RFA AS CONTROL METHOD OF THE REACTIVE SPUTTERING PROCESS OF TIN FILMS

In-situ X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis has been used to control the deposition process of Ti-N films on steel substrates during reactive sputtering. The analysis system consisted of a tungsten X-ray tube, se condary targets of Cu, Fe and Cr and a Si (Li) detector. The sputterin g off the Ti target has been determined indirectly by plasma monitorin g using optical emission spetroscopy (OES) of the Ti atoms, and the fi lm growth has been measured directly by XRF analysis of the surface ma ss of Ti atoms deposited on the substrate. For zero bias voltage and v arying N-2 flow the increment of surface mass per deposition time has been found to incrase linearly with the intensity of the OES signal of Ti. A negative bias voltage U-B greater than or equal to 100 V change s strongly the growth rate by resputtering effects, especially in the range where stoichiometric TiN is formed.