Microstructure Evolution of NiTi Magnetron Sputtered Thin Film on Different Substrates

Abstract:

Understanding the microstructure evolution of metal thin films on various substrates is essential for developing thin films that need specific requirements. The microstructure of thin films has been identified to be related to the mobility of the adatoms during growth. Recently, the theory of non-classical crystallisation of thin films has been introduced to explain the structure formation in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. Much work has been conducted on CVD deposited thin films, while little data appears on PVD techniques. The effect of substrate material on the microstructure of the deposited nickel-titanium (NiTi) thin film and its optical absorbance is studied in this work. Three different substrates with identified surface conditions were used to deposit thin films of NiTi in the same chamber under the same processing conditions. The NiTi thin film was deposited using radio frequency (RF) PVD sputtering process on stainless steel (SS), aluminium (Al) and copper (Cu) substrates. The results were analysed in view of state of art structure models and mechanisms. The microstructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical absorbance was measured by spectrophotometery. The results have shown that the structure and morphology of the grown films have varied in all conditions. Amorphous structures were obtained for Al and Cu substrates, while crystalline structures were obtained for the stainless-steel substrate at the same sputtering conditions.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 835)
• Pages: 68-74
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.835.68
• Online since: March 2020
• Authors: Hanan A. Abd El-Fattah*, Iman El-Mahallawi, Mostafa H. Shazly, Waleed A. Khalifa
• Keywords: Amorphous, Crystalline, Microstructure, PVD, Substrate, Thin Film

References

[1] E. Alfonso, J. Olaya, G. Cubillos, Thin Film Growth Through Sputtering Technique and Its Applications. Crystallization - Science and Technology [Internet]. InTech. (2012). 397–432.

DOI: 10.5772/35844

[2] B.A. Movchan, A V. Demchishin, Study of the Structure and Properties of Dioxide thin Films. Fiz Met Met. 28 (1969) 83–90.

[3] J.A. Thornton, Influence of apparatus geometry and deposition conditions on the structure and topography of thick sputtered coatings. J Vac Sci Technol [Internet]. 11(4) (1974) 666–70.

DOI: 10.1116/1.1312732

[4] J.E. Greene, Nucleation, Film Growth, and Microstructural Evolution. In: Bunshah RF, editor. Handbook of Deposition Technologies for Films and Coatings. 2nd ed. Noyes, Westwood, NJ. 1994 p.681–739.

DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-8155-2031-3.00012-0

[5] J.E. Greene, Low Energy ion bombardment during film deposition from the vapor phase. Solid State Technol [Internet]. 30(4) (1987)115.

[6] N.M. Hwang, Non-Classical Crystallization of Thin Films and Nanostructures in CVD and PVD Processes [Internet]. 2016.Vol. 60.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7616-5_8

[7] C.M. Crăciunescu, I. Mitelea, V. Budău, A. Ercuţa, Microstructural evaluation of NiTi-based films deposited by magnetron sputtering. Proceedings [Internet]. 95(2014) 95–9.

DOI: 10.1063/1.4903020

[8] E. Ollier, N. Dunoyer, H. Szambolics, G. Lorin, Nanostructured thin films for solar selective absorbers and infrared selective emitters. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells [Internet]. 170 (2017) 205–10.

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2017.05.073

[9] CE. Kennedy, Review of Mid- to High- Temperature Solar Selective Absorber Materials. Tech Rep. 2002;(July):1–53.

[10] A. Brunotte, MP. Lazarov, R. Sizmann, Calorimetric measurements of the total hemispherical emittance of selective surfaces at high temperatures. Proc. SPIE 1727, Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion XI: Selective Materials, Concentrators and Reflectors, Transparent Insulation and Superwindows, (1992) 1712–27.

DOI: 10.1117/12.130497

[11] JH. Davies, The physics of low-dimensional semiconductors: an introduction. Cambridge University Press; 1998.p.438.

[12] L. Eckertová, Physics of Thin Films. 2nd ed. Eckerova L, editor. Springer US; (1977).

[13] JF. Pócza, Forming processes of directly observed vacuum-deposited thin films. In: Proceeding of the Second Colloquium on Thin Films,. Budapest; 1967. p.93–108.

[14] MA. Herman, W. Richter, H. Sitter, Epitaxy: Physical Principles and Technical Implementation. Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 2004. p.322.

[15] K. Oura, VG. Lifshits, A. Saranin, AV. Zotov, M. Katayama, Science, Surface Introduction, An. Springer Berlin Heidelberg; (2003).

[16] I. Petrov, PB. Barna, L. Hultman, JE. Greene, Microstructural evolution during film growth. J Vac Sci Technol A Vacuum, Surfaces, Film. 21(5) (2003) S117–28. A.

DOI: 10.1116/1.1601610

[17] Ken K. Ho, Gregory P. Carman, Sputter deposition of NiTi thin ®lm shape memory alloy using a heated target. Thin Solid Films 370 (2000) 18-29.

DOI: 10.1016/s0040-6090(00)00947-0

[18] Corneliu M. Crăciunescu, [e-mail] Ion Mitelea, and Victor Budău, Microstructural evaluation of NiTi-based films deposited by magnetron sputtering. AIP Conference Proceedings 1634:1, 95-99, Published Online: 17 February 2015, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4903020.

DOI: 10.1063/1.4903020