Microstructure and Magnetron Sputtering Properties of Molybdenum Target Prepared by Low-Pressure Plasma Spraying

Abstract

Planar molybdenum targets were fabricated by low-pressure plasma spraying (LPPS) under 2.6 × 104 Pa pressure. A lamellar structure consisting of vertical columnar grains and compact interlamellar contacts was found in the LPPS deposits. The oxygen content by mass, porosity, average grain size, microhardness, and ultimate tensile strength of the LPPS target were about 0.18%, 1.1%, 0.4 μm, 361.8 HV0.025, and 373.2 MPa, respectively. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis of the LPPS sample showed proportions of -, -, and -oriented grains of about 12.0%, 16.9%, and 9.2% of the total, respectively. The molybdenum target exhibited excellent magnetron sputtering performance, since most of the grains with size less than 1.0 μm were irregularly distributed without preferred orientation. Rapid sputtering and uniform thinning on the surface of LPPS molybdenum targets took place during magnetron sputtering. Smooth and continuous molybdenum thin film with thickness of about 700 nm could be deposited by magnetron sputtering from the LPPS samples. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra of molybdenum thin film with body-centered cubic structure showed that the intensity of (110) diffraction peak was much higher than that of (220) one.