Sputtering Pressure Research Articles

Optoelectronic effect of Al-based buffer layers on Al-doped ZnO thin transparent conductive films on flexible substrates

AZO (Al-doped ZnO) film is a transparent conductive film that offers a simple preparation process, low cost, non-toxicity, and excellent stability. It serves as a high-quality material extensively used in liquid crystal displays, solar cells, and other fields. In this study, AZO thin films were prepared on a PET substrate with an Al2O3 buffer layer using the magnetron sputtering method. The deposition parameters were optimized through the Taguchi method and Grey Correlation Analysis. The results demonstrate that the optimal deposition parameters for achieving superior photoelectric properties during the fabrication of AZO films are 100 W (radio frequency power), 1.0 Pa (sputtering pressure), 20 min (coating time), and 20°C (substrate temperature). Furthermore, the incorporation of an Al2O3 buffer layer enhances the quality of AZO film on PET substrate. This investigation successfully deposited uniform and highly efficient AZO thin films onto flexible PET substrates at low temperatures, thereby expanding their potential applications in flexible electronics.

Influence mechanism of magnetron sputtering process parameters on diamond surface preprocessing interface for chip heat sink

The interface between diamond and aluminum is poor in wettability and solid solubility. The interface bonding can be improved effectively by plating metal elements on diamond surface combined with heat treatment. In this paper, the influence of adjustable process parameters on the quality of Mo layer modified by magnetron sputtering was studied based on orthogonal experiments, and Mo-coated diamond/aluminum composite materials were prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The results indicate that the deposition of Mo layer on the diamond surface proceeds through three stages: adsorption, surface diffusion, and stable nucleus growth, forming an initial thin film, followed by layer-by-layer stacking through repeated growth of these stages. Sputtering time and sputtering pressure are the main factors affecting the quality of the coating. Mo layers prepared under conditions of 30 min and 0.5 Pa exhibit uniform and dense surface and moderate thickness. After heat treatment, recrystallization forms equiaxed grains, and Mo2C is formed in reaction with diamond, effectively enhancing the interface bonding strength between diamond and aluminum. The thermal conductivity of the diamond/aluminum composite material reached 342 W/(mK).

Effect of abnormally oriented grains on the ferroelectric properties of Al0.65Sc0.35N thin films

The wide bandgap wurtzite Al1-xScxN ferroelectric material is compatible with semiconductor processes and offers advantages such as high remanent polarization (Pr) and high-temperature stability. To clear the relationship between the structure zone model (SZM), abnormally oriented grains (AOGs) and the ferroelectric properties, the Al0.65Sc0.35N films were prepared at various sputtering pressures (0.32–0.90 Pa) and substrate temperatures (200–500 ℃) on low resistance n+-(111) Si substrate by the radio frequency dual-source reactive magnetron sputtering method using Al and Sc targets under pure N2 gas. The introduction of AOGs facilitates compressive stress reduction and promotes ferroelectric switching. However, excessive AOGs will damage the (002) orientation, leading to loss of ferroelectricity. The Al0.65Sc0.35N films synthesized under a sputtering pressure of 0.52 Pa and a substrate temperature of 400 ℃ exhibited a lower leakage current at high electric field, with a Pr value of 154.3 μC/cm2 and a negative coercive field (Ec-) of 3.1 MV/cm at a testing frequency of 1 kHz. The outstanding comprehensive properties support the large potential of Al1-xScxN ferroelectric material for high-performance FeRAM devices.

Preparation and characterisation of gradient HA/TiN/Ti coatings for biomedical applications

A gradient transition HA/TiN/Ti composite coating was deposited on the surface of medical Ti6Al4V alloy using the reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The influence of deposition parameters on the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and in vitro mineralisation of the coating were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that deposition parameters such as sputtering power, bias voltage, and sputtering pressure had a significant impact on the microstructure and morphology of HA/TiN/Ti composite coatings. The gradient TiN/Ti transition layer remarkably enhanced the adhesion strength, increasing the critical load from 7.5 N (HA monolayer) to over 40 N (HA/TiN/Ti multilayer). Moreover, compared to single TiN/Ti and HA coatings, the HA/TiN/Ti composite coatings exhibited better corrosion resistance and metal ion shielding ability while also demonstrating excellent capability for inducing bone-like apatite formation, thereby greatly ensuring the exceptional stability of the surface bioactive coatings.

