X-ray reflectivity study on gold films during sputter deposition

• Published in: Surface science 1997-05, Vol.380 (2), p.245-257
• Main Authors: Chiarello, R.P., You, H., Kim, H.K., Roberts, T., Kempwirth, R.T., Miller, D., Gray, K.E., Vandervoort, K.G., Trivedi, N., Phillpot, S.R., Zhang, Q.J., Williams, S., Ketterson, J.B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atomic force microscopy; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Gold; Growth; Metallic films; Metallic surfaces; Metals. Metallurgy; Models of non-equilibrium phenomena; Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; Physics; Polycrystalline surfaces; Polycrystalline thin films; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Silicon; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Solid-gas interfaces; Sputtering; Surface roughening; Surface structure and topography; Surface structure, morphology, roughness, and topography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); X-ray scattering, diffraction, and reflection
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/S0039-6028(96)01406-9

We performed in-situ X-ray reflectivity measurements of gold films during sputter deposition on polished silicon substrates. The measurements were performed at several substrate temperatures and under two argon pressures. The gold surfaces were also examined by scanning tunneling microscopy after deposition to obtain their real-space topographic images. These images were used to complement the X-ray reflectivity measurements in determining the effect of argon pressure on the gold surface and its height-height difference functions. An approximation for height-height difference functions was employed to analyze the X-ray reflectivity data. The measured interface width during growth followed a simple power law, consistent with recent theoretical results of dynamic scaling behavior. The scaling exponents, however, do not agree well with predictions based on some models in 2 + 1 dimensions.