Formation of TiOx films produced by high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Applied physics, 2008-03, Vol.41 (5), p.055202-055202 (6)
• Main Authors: Straňák, Vítězslav, Quaas, Marion, Wulff, Harm, Hubička, Zdeněk, Wrehde, Stefan, Tichý, Milan, Hippler, Rainer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 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
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/41/5/055202

Formation of thin TiOx films produced by pulsed planar magnetron sputtering deposition is reported in this paper. The formation process and layer growth were controlled by (i) the ratio of reactive O2 in Ar/O2 working gas mixture and (ii) the pressure in the vacuum chamber. The magnetron, operated in a high-power pulse mode with a low repetition frequency of 250 Hz, reached maxima peak current Ip ~ 50 A and magnetron current density peaks at ip ~ 1 A cm-2. Particular spectral lines (Ar = 420.07 nm, Ar+ = 487.98 nm, Ti = 518.96 nm) emitted by the discharge were investigated using time-resolved photon counting measurements. The phases of deposited TiOx films were determined by grazing incidence x-ray diffractometry and thickness and density were calculated from x-ray reflectometry measurements; in addition composition and chemical bounds were revealed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The film diagnostics survey the existence of different crystalline phases in the Ti-O system and their formation. Discharge properties for example, deposition rate and time evolution of discharge current are also discussed.