REDUCTION OF INTERNAL-STRESS IN SPUTTER-DEPOSITED FILMS BY ENERGETIC ION-BOMBARDMENT

Considerable relaxation of the high internal stresses which arise in H fN thin films during their deposition by a sputtering method has been accomplished through bombarding the films with energetic silicon ions. The internal stresses have been estimated from the measurements of th e surface curvature. Our results indicate a relaxation of the internal compressive stresses in the films, which occurs via a transport of th e interstitial defects within the thermal spikes created by a post-dep osition energetic ion bombardment. The mechanical properties of HfN fi lms before and after the treatment have been studied by depth-sensing indentation technique while the structural analysis has been made usin g x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering, and Anger electron spe ctroscopy. Ion bombardment did not affect resistivity of the thin film s while improving their plastic properties. (C) 1996 American Institut e of Physics.