Effect of substrate temperature on sputter-deposited boron carbide films

Abstract

Sputter deposition of B4C films with tailored physical properties remains a challenge. Here, we systematically study how substrate temperature influences the properties of B4C films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering onto planar substrates held at temperatures in the range of 100−510°C. Results show that all films are amorphous stoichiometric B4C, with low O content of ∼1 at. %. Films deposited onto substrates at 100°C exhibit high compressive residual stress and decreased mechanical properties. For elevated substrate temperatures in the range of 180−510°C, film mass density, surface roughness, Young’s modulus, and hardness are weakly dependent on substrate temperature. However, in this temperature range, an increase in substrate temperature leads to larger residual compressive stress accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the concentration of nanoscale inhomogeneities. At least for the landing atom ballistics conditions studied here, a substrate temperature range of ∼185−250°C is optimum for growing films with near-zero intrinsic residual stress. The overall weak substrate temperature dependence of film properties revealed in this work is favorable for the development of a robust deposition process, particularly for the case of deposition onto non-planar substrates where temperature control is often challenging.