Thin films were deposited onto glass substrate using dc magnetron sputtering, and AFM, XRD and scratch tests were used to characterize the deposited films. AFM observations proved that dense films were obtained, and that the surface roughness was below 4.3nm. The film had a crystalline structure, with a grain size of less than 100nm. XRD patterns showed that the crystal structure agreed with that of bulk LaB6, and that the (100) crystal face predominated. The average grain size first decreased, and then increased, with increasing power; reaching a minimum of 40nm when the sputtering power was 44W. The intensity of peaks in XRD patterns first increased and then decreased with increasing power. When the sputtering power was 50W, the peak intensity reached a maximum, revealing an intense relationship between power and crystal structure. Scratch tests showed that the film/substrate interface bonding strength was higher at a power of 44W, due to the formation of nanosized crystals and their improved surface energy. The crystallinity decreased with increasing bias-voltage, but the influence of bias-voltage on the films was different for different crystal faces. The intensity on the (100) face was influenced by the bias-voltage more obviously than for other faces; except for the influence of thickness. The diffraction peak maximal intensity of the (100) face changed from 1256 (at 0V) to 580 (at -150V), but the intensity of the (110) face changed from 614 (at 0V) to 486 (at -150V). The relative intensity (100%) of the (110) face changed from 38.70 to 74.52. The deposition rate decreased with increasing bias-voltage value, but the decrease was not obvious. The maximum and minimum of the deposition ratio were 17.53 and 13.75nm, respectively.

Dependence of Characteristics of LaB6 Films on DC Magnetron Sputtering Power. Xu, J., Min, G.H., Hu, L.J., Zhao, X.H., Yu, H.S.: Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2009, 19[4], 952-5. See also: International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2009, 23[6-7], 1835-40 and Modern Physics Letters B, 2009, 23[8], 1077-83