Real time monitoring of the growth of metallic thin films by in situ pyrometry

Abstract

In situ temperature measurement is an integral part of dwosition processes and optical pyrometry is a useful technique to control the temperature of the growing film. In this work, in situ IR pyrometry has been used for real time monitoring of the early stages of the growth of metallic-type thin films selected as model system. Significant variations of the pyrometric signal were observed during MOCVD of CrC x N y films due to changes of emissivity of the film/substrate system. The pyrometric signal (or emissivity) depends predominantly on the nature, the thickness and the surface roughness of the growing film. As a result, fruitful informations as the formation of an interphase or the existence of an induction period can be obtained in real time by this technique. IR pyrometry can be used as surface diagnostic tool for a large variety of thin film materials that exhibits an emissivity sufficiently different from the substrate.