Films were deposited onto Si(111) substrates using dc magnetron sputtering. A stylus profiler was used to measure the deposition rate of the films. The structure of the deposited films was characterized by AFM and XRD. Scratching and nano-indentation were used to test the mechanical properties. The measured thin film deposition rates were less than 9nm/min. By varying the substrate bias voltage, LaB8 films with various surface morphologies and crystal structures were obtained. The films exhibited smooth surfaces and the average surface roughness began to decrease as the bias voltage increased, but began to increase when the bias voltage was up to -100V. All of the samples had a high degree of crystallinity, with differing preferred orientations and distinctions in the lattice parameters under various bias voltages. The lattice parameters along the (100) direction were larger in comparison with standard values and had the smallest distortion of 1.35% at a bias voltage of -100V. Films deposited at a bias voltage of -100V had the highest value of film/substrate bonding strength and hardness.

Effect of Substrate Bias Voltage on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of LaB6 Films. Zhao, X.H., Min, G.H., Xu, J., Zhang, L., Yu, H.S.: Metallofizika i Noveishie Tekhnologii, 2011, 33[3], 375-82