Film nanostructure formation during low-temperature PVD deposition using partially ionized atomic fluxes

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The method of molecular dynamics was employed to study the effect of low-energy irradiation with self-ions on the nanostructure and residual stresses arising in niobium films in the process of atomic-ion deposition. The ion flux constituted 10% of the total flux of deposited atoms and the ion energy was 20 and 100 eV. After thermal physical vapor deposition (TPVD) of the film at a temperature of 300 K up to a thickness at which a steady-state density is reached, computer simulation of ionized PVD (IPVD) of the film was performed. The growing film density increased under the ion action. It was established that this increase is provoked mainly by the film smoothing under ion bombardment that leads to a decrease in the number of ‘microcracks’ below which pores are formed. The results of investigations show that under ion action the character of internal microstresses is changing. It is related with the formation of interstitial atom clusters. A correlation was found between the density of films formed, their nanostructure and the arising microstresses.