Structure and Mechanical Properties of CrN Thick Films Deposited by High-Rate Medium-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

A home-made electron source assisted medium-frequency （MF） magnetron sputter- ing system was used to deposit thick CrN films on silicon and tungsten carbide substrates at various nitrogen flow rates with a fixed total pressure （0.3 Pa） and MF power （11.2 kW）. Result from scanning electron microscopy showed that the deposited CrN films have clear columnar struc- ture, and X-ray diffraction revealed a preferred orientation of CrN （200） for samples prepared at a rate of N2/（N2＋Ar） below 60%, whereas those prepared at higher N2/（N2＋Ar） rate are dom- inated by Cr2N. Deposition rates up to 12.5 μm/h were achieved and the hardness of the CrN coatings were in a range of 11 GPa to 18 GPa.

Surface Metallization of Glass Fiber(GF)/Polyetheretherketone(PEEK) Composite with Cu Coatings Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering and Electroplating

Surface metallization of glass fiber(GF)/polyetheretherketone(PEEK)[GF/PEEK] is conducted by coating copper using electroplating and magnetron sputtering and the properties are determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The coating bonding strength is assessed by pull-out tests and scribing in accordance with GB/T 9286-1998.The results show that the Cu coating with a thickness of 30 μm deposited on GF/PEEK by magnetron sputtering has lower roughness, finer grain size, higher crystallinity, as well as better macroscopic compressive stress,bonding strength, and electrical conductivity than the Cu coating deposited by electroplating.

Structural and magnetic properties of micropolycrystalline cobalt thin films fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering

Pure cobalt(Co)thin films were fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering,and the effects of sputtering power and pres-sure on the microstructure and electromagnetic properties of the films were investigated.As the sputtering power increases from 15 to 60 W,the Co thin films transition from an amorphous to a polycrystalline state,accompanied by an increase in the intercrystal pore width.Simultaneously,the resistivity decreases from 276 to 99μΩ·cm,coercivity increases from 162 to 293 Oe,and in-plane magnetic aniso-tropy disappears.As the sputtering pressure decreases from 1.6 to 0.2 Pa,grain size significantly increases,resistivity significantly de-creases,and the coercivity significantly increases(from 67 to 280 Oe),which can be attributed to the increase in defect width.Corres-pondingly,a quantitative model for the coercivity of Co thin films was formulated.The polycrystalline films sputtered under pressures of 0.2 and 0.4 Pa exhibit significant in-plane magnetic anisotropy,which is primarily attributable to increased microstress.

Exploring negative ion behaviors and their influence on properties of DC magnetron sputtered ITO films under varied power and pressure conditions

We deposited indium-tin-oxide(ITO)films on silicon and quartz substrates by magnetron sputtering technology in pure argon.Using electrostatic quadrupole plasma diagnostic technology,we investigate the effects of discharge power and discharge pressure on the ion flux and energy distribution function of incidence on the substrate surface,with special attention to the production of high-energy negative oxygen ions,and elucidate the mechanism behind its production.At the same time,the structure and properties of ITO films are systematically characterized to understand the potential effects of high energy oxygen ions on the growth of ITO films.Combining with the kinetic property analysis of sputtering damage mechanism of transparent conductive oxide(TCO)thin films,this study provides valuable physical understanding of optimization of TCO thin film deposition process.

Effects of power on ion behaviors in radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of indium tin oxide(ITO)

This study delves into ion behavior at the substrate position within RF magnetron discharges utilizing an indium tin oxide(ITO)target.The positive ion energies exhibit an upward trajectory with increasing RF power,attributed to heightened plasma potential and initial emergent energy.Simultaneously,the positive ion flux escalates owing to amplified sputtering rates and electron density.Conversely,negative ions exhibit broad ion energy distribution functions(IEDFs)characterized by multiple peaks.These patterns are clarified by a combination of radiofrequency oscillation of cathode voltage and plasma potential,alongside ion transport time.This elucidation finds validation in a one-dimensional model encompassing the initial ion energy.At higher RF power,negative ions surpassing 100 e V escalate in both flux and energy,posing a potential risk of sputtering damages to ITO layers.