Structural and electrochromic property control of WO3 films through fine-tuning of film-forming parameters

Abstract Tungsten trioxide (WO3) films, extensively investigated for their remarkable electrochromic properties, have proven to be highly versatile in numerous applications. However, the challenge of achieving large-scale WO3 films with substantial dimensions and volumes remains a critical obstacle for industrial-scale production. Among the available techniques, magnetron sputtering stands out as the most efficient and straightforward method for the industrial preparation of WO3 films. In this comprehensive study, we meticulously explored the impact of various process parameters in magnetron sputtering on the film formation properties. By employing a controlled variable approach, we systematically investigated the influence of gas flow (Ar), sputtering pressure, power, and time. Our meticulous observations revealed that each parameter exerted distinct effects on the intricate film formation process. Careful analysis of the final dataset unequivocally demonstrated that when the sputtering conditions were meticulously optimized, the resulting films exhibited an extraordinary maximum transmittance change of 85% at a specific wavelength of 0.6 μm. Furthermore, these films showcased rapid coloring and bleaching response times, clocking in at an impressive 15 and 20 s, respectively, without any significant degradation even after undergoing 5,000 cycles. These groundbreaking findings provide invaluable insights into the intricate film formation process associated with magnetron-sputtered WO3.

Characterization of MoS2:Nb sputtered thin films. An application as hole transport layer in Cu2ZnSnS4/Si tandem solar cells

MoS2:Nb films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering are investigated in view of their application in infrared (IR)-transparent contacts for tandem photovoltaic devices.This material is already known to give a good electrical contact with p-type chalcogenide semiconductors, which are typically grown onto opaque molybdenum metallic contacts and a MoS2 layer spontaneously forms at the back interface during the on-top semiconductor growth. Our study explores a different approach, which involves the direct growth of IR-transparent MoS2:Nb films via sputtering inside complete photovoltaic devices, like Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)-based single junction solar cells and CZTS/Si tandem devices. Films deposited at different sputtering pressures are compared by analysing their microstructure, morphology, chemical composition, optical and electrical properties. The effects of post-deposition sulfurization treatments are also investigated. We find that MoS2:Nb films deposited at around 0.1 Pa exhibit compactness but show a notable sulfur deficit ([S]/[Mo]≈1.4), a significant sub-bandgap optical absorptance and lack of crystallinity. Increasing the Ar pressure to 1 Pa raises the [S]/[Mo] ratio to 2.2, yielding crystalline films with good IR-transparency, although with a porous morphology. Despite 0.5 wt% Nb-doping of the sputtering target, the as-deposited films demonstrate n-type conductivity likely due to uncontrolled impurities and intrinsic defects. Ultraviolet Photoemission Spectroscopy measurements suggest that films’ work function higher than 5 eV can be obtained with a post-deposition sulfurization, making these materials suitable as Hole Transport Layer in photovoltaic applications. A similar increase in work function is expected in the CZTS/MoS2 junctions, since the sputtered MoS2:Nb films undergo a sulfurization process needed to obtain the overlying polycrystalline CZTS absorber.CZTS solar cells produced with sputtered MoS2 and Transparent Conductive Oxides contacts on glass substrates, despite plagued by severe adhesion problems, show the potentiality to give efficiencies comparable to reference devices with standard Mo back contact. Fabrication of CZTS/Si tandem devices on textured silicon bottom cells yields a maximum efficiency of 4.4 %, primarily hindered by the low quality of the CZTS film on textured substrates. Nonetheless, optoelectronic characterizations based on both spectrophotometric and quantum efficiency measurements confirm a good IR transparency of the MoS2-based intermediate contacts and the desired electrical behaviour.

Effects of sputtering pressure on microstructure and secondary electron emission properties of AlN film prepared by magnetron sputtering

In this paper, aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films were prepared by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at different sputtering pressures and the crystalline structure, surface morphology and secondary electron emission (SEE) properties of the AlN films were studied in detail. The experimental results reveal that AlN films present the preferred orientation of a-axis (100), and the grain size and surface roughness of the film decrease with the increase of sputtering pressure. Additionally, the SEE coefficient of the film reaches a maximum of 4.3 at 200 eV when the sputtering pressure is 0.55 Pa and is relatively stable under the continuous bombardment of an incident electron with the energy of 200 eV. Thus, the AlN thin film prepared under the optimized sputtering pressure has a relatively high and stable coefficient at a low incident electron energy, which promotes its potential application in the high-gain and long-life electron multipliers.

