Microstructure modification of silver films deposited by ionized magnetronsputter deposition

Silver films have been deposited under controlled ion bombardment by ionize d magnetron sputter deposition (IMSD). The technique uses a built-in rf coi l to generate an inductively coupled plasma confined close to the substrate . This enables precise control of both the bombarding ion flux(by rf power) and the energy (by substrate bias). By varying the flux and energy of bomb arding ions, the film's structure and properties can be easily modified. Cr ystallography, grain size, and film texture have been characterized using t he x-ray diffraction method, and film stress was measured by a substrate cu rvature technique. A focused ion beam was used to section the deposited fil ms and to observe the surface morphology and cross-sectional structure. The electrical resistivity ratio (room to liquid nitrogen temperature: R-298 ( K)/R-77 K) was used to investigate the influence of the film structure on t he conductivity. The persistence of bombardment induced film property varia tion with thickness was studied in terms of the texture variation in bilaye rs consisting of IMSD and magnetron sputtering deposited films. It is found that the microstructure of deposited films depends predominantly on the io n bombardment during the initial stages of film growth. Using the IMSD tech nique, the structure and related properties of silver films have been modif ied by depositing films under precisely controlled ion bombardment. (C) 199 9 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(99)02405-7].