Study of bias voltage effect on the performance of ta-C coating prepared by high power impulse magnetron sputtering

The mechanical and frictional properties of ta-C coatings deposited on the substrate surface affect applications in the field of cutting tools and wear-resistant components.In this paper,the effect of bias parameters on the performance of ta-C coatings was investigated based on high power impulse magnetron sputtering(HiPIMS)technology.The results show that bias voltage has a significant effect on the deposition rate,structure,and wear resistance of the coating.In the range of bias voltage−50 V to−200 V,the ta-C coating performance was the best under bias voltage−150 V.The thickness reached 530.4 nm,the hardness value reached 35.996 GPa,and the bonding force in-creased to 14.2 N.The maximum sp3 bond content was 59.53% at this condition.

Effect of substrate temperature and oxygen plasma treatment on the properties of magnetron-sputtered CdS for solar cell applications

Cadmium sulfide(CdS)is an n-type semiconductor with excellent electrical conductivity that is widely used as an electron transport material(ETM)in solar cells.At present,numerous methods for preparing CdS thin films have emerged,among which magnetron sputtering(MS)is one of the most commonly used vacuum techniques.For this type of technique,the substrate temperature is one of the key deposition parameters that affects the interfacial properties between the target film and substrate,determining the specific growth habits of the films.Herein,the effect of substrate temperature on the microstructure and electrical properties of magnetron-sputtered CdS(MS-CdS)films was studied and applied for the first time in hydrothermally deposited antimony selenosulfide(Sb_(2)(S,Se)_(3))solar cells.Adjusting the substrate temperature not only results in the design of the flat and dense film with enhanced crystallinity but also leads to the formation of an energy level arrangement with a Sb_(2)(S,Se)_(3)layer that is more favorable for electron transfer.In addition,we developed an oxygen plasma treatment for CdS,reducing the parasitic absorption of the device and resulting in an increase in the short-circuit current density of the solar cell.This study demonstrates the feasibility of MS-CdS in the fabrication of hydrothermal Sb_(2)(S,Se)_(3)solar cells and provides interface optimization strategies to improve device performance.

Influence of Target-Substrate Distance and Sputtering Power on Chromium Oxide Films Prepared by Medium-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Chromium oxide films were deposited on Si（100） substrates by medium-frequency（MF） unbalanced magnetron sputtering at different target-substrate distances DTS（60,100,120 mm） and sputtering power（2.8,5.6,11.2 kW）,respectively.The structure,surface morphologies,and microhardness of the chromium oxide films were examined by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,atomic force microscopy（AFM）,and microhardness tester.The results indicate that elevated MF sputtering power can improve the crystallization of the films;The DTS value affects the structure of the films by changing the preferential orientation from CrO3（221） to Cr2O3（116）;The microhardness of the chromium oxide films is found to increase with the sputtering power.For preparing the Cr2O3-dominated films with comparatively high-performance,the optimized condition is the target-substrate distance of 100 mm and MF sputtering power of 11.2 kW.

High Permeability in Broadband of Co-sputtered [Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) Multilayer Films

To achieve high microwave permeability in wide-band for the micron-thick magnetic films,[Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) multilayer structure was proposed by co-sputtering Fe and FeNi to form the magnetic layers and Cr to form the interlayers.The multilayer structure contributes to the high permeability by reducing the coercivity and diminishing out-of-plane magnetization.The maximum imaginary permeability of[Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) multilayer film reaches a large value of 800 at 0.52 GHz even though its overall thickness exceeds 1μm.Besides,the magnetic resonance frequency of the multilayer film can be modulated from 0.52 to 1.35 GHz by adjusting the sputtering power of Fe from 0 to 86 W,and its bandwidth for μ’’>200(Δf) is as large as 2.0 GHz.The desirable broad Δf of magnetic permeability,which can be well fitted by the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations,is due to dual magnetic resonances originated from double magnetic phases of Fe and FeNi that are of different saturation magnetization.The micron-thick multilayer films with high permeability in extended waveband are promising candidate for electromagnetic noise suppression application.