Effect of nitrogen sputtering pressure on the electronic properties of LiPON solid-state electrolyte

Effect of nitrogen sputtering pressure on the electronic properties of LiPON solid-state electrolyte

Fabrication of smooth SAC305 thin film via magnetron sputtering

SAC305 (96.5 wt% Sn, 3 wt% Ag, 0.5 wt%Cu) solder is increasingly becoming popular due to its reliability good characteristics and performance in addition to the environmental concerns and regulations that restrict the use of lead in nano/microelectronic products. In nano/microelectronics, manufacturing smooth solder coatings free of defects such as voids and cracks, which can compromise joint reliability is crucial. Magnetron sputtering offers a high degree of control over film thickness and composition, resulting in films with excellent uniformity and adhesion. Despite these advantages, fabricating continuous and robust SAC305 films using magnetron sputtering remains a difficult task with limited research addressing these Challenges. To address these challenges and obtain an enhanced surface morphology property, we focus on fabricating SAC305 thin films by optimizing the magnetron sputtering parameters including sputtering power and pressure, and by using various substrates. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy were used to evaluate the quality of the thin films.

Effect of sputtering pressure on the properties of large area IWO thin films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering

Tungsten doped indium oxide (In2O3: W, IWO) thin films have been attracting increasing attention due to their excellent optoelectronic properties. Here, a series of IWO thin films were prepared using direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering method, by varying the sputtering pressure. Analysis revealed that the IWO films prepared under sputtering pressure of 0.4 Pa exhibited excellent optoelectronic performance, with low square resistance, resistivity, high carrier concentration and mobility. The resulting semi-transparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs), with IWO fabricated under 0.4 Pa, yield a PCE of 15.71 % for the large area modules of 100 cm2 (active area 64.8 cm2).

Reduced Work Function in Anatase ⟨101⟩ TiO2 Films Self-Doped by O-Vacancy-Dependent Ti3+ Bonds Controlling the Photocatalytic Dye Degradation Performance.

TiO2 has the proven capability of catalytically decomposing pollutants under light illumination, thereby embracing potential applications in wastewater management. The photocatalytic dye degradation activity is largely controlled by the optical band gap that dictates the extent of electron-hole pair generation via photon absorption, and the recombination kinetics of charges. In this context, the material's work function governs how easily the charge carriers can be transferred at the dye-adsorbed photocatalytically active sites. Accordingly, nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films are grown in the anatase phase with ⟨101⟩ orientation, using RF magnetron sputtering at 200 °C. Besides studying the film's structural morphology, optical band gap, and elemental composition, the electronic properties are extensively investigated. The work function of the material was controlled by varying the O-vacancy-dependent Ti3+ bonding configuration in the network. It has been demonstrated how the photocatalytic methylene blue dye degradation activity of the nanocrystalline TiO2 films of predominantly the anatase phase improves on reducing the sputtering pressure during deposition. At a low deposition pressure of 20 mTorr, a low work function of ∼4.2 eV of the film, resulting from the formation of a Ti3+-bond through the O vacancies in the network, potentially increases its carrier lifetime and delivers the superior photocatalytic activity (∼82.7% dye degradation with a rate constant of k ∼ 0.0073 min-1) via silently facilitating fast electron transfer from the photocatalyst to the dye in the aqueous solution. The higher stoichiometric film prepared at p = 40 mTorr exhibits an inferior photocatalytic activity (∼20.4% dye degradation with a rate constant of k ∼ 0.0009 min-1), as retarded by its higher work function of ∼4.62 eV, despite retaining a relatively low band gap. Thus, without using any heterojunction or extrinsically doped photocatalyst, the dye degradation can be controlled simply by reducing the work function of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films via controlling the O-vacancy-dependent Ti3+ bonding in its self-doped network.

Titanium oxynitride thin films by the reactive sputtering process with an independent pulsing of O2 and N2 gases

Titanium oxynitride thin films are deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. A pure titanium target is sputtered in a reactive atmosphere composed of argon, oxygen and nitrogen gases. The oxygen mass flow rate as well as that of the nitrogen gas are both pulsed during the deposition time using an independent and rectangular signal for each reactive gas. A constant pulsing period T = 45 s is applied for both reactive gases and a delay time δ of 34 s between N2 and O2 injection times is set for all depositions. Oxygen and nitrogen duty cycles are systematically and independently changed from 0 to 100 % of their pulsing period. From real time measurements of the Ti target potential and total sputtering pressure, it is shown that the reactive process alternates between oxidized, nitrided and elemental sputtering modes as a function of the oxygen and nitrogen injection times. The full poisoning of the Ti target surface by oxygen and/or nitrogen can be avoided for some given ranges of O2 and N2 duty cycles. Deposition rates of titanium oxynitride films are substantially enhanced and can be adjusted between that of pure Ti and TiN films with a gradual transition of their electrical conductivity and optical transmittance in the visible range. These results support that titanium oxynitride compounds exhibiting absorbent to transparent behaviors can be precisely sputter-deposited by means of a two reactive gases pulsing process.

