https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2011-20393-7
Regular Article
Growth and properties of Ti-Cu films with respect to plasma parameters in dual-magnetron sputtering discharges
1
Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Institut für
Physik, Felix-Hausdorff-Str.
6, 17489
Greifswald,
Germany
2
Institute of Physics v. v. i., Academy of Science of the Czech
Republic, Na Slovance
2, 182 21
Prague, Czech
Republic
3
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and
Physics, V Holešovičkách
2, 180 00
Prague, Czech
Republic
a e-mail: stranak@physik.uni-greifswald.de
Received:
4
July
2011
Received in final form:
5
August
2011
Published online:
11
October
2011
Properties of different methods of magnetron sputtering (dc-MS, dual-MS and dual-HiPIMS) are studied and compared with respect to intermetallic Ti-Cu film formation. The quality and features of thin films are strongly influenced by the energy of incoming particles. The ion velocity distribution functions (IVDFs) were measured by time-resolved retarding field analyzer (RFA) in the substrate position. Thin films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray reflectometry (XR). Properties and crystallography of Ti-Cu films are discussed as a function of ion energy which is affected by the mode of sputtering. It was found that IVDFs measured in pulsed discharges exhibit double-peak distribution. The IVDFs reach the maximum at ion energies about ~8 eV. The ion saturated current is highest in dual-HiPIMS discharge (~5 μA/cm2) and is mostly represented by Cu+ and Ar+ ions. The mode of sputtering influences chemical composition and film formation. The copper forms polycrystalline fcc-phase while much smaller Ti particles enwraps the copper crystallites or are part of a solid solution.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag 2011