EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE-TEMPERATURE ON THE PROPERTIES OF RUO2 FILMS PREPARED BY RF REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

RuO2 films have been prepared by rf reactive magnetron sputtering at d ifferent substrate temperatures (RT-500 degrees C). The structural and electrical properties of these films have been studied. The film prep ared at room temperature has a random orientation. As the substrate te mperature is higher than 200 degrees C, the film shows a preferred ori entation along the [101] direction. However, as the temperature is hig her than 400 degrees C, the preferred orientation of the film changes from [101] to [200] direction. The grain size in the films shows a gra dual increase as the temperature is increased. All the films are subje ct to a compressive stress and show a stress relaxation as the tempera ture is increased. The SEM pictures show that the film prepared at low temperature indicates a microcrystalline structure with very small si ze, and the films prepared at high temperatures result in polycrystall ine structures of about 0.3 mu m size. The measurements of the film re sistivity show that all the films, except that prepared at room temper ature, have a metallic behavior and the grain boundary scattering domi nates the electrical resistivity of the films.