Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society (Jan 2008)

Reactive sputtering deposition of SiO2 thin films

  • Radović Ivan,
  • Serruys Yves,
  • Limoge Yves,
  • Bibić Nataša

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC0801121R
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 73, no. 1
pp. 121 – 126

Abstract

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SiO2 layers were deposited in a UHV chamber by 1 keV Ar+ ion sputtering from a high purity silicon target, using different values of the oxygen partial pressure (5×10-6-2×10-4 mbar) and of the ion beam current on the target (1.67-6.85 mA). The argon partial pressure during operation of the ion gun was 1×10-3 mbar. The substrate temperature was held at 550°C and the films were deposited to a thickness of 12.5-150 nm, at a rate from 0.0018-0.035 nm s-1. Structural characterization of the deposited thin films was performed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS analysis). Reactive sputtering was proved to be efficient for the deposition of silica at 550°C, an oxygen partial pressure of 2×10-4 mbar (ion beam current on the target of 5 mA) or, at a lower deposition rate, ion beam current of 1.67 mA and an oxygen partial pressure of 6×10-5 mbar. One aspect of these investigations was to study the consumption of oxygen from the gas cylinder, which was found to be lower for higher deposition rates.

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