CONTROL OF INPLANE TEXTURE OF BODY-CENTERED-CUBIC METAL THIN-FILMS

We show that dramatically different in-plane textures can be produced in body centered cubic (bcc) metal thin films deposited on amorphous s ubstrates under different deposition conditions. The crystallographic orientation distribution of polycrystalline bcc metal thin films on am orphous substrates often has a strong [110] fiber texture, indicating that {110} planes are parallel to the substrate plane. When deposition takes place under bombardment by energetic ions or atoms at an off-no rmal angle of incidence, the [110] fiber texture develops an in-plane texture, indicating nonrandom azimuthal orientations of the crystallit es. Three orientations in Nb films have been observed under different deposition geometries, in which the energetic particle flux coincides with channeling directions in the bcc crystal structure. In-plane orie ntations in Mo films have also been obtained in magnetron sputtering s ystems with various configurations. These are described, and an exampl e is given in which the in-plane orientation of Mo films deposited in two different in-line magnetron sputtering systems differs by a 90 deg rees rotation. In these two cases, there is a strong [110] fiber textu re, but the in-plane [100] direction is oriented parallel to the scan direction in one system, and perpendicular to the scan direction in th e other system. The conditions which produce such different in-plane t extures in two apparently similar sputtering systems are discussed. (C ) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(97)06121-5].