STRUCTURE AND ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF THIN ALLOYED GOLD-FILMS

Combined use of low angle high resolution X-ray diffraction, to ascert ain film structure, X-ray reflectivity, to obtain film thickness, and surface Brillouin scattering, to determine film acoustic properties, h as provided structural and mechanical characterization of thin alloyed gold films, deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si(001) wafers. Alth ough weak, the variation of the elastic constants of Au, as induced by small Cu and Ni contents of the film, has been revealed. The X-ray me asurement of both film thickness and density is shown to be crucial. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.