THIN MANGANESE OXIDE-FILMS DEPOSITED BY C ATHODE SPUTTERING OF A CERAMIC TARGET

Thin films of manganese oxide were obtained by means of a R.F. sputter ing system, from a sintered target of Mn3O4. Effects of oxygen/argon r atio in the discharge gas on the microstructure and the electrical pro perties of the thin films were investigated. Increasing the oxygen con tent in the discharge gas led to modify the oxidation degree of the ma nganese cations and hence the resulting electrical properties of the d eposits. The reactive sputtering of an oxide ceramic target allowed us to obtain directly the manganese dioxide MnO2 phase with a stoichiome tric chemical composition. We have found that those as-sputtered thin films present a low resistivity (rho = 1.5 OMEGA.cm) close to the bulk material one.