Synthesis of tin oxide films by dual ion beam sputtering using Sn target and oxygen ion beam

The properties of tin oxide films deposited at room temperature by dual ion beam sputtering (DIBS) using Sn targets and oxygen ion-beam have been exam ined as a function of oxygen ion energy. Studies by X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that, with increasing oxygen ion-beam energy, the amorphous microst ructure transformed into a crystalline SnO2 phase and the preferred orienta tions varied from (211), (101) to (002) on Si(100). Together with X-ray pho toelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the Rutherford back-scattering (RBS) analyse s revealed that, with an increase of oxygen ion-beam energy, the oxygen con tent and the packing density of the films increased slightly up to a value close to the stoichiometry of SnO2. These results indicate that crystalline SnO2 films can be synthesized at room temperature using DIBS with Sn targe t and oxygen ion-beam and also that the energetic oxygen ion-beams affect t he phase formation, crystalline structure and the preferred orientation of the films. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.