Magnetron Sputtering Technique Research Articles

Fabrication and characterization of NiO nanoparticles deposited via reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique

Nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructure was successfully prepared via reactive DC magnetron sputtering on the soda-lima glass substrate, which can be used for various applications. Xray diffraction (XRD) investigations were used to evaluate NiO with two annealing durations. The results revealed that the deposited films had a cubic structure and polycrystalline nanoparticles. A significant polycrystalline structure could be seen in the sputtered films as a diffraction peak oriented toward NiO (200). Field-emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis identified the surface morphology of NiO nanoparticles prepared at two different annealing times with the two average sizes (24 and 32 nm) respectively. The samples' roughness was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Increased annealing time was shown to result in a decrease in grain size. The energy band gap (Eg) expanded with increasing annealing time, according to UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the functional groups of NiO nanoparticles and their bonding nature. The results indicate that optical characterizations are more sensitive to the annealing period.

Effect of deposition parameters on structural and mechanical properties of Novel h-BN doped TiCrNbN coatings

In this paper, the novel h-BN doped TiCrNbN thin films was deposited on the DIN 1.2714 steel using closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering (CFUBMS) technique with variable working pressure, bias voltage, and LaB6 target voltage. The main goal is to determine the contribution of degrees of these parameters on structural and mechanical properties using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The deposition parameters were leveled based on L9 (33) orthogonal Taguchi design method. Microstructural and thickness of coatings were investigated using SEM. The coatings had granular and flawless surface properties. The thickness of the coatings was determined in the range of 874 nm and 1.69 μm. The deposition parameter that has the highest contribution to coating thickness is working pressure. Hardness and adhesion strength of coatings were determined employing nanohardness and scratch tester, respectively. The highest hardness among the coatings was 24.67 GPa, obtained with the 3x10-3 Torr working pressure, 100 V bias voltage and 600 V LaB6 target voltage parameters. The deposition parameter that has the highest contribution to hardness is working pressure. The coating conditions with the highest hardness exhibited the highest adhesion strength. The superiority of the contribution of working pressure on the adhesion strength was prominent compared to other parameters.

Combined magnetron sputtering and laser annealing process for the fabrication of proton conducting thin films

Acceptor doped barium zirconates are known for their exceptional protonic conductivity and the challenges in their fabrication. Within this work, BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ (BZY20) films were successfully deposited on a BaZr0.7Ce0.2Y0.1O3-δ/Ni (BZCY72/Ni) substrate using a combination of closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering and various annealing techniques such as conventional furnace annealing and laser annealing. Thin films could be tempered at only 800 °C with an additional laser annealing step and exhibit a heigh density as well as a sufficient protonic conductance. The highest measured ionic conductivity was 1.11*10−3 S/cm. The provided synthesis could pave the way for employing metallic supports in protonic ceramic fuel cells by using lower sintering temperatures than normally required.

Improved performance of MgxZn1-xO flexible UV photodetectors by piezo-phototronic effect through alloying treatment

MgxZn1-xO films (x = 0.22, 0.39, and 0.52) with a single hexagonal wurtzite structure were grown on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. The piezo-phototronic properties of flexible ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors with MgxZn1-xO films were investigated by examining the relationship between their photoelectric characteristics and strain, and the impact of Mg alloying on their piezo-phototronic effect. As the tensile strain of the detectors increased from ε = 0 to ε = 0.2, the responsivity of Mg0.22Zn0.78O, Mg0.39Zn0.61O, and Mg0.52Zn0.48O flexible UV photodetectors increased by ∼ 260 %, ∼308 %, and ∼ 441 %, respectively, showing an enhanced piezo-phototronic effect with increasing Mg content. It could be attributed to the fact that the alloying process increased the piezoelectric coefficient of the MgxZn1-xO materials, thereby increasing the piezopotential. This work provides a technical approach for the preparation and performance optimization of novel flexible optoelectronic functional devices.

