ar-O2 plasma. It is suggested that at larger power O2 dissociation may be more efficient and lead to the presence of sufficiently high atomic oxygen density to fully oxidize the films. Further, the energy distribution functions (EDF) of O(-) ions of magnetron sputtered Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf in an Ar/O2 atmosphere were measured as a function of the p(O2). Three ion populations were detected in the plasma: low, medium and high energy ions. The EDFs were compared to distributions obtained based on sputtering theory. If the surface binding energy is assumed to be equal to the heat of formation, good agreement between the experiment and theory was achieved. From correlating the measured ion energy distributions with previously published phase stability data, it can be deduced that large fluxes of medium and high energy O(-) ions may enable the formation of crystalline transition metal oxide thin films during low temperature growth. Furthermore, the EDFs of O(-) ions of magnetron sputtered Al were measured as a function of …
author: Mráz, Stanislav
language: eng
keywords: info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/620, composition, mangetron sputtering, plasma chemistry, plasma energetics, structure, thin film oxides, Dünne Schicht, Kristallstruktur, Magnetronsputtern, Oxide, PVD-Verfahren, Plasmachemie, Plasmaenergetik, Zusammensetzung, Ingenieurwissenschaften
date published: 2006
date modified: 2026-07-30T19:43:10Z
provider: RWTH Aachen University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Shaker