Abstract
A metalloid Ti13Cu87 target was sputtered by reactive DC magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures in an Ar-N2 mixture ambient. The sputtered species were condensed on Si (111), glass slide and Potsssium bromide (KBr) substrates. The as-deposited films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), optical spectrophotometry and four point probe technique. The as-deposited films present composite structure of nano-crystallite cubic anti-ReO3 structure of Ti inserted Cu3N (Ti:Cu3N) and nano-crystallite face centre cubic (fcc) structure of Cu. The titanium atoms and sequential nitrogen excess form a solid solution within the Cu3N crystal structure and accommodate in crystal lattice and vacant interstitial site, respectively. Depending on substrate temperature, unreacted N atoms interdiffuse between crystallites and their (and grain) boundaries. The films have agglomerated structure with atomic Ti:Cu ratio less than that of the original targets. A theoretical model has been developed, based on sputtering yield, to predict the atomic Ti:Cu ratio for the as-deposited films. Film thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficient are extracted from the measured transmittance spectra. The films’ resistivity is strongly depending on its microstructural features and substrate temperature.
Highlights
Various researches demonstrated the possibility of obtaining a large variety of non-equilibrium microstructure and phase compositions in thin films produced by DC magnetron sputtering
The as-deposited films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), optical spectrophotometry and four point probe technique
The films are amorphous at lower substrate temperature (i.e. 45 ̊C), but at higher substrate temperature (70 ̊C, 110 ̊C, 150 ̊C and 180 ̊C), they are composed of nano-crystallite cubic anti ReO3 structure of Ti inserted Cu3N (Ti:Cu3N) and nano-crystallite fcc structure of Cu
Summary
Various researches demonstrated the possibility of obtaining a large variety of non-equilibrium microstructure and phase compositions in thin films produced by DC magnetron sputtering. It is demonstrated that co-deposition of elements (from different targets or from a mixed target) whose phase diagram presents a wide miscibility gap is a prerequisite for forming non-equilibrium nanocrystalline or amorphous phases. This tendency to form non-crystalline phase is further increased by sputter deposition in a reactive atmosphere [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. A titanium copper bicomponent target was reactively sputtered at Ar-N2 ambient at various substrate temperatures The aims of this communication are to investigate micro-structural, morphological, chemical, some electrical and optical properties of reactive DC magnetron sputter deposited and nitrided Ti-Cu films
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