A Review of CIGS Thin Film Semiconductor Deposition via Sputtering and Thermal Evaporation for Solar Cell Applications

Over the last two decades, thin film solar cell technology has made notable progress, presenting a competitive alternative to silicon-based solar counterparts. CIGS (CuIn1−xGaxSe2) solar cells, leveraging the tunable optoelectronic properties of the CIGS absorber layer, currently stand out with the highest power conversion efficiency among second-generation solar cells. Various deposition techniques, such as co-evaporation using Cu, In, Ga, and Se elemental sources, the sequential selenization/sulfidation of sputtered metallic precursors (Cu, In, and Ga), or non-vacuum methods involving the application of specialized inks onto a substrate followed by annealing, can be employed to form CIGS films as light absorbers. While co-evaporation demonstrates exceptional qualities in CIGS thin film production, challenges persist in controlling composition and scaling up the technology. On the other hand, magnetron sputtering techniques show promise in addressing these issues, with ongoing research emphasizing the adoption of simplified and safe manufacturing processes while maintaining high-quality CIGS film production. This review delves into the evolution of CIGS thin films for solar applications, specifically examining their development through physical vapor deposition methods including thermal evaporation and magnetron sputtering. The first section elucidates the structure and characteristics of CIGS-based solar cells, followed by an exploration of the challenges associated with employing solution-based deposition techniques for CIGS fabrication. The second part of this review focuses on the intricacies of controlling the properties of CIGS-absorbing materials deposited via various processes and the subsequent impact on energy conversion performance. This analysis extends to a detailed examination of the deposition processes involved in co-evaporation and magnetron sputtering, encompassing one-stage, two-stage, three-stage, one-step, and two-step methodologies. At the end, this review discusses the prospective next-generation strategies aimed at improving the performance of CIGS-based solar cells. This paper provides an overview of the present research state of CIGS solar cells, with an emphasis on deposition techniques, allowing for a better understanding of the relationship between CIGS thin film properties and solar cell efficiency. Thus, a roadmap for selecting the most appropriate deposition technique is created. By analyzing existing research, this review can assist researchers in this field in identifying gaps, which can then be used as inspiration for future research.

Enhanced grain orientation in Sb2Se3 thin films deposited on Mo/BSG substrates via RF-sputtering and selenization

The alignment of the Sb2Se3 absorber grains along the c-axis, resulting from their quasi-1D ribbon-like growth, has been found to enhance current density, thereby enabling high power conversion efficiencies in Sb2Se3-based thin film solar cells. This study presents a controllable method for depositing Sb2Se3 thin films with highly oriented grains and a compact morphology, making them suitable for large-scale solar cell applications. A combination of magnetron sputtering and post-deposition isothermal selenization techniques was used. This process involved sputtering antimony onto Mo-coated Borosilicate glass (BSG) substrates, followed by selenizing the films at different temperatures in argon-gas filled quartz ampoules. The influence of several partial Ar-gas pressures and selenization temperatures on the grain growth was studied to achieve enhanced preferred grain orientations and compact morphology of the Sb2Se3 thin films. Selenization at 380 °C resulted in dominant vertical grain orientations with respect to the substrate surface of the Sb2Se3, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, without compromising surface compactness. Although occasional micro-voids remain in the films, further optimization could eliminate these imperfections. The developed sequential method, where Sb layer was deposited by RF-sputtering process, followed by an annealing at elevated temperature in the presence of Se and argon gas pressure, holds potential for large-scale production and the fabrication of other quasi-1D chalcogenide thin films.

Study on hydrogen absorption performance of the modified Zr/ZrVFe porous getters

Non-evaporable getter is used to remove active gases in sealed-off vacuum devices, especially H2 at room temperature. In this work, Zr/ZrVFe getters with different Zr content (0, 30 and 50 %) were fabricated using vacuum sintering method, then futher improvement of pumping properties had been explored with Ni overlayer as deposited on the surfaces of Zr/ZrVFe getter by magnetron sputtering technique. Subsequently, residual gas and pressure change during the activation process of Zr/ZrVFe getters were measured. It was found that when the activation temperature reached 350 °C, the desorption of impurity gases was basically completed, there was only H2 in the system. Moreover, the hydrogen absorption properties of the Zr/ZrVFe getters modified by Zr content and Ni overlayer were examined. Results indicated that the sintered ZrVFe getter with 0 % Zr content had a large number of cracks and occurred the phenomenon of falling powder, Zr30 %/ZrVFe getter had better hydrogen absorption properties in comparison with Zr50 %/ZrVFe getter owing to the larger porosity and specific surface area. Ni had the catalytic characteristics of decomposing molecular hydrogen into hydrogen atoms and Ni film was uniformly covered on the getter surface, the hydrogen absorption properties of Zr/ZrVFe getter with Ni overlayer were significantly improved.

