Surface Morphology of Nb Films by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition

Abstract

AbstractNiobium films of thickness 50 nm to 1000 nm were deposited by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) using ion energies of 0, 500 and 1000 eV, and R ratios (ion-to-atom arrival rate ratio) of 0, 0.1, and 0.4 on (100) silicon and (0001) sapphire substrates. The films have columnar structures and the column width increases with normalized energy (En = E × R). The surface morphology depends on both the normalized energy of the ion beam, En, and the film thickness. All films have dome-like surface features that are oriented along the ion beam incident direction. The dimension of these features increases with normalized energy and film thickness. Surface roughness also increases with normalized energy and film thickness, with the root mean square (rms) roughness increasing from 1.6 nm for the PVD sample (100 nm thick) to 36.7 nm for the IBAD film (1000 eV, R = 0.4, 800 nm thick). The surface morphology of IBAD films is the result of a combination of channeling and shadowing effects.