Facile integration of an Al-rich Al_(1-x)In_(x)N photodetector on free-standing GaN by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Al_(1-x)In_(x)N, a Ⅲ-nitride semiconductor material, is currently of great research interest due to its remarkable physical properties and chemical stability. When the Al and In compositions are tuned, its band-gap energy varies from 0.7 eV to 6.2 eV, which shows great potential for application in photodetectors. Here, we report the fabrication and performance evaluation of integrated Al_(1-x)In_(x)N on a free-standing GaN substrate through direct radio-frequency magnetron sputtering.The optical properties of Al_(1-x)In_(x)N will be enhanced by the polarization effect of a heterostructure composed of Al_(1-x)In_(x)N and other Ⅲ-nitride materials. An Al_(1-x)In_(x)N/Ga N visible-light photodetector was prepared by semiconductor fabrication technologies such as lithography and metal deposition. The highest photoresponsivity achieved was 1.52 A·W^(-1)under 365 nm wavelength illumination and the photodetector was determined to have the composition Al0.75In0.25N/GaN.A rise time of 0.55 s was observed after transient analysis of the device. The prepared Al_(1-x)In_(x)N visible-light photodetector had a low dark current, high photoresponsivity and fast response speed. By promoting a low-cost, simple fabrication method,this study expands the application of ternary alloy Al_(1-x)In_(x)N visible-light photodetectors in optical communication.

Synthesis of One-Dimensional ZnO Na norods by Oxidating Zinc Films Deposited with Magnetron Sputtering

One-dimensional ZnO nanorods are synthesized by ox idating thin metal zinc films deposited on Si(111) substrates with radio frequen cy magnetron sputtering.The crystal structure,surface morphology,and optical pro perties of nanorods are investigated.X-ray diffraction(XRD) pattern,scanning el ectron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) analyses show t hat the synthesized single-crystal ZnO nanorods develop like hairpins along dif ferent radials,with a hexagonal wurtzite structure.The diameters of nanorods ran ge between 30 and 60nm and lengths up to micrometers.Photoluminescence(PL) analy sis shows that,under 280nm light excitation,a strong and sharp near band-edge U V light emission band at 372nm and a relatively weak green deep-level light emi ssion band at 516nm are observed from the ZnO nanorods,which indicates excellent crystallization and optical quality of the fabricated ZnO nanorods.

Structural and optoelectronic properties of AZO thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature

Al-doped ZnO thin films were prepared on glass substrate using an ultra-high density target by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The microstructure, surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of AZO thin films were investigated by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, UV-visible spectrophotometer, four-point probe method, and Hall-effect measurement system. The results showed that all the films obtained were polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure and average optical transmittance of AZO thin films was over 85 % at different sputtering powers. The sputtering power had a great effect on optoelectronic properties of the AZO thin films, especially on the resistivity. The lowest resistivity of 4.5×10^-4 Ω·cm combined with the transmittance of 87.1% was obtained at sputtering power of 200 W. The optical band gap varied between 3.48 and 3.68 eV.

Properties of W/DLC/W-S-C composite films fabricated by magnetron sputtering

A kind of W/DLC/W-S-C composite film was fabricated by magnetron sputtering method.Effects of WSx content on the structure and the adhesion of the composite films were investigated.In addition,tribological behavior of the composite films was studied in the conditions of the ambient air and N2 gas atmosphere by ball-on-disk tester.The results indicate that the composite films show dense and amorphous microstructure.The WCx and WSx compounds are found in amorphous diamond like carbon matrix in the top layers of W-S-C.A proper WSx content is beneficial for improving the adhesion of the composite films.In air atmosphere,the composite films with high C content have better wear resistance and the friction coefficients range from 0.15 to 0.25.In N2 condition,high WSx content is benefit for the wear resistance and the friction coefficients of the composite films range from 0.03 to 0.1.