Influence of power ramps on the physical properties of AZO thin films deposited at room temperature by RF magnetron sputtering technique

Abstract Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates at room temperature by RF sputtering technique. Power ramps between 125 and 105 W were applied with a step of 4 W by intervals of 15, 7.5 and 1.8 min, for 180 min at 1.60 Pa. In this study, we investigated the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of AZO films. X-ray Diffraction analysis showed that the films have a wurtzite-type hexagonal crystalline structure with a preferential crystallographic orientation (002) normal to the c axis. The average transmittance is greater than 76% for the wavelength range in the visible spectrum. The bandgap values were found between 3.32 and 4.01 eV, and refractive index was 1.79–2.60. Atomic force microscope measurements show homogeneous films with a roughness between 17–22 nm. A minimum resistivity value of 2.0 × 10−3 Ω cm was obtained for the film by using a power ramp of 4 W/1.8 min.

Studies on Dual Sputtered CuGaO2 Thin Films

There has been extensive research conducted on n-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films like Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) [1], Al-doped ZnO (AZO) [2], etc. P-type transparent conducting oxides are yet to be researched extensively. Active devices such as p-n junction devices and transistors are required to make progress in the development of transparent electronics. In this effort, research in p-Type TCOs is important. Most of the p-Type TCOs are copper-based ternary oxides [3].In this work, CuGaO2 thin films were prepared using the dual-target RF magnetron sputtering technique. Cu2O and Ga2O3 targets were simultaneously sputtered on quartz substrates. The sputtering power of Cu2O was kept constant at 50 W and the sputtering power of Ga2O3 was varied. The films were deposited at room temperature and were subsequently annealed in nitrogen ambiance at 900 °C. The X-ray diffraction and optical studies were performed to analyze the films to optimize their properties.[1] Fallah, H.; Ghasemi, M.; Hassanzadeh, A.; Steki, H. The effect of annealing on structural, electrical and optical properties of nanostructured ITO films prepared by e-beam evaporation. Mater. Res. Bull. 2007, 42, 487–496[2] Shantheyanda, B.P.; Todi, V.O.; Sundaram, K.B.; Vijayakumar, A.; Oladeji, I. Compositional study of vacuum annealed Al doped ZnO thin films obtained by RF magnetron sputtering. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 2011, 29, 051514.[3] Sundaresh, S.; Bharath, A.H.; Sundaram, K.B. Effect of Cu2O Sputtering Power Variation on the Characteristics of Radio Frequency Sputtered p-Type Delafossite CuCrO2 Thin Films. Coatings 2023, 13, 395.

Pseudocapacitive Storage in Molybdenum Oxynitride Nanostructures Reactively Sputtered on Stainless-Steel Mesh Towards an All-Solid-State Flexible Supercapacitor