Superconducting Nb interconnects for Cryo-CMOS and superconducting digital logic applications

A 100 nm wide superconducting niobium (Nb) interconnect was fabricated by a 300 mm wafer process for Cryo-CMOS and superconducting digital logic applications. A low pressure and long throw sputtering was adopted for the Nb deposition, resulting in good superconductivity of the 50 nm thick Nb film with a critical temperature (T c) of 8.3 K. The interconnects had a titanium nitride (TiN)/Nb stack structure, and a double-layer hard mask was used for the dry etching process. The exposed area of Nb film was minimized to decrease the effects of plasma damage during fabrication and atmosphere. The developed 100 nm wide and 50 nm thick Nb interconnect showed good superconductivity with a T c of 7.8 K and a critical current of 3.2 mA at 4.2 K. These results are promising for Cryo-CMOS and superconducting digital logic applications in the 4 K stage.

The effect of energy of Ar recoil particles on the interfaces and micro-structure in Ni/Ti multilayer fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering technique

Ni/Ti multilayers have been therefore widely used in neutron optics devices because of their excellent reflective properties for neutrons, which is strongly dependent to their interfaces and microstructure. Hence, there have been many attempts to improve the interfaces and microstructure of Ni/Ti multilayers, for example reactive sputtering, interlayers and so on. In this paper, the influence of energy of Ar recoil particles on the interface and micro-structure of Ni/Ti multilayers were completed, through varying the sputtering pressure. Firstly, the Simulation present that the decreasing of sputtering pressure would enlarge the number recoil particle proportion. Secondly, three Ni/Ti multilayers were fabricated by direct current sputtering technique with variable sputtering pressures (0.080Pa, 0.120Pa, 0.199Pa). Thirdly, the grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry (GIXRR), diffusing scattering, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) were used to characterize the interfaces and micro-structure of these films. The measured results present that their interfacial width and roughness were variable as diseasing the sputtering pressure, and the micro-structure of Ni layers transform from (111) only to both (111) and (100). These experimental results could result from the effects of energy of both Ar recoil particles and the Ni, Ti depositing atoms.

The impact of sputtering pressure on the TiO2/p-Si interface and its implications for hole-blocking and photodetection

One convenient approach to minimize the surface recombination loss in Si is to passivate the surface dangling bonds by depositing a thin TiO2 layer on the bulk Si. Besides, the p-Si/TiO2 interface can initiate hole-blocking and facilitate efficient electron transport through the TiO2 layer; thereby, promoting the extraction of electrons for efficient onward utilization. In this context, the current investigation involves studying how the Ti3+ donor states, produced by deliberately introducing O-vacancies controlled by changing the plasma pressure in the RF-magnetron sputtering chamber during the growth of the TiO2 thin films, can change the material's Fermi level and work function and modify the band bending and band offset as well as the fixed oxide charge density in the p-Si/TiO2 heterojunction interface. The TiO2/p-Si interface has been studied through capacitance-voltage (C-V) analysis to determine the interface parameters such as fixed oxide charge, the density of interface traps, and the dielectric constant of TiO2. The studied hole-blocking property of the interface has been correlated to the photoresponsivity of the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure. The MOS device fabricated at a pressure of 30 mTorr displays a large saturation current (15.95 μA cm–2) when subjected to a positive gate bias, facilitated by the relatively low conduction band offset (ΔEC ∼0.20 eV), significant positive fixed oxide charge (+1.18 ×1011 cm–2) and the interface trap density (1.03 ×1012 cm–2), which enhanced the transport of minority carrier electrons from the p-Si to the metal, resulting in a good photo responsivity ∼0.158 AW–1 and photo gain of ∼37.5 under white light illumination. Optimum hole-blocking and surface passivation characteristics of the TiO2/p-Si interface together may facilitate fabricating improved heterojunction Si solar cells.

