REACTIVE SPUTTER-DEPOSITION OF YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films were synthesized using reactive d.c, magnetron sputter deposition. A homogeneous alloy of Zr-Y was sy nthesized and processed into a planar magnetron target which is reacti vely sputtered with an argon-oxygen gas mixture to form Zr-Y-O films. The sputtering conditions of gas flow, gas pressure, deposition rate a nd substrate temperature were determined in order to produce the cubic phase of zirconia as verified by X-ray diffraction. A higher rate of deposition is achievable when the sputtering mode of the Zr-Y alloy ta rget is metallic as opposed to oxide. The Zr-Y composition of the plan ar magnetron target was designed for optimum oxygen-ion conductivity i n the YSZ films, al elevated temperature for potential use in solid-ox ide fuel cells. The oxygen concentration of the as-deposited films was measured using Auger electron spectroscopy and found to vary principa lly as a function of the sputter deposition rate. A fuel cell was prod uced with the reactive deposition process using Pt electrodes from whi ch the growth morphology of the YSZ layer was characterized using scan ning electron microscopy.