INSITU AND EXSITU DIAGNOSTICS OF THE GROWTH OF ALPHA-TI THIN-FILMS DEPOSITED BY PLASMA-ENHANCED PHYSICAL VAPOR-DEPOSITION

The mechanical and optical properties of thin films are strongly influ enced by the structure and composition of the substrate-thin film and thin film-atmosphere interface regions. The growth of TiO(x)N(y)(C(z) thin films and interface layers at different residual pressures was mo nitored by in situ ellipsometric diagnostics. This method is sensitive to changes in structure and composition in the subnanometre range. Th e ellipsometer used is a monochromatic RAE instrument with maximum tim e resolution of 76 ms. The films were deposited in a hollow cathode ar c deposition device on glass and silicon. The ellipsometric measuremen ts were completed by X-ray diffraction, residual gas spectrometry, the analysis of the energy flow to the substrate and plasma diagnostics w ith a Langmuir probe. Modelling of the ellipsometric data shows that t he film growth is inhomogeneous in the first layers (0-27 nm) and then changes to homogeneous growth as well as homogeneous growth with smal l roughness. It can be assumed that the films consist of alpha-Ti with voids. This is in accordance with the results of Rutherford backscatt ering showing that oxygen should be located only near the surface of t he substrate and on the film surface. The density of the films is stro ngly influenced by the charge carrier density in the plasma.