Effect of bias voltage on compositional, mechanical and corrosion property of ZrNbAlN multilayer films by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Nano-scaled ZrNbAlN films with different negative bias voltages（Vb） were deposited on bronze substrate and Si（100） wafers by a reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique. Composition and structure properties were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It is found that mole concentrations of Zr and Nb are affected by Vb, which leads to the increase of binding energy of N 1s and Al 2p and decrease of binding energy of Zr 3d5/2 and Nb 3d5/2. Surface morphologies evolution controlled by Vb could be observed. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that these films show a（111） preferred orientation. Moreover, mechanical property and corrosion behavior of ZrNbAlN films were characterized by nanoindentation test and corrosion test, respectively. A maximum value of 21.85 GPa at-70 V occurs in the ZrNbAlN- bronze system, which outperforms uncoated bronze. Corrosion experiments in 0.5 mol/L NaCl and 0.5 mol/L HCl solution show that corrosion potential and corrosion current are dependent on Vb, and better anti-corrosion property could be obtained at-90 V.

Effect of Zn and Ti mole ratio on microstructure and photocatalytic properties of magnetron sputtered TiO_2-ZnO heterogeneous composite film

Series of TiO 2-ZnO heterojunction composite films with different n（Zn）/n（Ti） ratios were prepared by UDP450 magnetron sputter ion plating equipment, and the mole ratio of Zn to Ti was controlled by adjusting the current values of sputtering target. The effects of n（Zn）/n（Ti） on the microstructures of TiO2-ZnO films were investigated by SEM, AFM, Raman and XPS, and their photocatalytic decomposition of methyl orange solutions was evaluated. The results show that an increase in n（Zn）/n（Ti） typically results in a decrease in the grain size of composite films firstly and then an increase of grain size, while an increase in n（Zn）/n（Ti） leads to an increase in film roughness firstly and then a decrease in film roughness. Both grain size and roughness of TiO2-ZnO films reach the maximum and minimum at n（Zn）/n（Ti） of 1/9.3, respectively. The n（Zn）/n（Ti） shows little effect on the valences of Zn and Ti elements, which mainly exist in the form of TiO2 and ZnO phases. The n（Zn）/n（Ti） has influence on the amount of anatase/rutile TiO2 heterojunction in the film. With increase of the n（Zn）/n（Ti）, the absorption intensity of the composite film increases and the absorption region extends to 450 nm, which is redshifted as much as 150 nm in comparison with the pure TiO2 films. However, the photocatalytic abilities of heterogeneous composite films do not depend on the n（Zn）/n（Ti） but rather on the microstructures of the TiO2-ZnO composite films. Degradation rate of the film reaches the maximum and the photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants works best when n（Zn）/n（Ti）=1：9.3.

Microstructure and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Very Small Size GaAs Nanogranulae Embedded in SiO_2 Matrix by Magnetron Co-Sputtering

Microstructure of GaAs/SiO 2 nanogranular thin films fabricated by radio frequency magnetron co sputtering technique and postannealing are investigated via atomic force microscope,X ray diffraction,and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy.The results show that GaAs nanocrystals with average diameters from 1 5nm to 3 2nm (depending on the annealing temperature) are uniformly dispersed in the SiO 2 matrices.GaAs and SiO 2 are found in normal stoichiometry in the films.The nonlinear optical refraction and nonlinear optical absorption are studied by Z scan technique using a single Gaussian beam of pulse laser.The third order nonlinear optical refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient are enhanced due to the quantum confinement effects and estimated to be 4×10 -12 m 2/W and 2×10 -5 m/W respectively in nonresonant condition,while 2×10 -11 m 2/W and -1×10 -4 m/W respectively in quasi resonant condition.

