COMPOSITE METAL C-H FILMS PREPARED BY UNBALANCED MAGNETRON SPUTTERING- NI/C-H/

Composite Ni/C:H films were prepared in two ways: using a working gas mixture butane/Ar in a closed field unbalanced twin magnetron system p owered by 40 kHz voltage and using n-hexane/Ar mixture also in an unba lanced planar magnetron system with RF powered substrate support that could provide additional de negative bias. General electrical and opti cal properties, morphology observed by TEM and composition by XPS of N i/C:H films are described. Because the films showed ageing in the morp hology and in de electrical resistance a more detailed study of this p henomenon in case of Ni/C:H films deposited by de unbalanced magnetron using n-hexane/Ar mixture was performed. These films were compared to those prepared when additional de negative bias up to -300 V was impo sed during deposition. Qualitative explanation of the ageing is propos ed. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd