SYNTHESIS OF NANOCOMPOSITE THIN-FILMS BASED ON THE MO-SI-C TERNARY-SYSTEM AND COMPOSITIONAL TAILORING THROUGH CONTROLLED ION-BOMBARDMENT

A major advantage of sputtering processes compared to evaporation proc esses is the possibility of synthesizing films that replicate the comp osition of the source (target) material,particularly in the case of al loy targets. This is related to the unique feature of sputtering, viz, formation of an ''altered layer'' which facilitates reproduction of t he target composition in the thin film. An exciting and novel area of research deals with the synthesis of nanocomposite thin films by sputt ering composite targets. In this article, the feasibility of depositin g a composite thin film based on the Mo-Si-C ternary system through RF magnetron sputtering of a MoSi2 + XSiC target, and the possibility of modifying the film composition by controlled ion bombardment (i.e., ' 'ion plating'' or ''bias sputtering''), will be discussed. In this con text, the role of the sputter yields for Mo, Si, and C will be examine d with respect to the ability to vary the composition of as-deposited films. In addition, the modifications which were required to sputter a 58.4-mm-diameter composite target (produced inhouse, by different syn thesis reactions) using a 127 x 381-mm Vac Tec cathode will be discuss ed. Details of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) scanning electron mic roscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the as-deposited films will be presented.