Exploiting pseudocapacitance in rationally engineered nanomaterials offers greater energy storage capacities at faster rates. The present research reports a high-performance Molybdenum Oxynitride (MoON) nanostructured material deposited directly over stainless-steel mesh (SSM) via reactive magnetron sputtering technique for flexible symmetric supercapacitor (FSSC) application. The MoON/SSM flexible electrode manifests remarkable Na+-ion pseudocapacitive kinetics, delivering exceptional ~881.83 F.g-1 capacitance, thanks to the synergistically coupled interfaces and junctions between nanostructures of Mo2N, MoO2, and MoO3 co-existing phases, resulting in enhanced specific surface area, increased electroactive sites, improved ionic and electronic conductivity. Employing 3D Bode plots, b-value, and Dunn’s analysis, a comprehensive insight into the charge-storage mechanism has been presented, revealing the superiority of surface-controlled capacitive and pseudocapacitive kinetics. Utilizing PVA-Na2SO4 gel electrolyte, the assembled all-solid-state FSSC (MoON/SSM||MoON/SSM) exhibits impressive cell capacitance of 30.7 mF.cm-2 (438.59 F.g-1) at 0.125 mA.cm-2. Moreover, the FSSC device outputs superior energy density of 4.26 μWh.cm-2 (60.92 Wh.kg-1) and high power density of 2.5 mW.cm-2 (35.71 kW.kg-1). The device manifests remarkable flexibility and excellent electrochemical cyclability of ~91.94% over 10,000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. These intriguing pseudocapacitive performances combined with lightweight, cost-effective, industry-feasible, and environmentally sustainable attributes make the present MoON-based FSSC a potential candidate for energy-storage applications in flexible electronics. Figure 1

The corrosion behavior of AZ91 bulk alloy and thin films

Purpose The purpose of this study is to campare the corrosion behavior of Az91 films and bulk sample, in the objective to provide reference for the corrosion resistance improvement of Mg alloys. Design/methodology/approach AZ91 films with various thickness values are produced by magnetron sputtering technique, and the corrosion behavior was characterized by immersion tests and electrochemical measurements. Findings The AZ91 films exhibited a preferred orientation with basal planes parallel to the surface and increased densification with the increase of thickness, and a superior corrosion resistance for the AZ91 films compared with the bulk sample. Originality/value The preferred (0002) basal planes in AZ91 films benefited the corrosion resistance and the nanoscale AZ91 films facilitated the development of a dense passivation film. Consequently, AZ91 film exhibited a superior corrosion resistance.

Enhancing photoluminescence of monolayer MoS2 on h-BN substrate through plasmonic resonance for high-power optoelectronic devices

Abstract Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an excellent substrate material due to its superb thermal conductivity, excellent thermal stability and smooth surface qualities. In this study, a silicon-based h-BN substrate was prepared using the magnetron sputtering technique. Subsequently, monolayer MoS2 obtained by the CVD method was transferred onto the h-BN substrate. Then, Au-core-Ag-shell nanoparticles with a diameter of 80 nm were prepared by a self-assembly method and uniformly dispersed and spin-coated on the MoS2 surface. Applying a laser with a wavelength of 532 nm can effectively excite the plasma resonance effect of the system. Under the intense thermal effect induced by the high laser power and plasma effect, the h-BN substrate ensures that MoS2 exhibits less red-shift and higher photoluminescence intensity compared with SiO2 substrate due to its excellent thermal conductivity. This means that h-BN substrates are particularly suitable for optoelectronic applications under high laser power environments, and can maintain excellent optoelectronic device performance while effectively curbing overheating to ensure long-term stable device operation.

Thickness dependence of microstructure and thermoelectric performance in Ag2Se films

With the increasing demand for energy autonomy in electronic systems, the research on thin-film-based energy harvesting devices has garnered significant attention. In this work, Ag2Se films with varying thicknesses on quartz glass substrates were fabricated using the magnetron sputtering technique and a straightforward selenization reaction. Charge transport and thermoelectric performance of these films were investigated in the low-temperature range of 300 K to 400 K. Considerable high room-temperature power factor (>2000 μW m-1 K-2) was achieved as the thickness of films exceeded 1000 nm, attributed to the favorable orientation and crystallization. A 5-leg thermoelectric prototype was assembled with 1600 nm-thickness Ag2Se film because of its highest power factor of 2530 μW m-1 K-2 at 300 K. Maximum output power density of 29.8 W m-2 and 87.7 W m-2 were obtained at the temperature difference of 30 K and 50 K respectively, surpassing the majority of the previous reports.

