Effect of oxygen content on barrier properties of silicon oxide thin film deposited by dual ion-beam sputtering

• Published in: Journal of non-crystalline solids 2006, Vol.352 (1), p.84-91
• Main Authors: Seong, Jin-Wook, Choi, Dai Won, Yoon, K.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Films and coatings; FTIR; Insulators; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Molecular, atomic, ion, and chemical beam epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics; SEM; Silica; Sputtering; Surfaces and interfaces
• ISSN: 0022-3093; 1873-4812
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2005.10.024

A silicon oxide thin film barrier was prepared with various oxygen contents and its chemical composition, surface morphology and optical and barrier properties were related to the deposition conditions used. Our study showed that under Ar and O 2 assisted process conditions, a stoichiometric silicon oxide thin film formed at a critical oxygen content during deposition of 40–50%. The thin films deposited at the critical condition showed the lowest surface roughness giving similar or higher optical transmittance than that of the bare polycarbonate (PC) substrate. The boiling and tensile strength test performed on the thin film deposited with assisted ions before the deposition process showed improvement in the adhesion between the oxide layer and the polymer substrate. In addition, interface modification to improve for improving the barrier layer properties of the silicon oxide thin film was achieved through the introduction of dual ion beam sputtering without pre-treatment.