Synthesis and properties of Cr-Al-Si-N films deposited by hybrid coating system with high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) and DC pulse sputtering

The CrN and Cr-Al-Si-N films were deposited on Si wafer and SUS 304 substrates by a hybrid coating system with high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) and a DC pulse sputtering using Cr and AlSi targets under N2/Ar atmosphere.By varying the sputtering current of the AlSi target in the range of 0-2.5 A,both the Al and Si contents in the films increased gradually from 0 to 19.1% and 11.1% (mole fraction),respectively.The influences of the AlSi cathode DC pulse current on the microstructure,phase constituents,mechanical properties,and oxidation behaviors of the Cr-Al-Si-N films were investigated systematically.The results indicate that the as-deposited Cr-Al-Si-N films possess the typical nanocomposite structure,namely the face centered cubic (Cr,Al)N nano-crystallites are embedded in the amorphous Si3N4 matrix.With increasing the Al and Si contents,the hardness of the film first increases from 20.8 GPa for the CrN film to the peak value of 29.4 GPa for the Cr0.23Al0.14Si0.07 N film,and then decreases gradually.In the meanwhile,the Cr0.23Al0.14Si0.07N film also possesses excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance that is much better than that of the CrN film at 900 or 1000 °C.

Influences of working pressure on properties for TiO_2 films deposited by DC pulse magnetron sputtering

TiO2 films were deposited at room temperature by DC pulse magnetron sputtering system.The crystalline structures,morphological features and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,atomic force microscopy（AFM） and ultraviolet spectrophotometer,respectively.The results indicated that working pressure was the key deposition parameter in？uencing the TiO2 film phase composition at room temperature,which directly affected its photocatalytic activity.With increasing working pressure,the target self-bias decreases monotonously.Therefore,low temperature TiO2 phase（anatase） could be deposited with high working pressure.The anatase TiO2 films deposited with 1.4 Pa working pressure displayed the highest photocatalytic activity by the decomposition of Methyl Orange solution,which the degradation rate reached the maximum（35%） after irradiation by ultraviolet light for 1 h.

Lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behavior of a composite Sn/C thin film fabricated by magnetron sputtering

A tin film of 320 nm in thickness on Cu foil and its composite film with graphite of-50 nm in thickness on it were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The surface morphology, composition, surface distributions of alloy elements, and lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behaviors of the fabricated films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, electron probe microanalyzer （EPMA）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry （ICP）, cyclic voltammetry （CV）, and galvanostatic charge/discharge （GC） measurements. It is found that the lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behavior of the Sn film can be significantly improved by its composite with graphite. With cycling, the discharge capacity of the Sn film without composite changes from 570 mAh/g of the 2nd cycle to 270 mAh/g of the 20th cycle, and its efficiency for the discharge and charge is between 90% and 95%. Nevertheless, the discharge capacity of the composite Sn/C film changes from 575 mAh/g of the 2nd cycle to 515 mAh/g of the 20th cycle, and its efficiency for the discharge and charge is between 95% and 100%. The performance improvement of tin by its composite with graphite is ascribed to the retardation of the bulk tin cracking from volume change during lithium intercalation and de-intercalation, which leads to the pulverization of tin.

Influence and determinative factors of ion-to-atom arrival ratio in unbalanced magnetron sputtering systems

Low pressure sputtering with a controlled ratio of ion flux to deposited atom flux at the condensing surface is one of the main directions of development of magnetron sputtering methods. Unbalanced magnetron sputtering, by producing dense secondary plasma around the substrate, provides a high ion current density. The closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering system （CFUBMS） has been established as a versatile technique for high-rate deposition high-quality metal, alloy, and ceramic thin films. The＇key factor in the CFUBMS system is the ability to transport high ion currents to the substrate, which can enhance the formation of full dense coatings at relatively low value homologous temperature. The investigation shows that the energy of ions incidenced at the substrate and the ratio of the flux of these ions to the flux of condensing atoms are the fundamental parameters in determining the structure and properties of films produced by ion-assisted deposition processes. Increasing ion bombardment during deposition combined with increasing mobility of the condensing atoms favors the formation of a dense microstructure and a smooth surface.