ELLIPSOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF RELATIONSHIP BE TWEEN FORMATION CONDITION AND CORROSION-RESISTANCE OF CVD-ZRO2 THIN-FILMS

ZrO2 thin films were formed by chemical vapor deposition using Zr(O-i- C3H7)(4) and O-2 at the substrate temperatures of 523-723 K. Changes i n the thickness and refractive index of the films were measured by ell ipsometry during deposition. The corrosion resistance of the films was tested in 1 kmol . m(-3) HF. The decrease in film thickness of the te st solution was determined by ellipsometry. The chemical composition o f the films was analyzed by AES, XPS, and FTIR. The microstructure of the films was observed by TEM. It was found that the deposition rate a nd the corrosion resistance of the films became maximum when depositio n was performed at 673 K and 623 K, respectively. There was a close re lationship between the corrosion resistance and the refractive index o f the films, that is, the highest corrosion resistance was attained on a film with the highest refractive index. The decreases in refractive index of films at the substrate temperatures lower and higher than 62 3 K were attributed to increases in the amount of OH bonds in the film s and in the surface roughness of the films, respectively.