Experimental and statistical damage analysis in milling of S2‐glass fiber/epoxy and basalt fiber/epoxy composites

AbstractS2‐glass fiber reinforced plastics (S2‐GFRP) and basalt fiber reinforced plastics (BFRP) have emerged as crucial materials due to their exceptional mechanical properties, and milling of composite materials plays an important role in achieving desired properties. However, they have proven challenges due to relative inhomogeneity compared with metals, resulting unpredictability in quality of milling operations. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of cutting parameters, tool geometry and tool surface materials on the surface quality of composites using burrs as a metric. S2‐GFRP and BFRP composites were produced by the vacuum infusion method. Helical and straight flute end mills were manufactured from high‐speed steel (HSS) and carbide rounds, and half of them were coated with titanium nitride using reactive magnetron sputtering technique. Taguchi L18 orthogonal array is used to determine the effect of tool material, tool angle, coating, cutting direction, spindle speed, and feed rate on the machining quality of S2‐GFRPs and BFRPs with respect to burr formations. Milling experiments were conducted under dry conditions and then the burrs were imaged to calculate the total area and length. Statistical analysis was also performed to optimize the machining parameters and tool type for ensuring the structural integrity and performance of the final composite parts. The results showed that the selection of tool material has the most significant impact on the burr area and length of the machined surface. The novel image analysis allows to analyze the extent of the burr size with a desirable operation speed for industrial applications.Highlights Aerospace grade S2‐Glass (S2‐GFRP) and basalt fiber reinforced plastics (BFRP) were manufactured. Carbide and HSS end mills were fabricated and coated with titanium nitride protective layer. FRPs were machined at various process parameters designed by Taguchi method. Distinctive image processing was firstly used to compute milling induced Burr area and length. Statistical analysis was performed to quantify the contribution of parameters and optimize milling.

Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Rayleigh and Leaky-Sezawa Waves Propagating in ZnO/Fused Silica Substrates.

Piezoelectric c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, from 1.8 up to 6.6 µm thick, have been grown by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique onto fused silica substrates. A delay line consisting of two interdigital transducers (IDTs) with wavelength λ = 80 µm was photolithographically implemented onto the surface of the ZnO layers. Due to the IDTs' split-finger configuration and metallization ratio (0.5), the propagation of the fundamental, third, and ninth harmonic Rayleigh waves is excited; also, three leaky surface acoustic waves (SAWs) were detected travelling at a velocity close to that of the longitudinal bulk wave in SiO2. The acoustic waves' propagation in ZnO/fused silica was simulated by using the 2D finite-element method (FEM) technique to identify the nature of the experimentally detected waves. It turned out that, in addition to the fundamental and harmonic Rayleigh waves, high-frequency leaky surface waves are also excited by the harmonic wavelengths; such modes are identified as Sezawa waves under the cut-off, hereafter named leaky Sezawa (LS). The velocities of all the modes was found to be in good agreement with the theoretically calculated values. The existence of a low-loss region in the attenuation vs. layer thickness curve for the Sezawa wave below the cut-off was theoretically predicted and experimentally assessed.

Preparation of BaTiO3/Y3Fe5O12 bilayers and their ferroelectric/magnetic properties

The converse magnetoelectric effect in the ferroelectric/ferrimagnetic bilayers shows a great promise for realizing energy efficient, dense, and fast information storage and processing. In this study, we prepare the hybrid structures consisting of a ferroelectric layer BaTiO3 (BTO) and a ferrimagnetic insulator layer Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) via magnetron sputtering technique and post-annealing procedure. A visible ferroelectricity hysteresis loop for the BTO film and an apparent magnetic hysteresis loop for the YIG film are obtained. Moreover, by capping a platinum layer on the hybrid structures and performing longitudinal spin Seebeck measurements, a detectable spin-charge conversion voltage is observed, and even significant manipulation of this conversion in BTO/YIG/Pt trilayers is achieved by electrical means. These results show great potential for the development of tunable YIG-based devices and are instructive for future artificial multiferroic heterostructures devices applications.

Multilevel phase transition behavior of In2Se3-doped with Sb materials based on flexible polyimide substrate

The In2Se3-doped Sb phase change material was deposited onto a polyimide substrate using magnetron sputtering technique. A comprehensive investigation was conducted on the thermal stability, bending resistance, crystal structure, and electrical properties of this material. The findings revealed its remarkable thermal stability, data retention, and bending resilience, particularly in the In0.05Se0.19Sb0.76 film, which exhibited minimal resistance drift. The aging test confirmed the stability of the electronic structure in In2Se3-doped Sb, accompanied by reduced structural relaxation. Notably, no new crystalline phase emerged in In0.05Se0.19Sb0.76 film, but stronger In-Sb bonds were formed. Raman spectroscopy and bending tests further indicated that deformation had minimal impact on the film’s structure and surface. Utilizing the In0.05Se0.19Sb0.76 material and polyimide substrate, a flexible phase change memory device demonstrated reliable SET/RESET operations even after bending, offering three stable resistance states for multilevel storage. This enhanced the storage density, making In2Se3-doped Sb material a promising flexible phase change material with excellent performance and vast potential for applications in phase change storage, such as electronic fabrics and flexible smart wearable electronics.

Incorporation of Cd nanocrystals into the CdS/Si nanoheterojunctions interface by a two-step method: Preparation, optical properties and carrier transportation

Incorporating metal nanocrystals into the interface is an effective approach to improve the performance of the nanoheterojunctions. Through combining the direct current magnetron sputtering technique and solvothermal method, the Cd nanocrystals have easily and efficiently been incorporated into the CdS/Si nanoheterojunctions (CdS:nc-Cd/Si). From the study of photoluminescence and electrical properties, it can be concluded that the incorporation of Cd nanocrystals into the interface of CdS/Si nanoheterojunctions can facilitate the improvement of carrier separation and transportation. It is believed that the devices based on CdS:nc-Cd/Si and CdS/Si nanoheterojunctions can be potentially applied in the optoelectronic fields by optimizing the preparation conditions. This study can provide the experimental and theoretical supports for the development of heterojunction devices.

Sputter-deposited Ni-rich NiTi thin films: Mechanical behavior and composition sensitivity

In this study, we investigated the mechanical behavior of sputter-deposited Ni-rich NiTi thin films with various chemical compositions. Freestanding thin films were successfully produced by employing magnetron sputtering and microfabrication techniques. Notably, films containing Ni within the range of 52.6–57.6 at. % exhibited distinct stress-induced martensitic transformations. Among these, 53.3 at. % and 54.2 at. % Ni–Ti films demonstrated a remarkable combination of strength exceeding 1.5 GPa and elastic strain approaching 5%. Conversely, films with the highest Ni content displayed nearly linear elastic behavior, showcasing an exceptional tensile strength of 2.2 GPa. As the element composition deviated from the equiatomic ratio, the grain size of the deposited films underwent a transition from several micrometers to nano-scale. In addition, the critical stresses showed lower sensitivity to chemical composition compared to bulk alloys, indicating that superelastic behavior persists over a wider composition range in Ni-rich NiTi thin films. By comparing the NiTi matrix and precipitate morphology between bulk alloys and thin films, we discussed the variations in the mechanical behavior of thin films.

Ultrahigh Performance UV Photodetector by Inserting an Al2O3 Nanolayer in NiO/n‐Si

AbstractUltraviolet (UV) photodetectors have gained much attention due to their numerous important applications ranging from environmental monitoring to space communication. To date, most p‐NiO/n‐Si heterojunction photodetectors (HPDs) exhibit poor UV responsivity and slow response. This is mainly due to a small valence band offset (ΔEV) at the NiO/Si interface and a high density of dangling bonds at the silicon surface. Herein, an UV HPD consisting of NiO/Al2O3/n‐Si is fabricated using magnetron sputtering technique. The HPD has a large rectification ratio of 2.4 × 105. It also exhibits excellent UV responsivity (R) of 15.8 A/W at −5 V and and detectivity (D*) of 1.14 × 1013 Jones at −4 V, respectively. The excellent performance of the HPD can be attributed to the defect passivation at the interfaces of the heterojunction and the efficient separation of photogenerated carriers by the Al2O3 nanolayer. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the HPD as high as 5.4 × 103%, hence implying a large optical gain due to carrier proliferation resulting from impact ionization. Furthermore, the ultrafast response speed with a rise time of 80 µs and a decay time of 184 µs are obtained.