Preparation and properties of chromium protective coatings on lithium targets for accelerator-based neutron sources

Chromium (Cr) with its high antioxidative properties acts as a protective layer for lithium targets in accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT). Employing a controlled variable method, this study explores the impact of magnetron sputtering parameters (sputtering power, argon flow, and sputtering pressure) on the surface morphology and crystalline structure of Cr films. Under the optimal preparation parameters (300W, 20ssm, 0.5Pa), a dense and uniform film with a (110) phase was formed, and a compact Cr2O3 layer developed during air exposure. A 1 μm Cr coating provided effective protection for approximately 2 h, and increased thickness further improved the protection. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that a 1 μm Cr coating caused around 1.83% energy loss and 5.54% neutron yield reduction for 2.8 MeV protons, meeting AB-BNCT requirements with minimal impact on neutron angular distribution. This study demonstrates that by investigating the effects of magnetron sputtering preparation parameters on the surface morphology and crystalline structure of Cr coatings, optimal preparation parameters can be selected. The fabrication of a uniform and dense 1 μm Cr protective layer on a lithium target effectively prevents the degradation of the lithium target during short-term exposure to air, thereby enhancing its transportability and ease of handling.

Plasma‐Based Additive Manufacturing Method for MEMS Using APSLD (Atmospheric Pressure Sputtering Layer Deposition) Technology†

This paper reports a novel additive manufacturing technique for MEMS devices using newly developed APSLD (atmospheric pressure sputtering layer deposition) technology. It uses a microplasma at atmospheric pressure to deposit microstructures with defined properties, such as conducting or isolating directly at different surfaces additively without complex and time‐consuming manufacturing routes like planar technology. Feasibility tests have been successfully done to deposit metal lines, isolating and metal oxide layers on 3D surfaces to manufacture high stable MEMS sensor system for harsh environments. This is a promising technology in the field of MEMS manufacturing, as it can simplify the manufacturing process and reduce the cost. The ability to deposit different materials can expand the design possibilities for MEMS devices. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Sputtering pressure dependence of microstructure and magnetoresistance properties of non-uniform Co–ZnO nanocomposite film

Co-ZnO metal–semiconductor nanocomposite films have become the focus of attention in recent years since their magnetoresistance (MR) effect at room temperature (RT). In this study, non-uniform Co-ZnO nanocomposite films were prepared by magnetron co-sputtering method. With sputtering pressure increasing, the formation of ferromagnetic Co clusters is suppressed effectively, and the metallic-state superparamagnetic Co particles are dispersed, which form the tunneling transport paths in the Co-ZnO films at high Co content. As the sputtering pressure increases from 0.3 Pa to 1.2 Pa, the RT -MR value of the films increases from 0.41 % to 11.85 %, and the saturation magnetization of the films rises from 6.3 kGs to 7.3 kGs and then decreases to 6.7 kGs. It is noteworthy that the low-field MR field sensitivity at 1000 Oe is enhanced by about 10 times from 0.5 Pa to 1.2 Pa. This provides a reference for the application of low-magnetic field detectors.

Study on Crystallinity and Magnetic Properties of NiCuZn Ferrite Films Deposited by RF Sputtering

Nickel-zinc ferrite proves to be the top-performing material in terms of soft magnetic features for high-frequency applications. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of various factors such as sputtering pressure, substrate temperature, sputtering power, and sputtering gas, on the magnetic and structural properties of NiCuZn ferrite thin films. In this research, radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of NiCuZn ferrite thin films on silicon substrates was used to investigate the matter. The study demonstrates that reducing sputtering pressure enhances the crystallization of NiCuZn ferrite films and improves their magnetic properties. The saturation magnetization and crystallinity of the thin films initially increased, then decreased as substrate temperature and sputtering power increased. Furthermore, the sputtered films exhibited higher crystallinity and saturation magnetization in a pure Ar atmosphere compared to an oxygen-containing environment. In this study, we optimized the sputtering parameters to achieve a maximum saturation magnetization strength of 253 emu/cc.

Effect of sputtering pressure and oxygen content on the electrochromic properties of NiO films by DC magnetron sputtering

In this study, NiO films were fabricated using DC magnetron sputtering under various conditions of sputtering pressures and oxygen contents. The effects of the sputtering pressure and oxygen content on the structure, morphology, optical properties, and electrochromic performance of the NiO films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, UV spectrophotometry, and electrochemical workstation. The grain size, thickness, and roughness of the NiO films showed decreasing trends with increasing sputtering pressure; however, these factors showed significant variations with increasing oxygen content. The results demonstrated that when the sputtering pressure was 0.8 Pa, the prepared films were characterized by loose and porous surfaces, high roughness, crystallinity, and excellent electrochromic properties. The optical contrast was 75.34 % (at 550 nm), coloration efficiency was 14.86 cm2/C, coloring time was 2.09 s, and bleaching time was 2.05 s. Furthermore, good cycling stability was achieved.