V. Vancoppenolle et al., D.c. magnetron sputtering deposition of TiO(2)films in argon-oxygen gas mixtures: theory and experiments, SURF COAT, 119, 1999, pp. 933-937
The properties of titanium oxide thin films deposited by d.c. magnetron rea
ctive sputtering are strongly dependent on the sputtering conditions. The a
im of the present work is to investigate the discharge parameters such as t
arget voltage, deposition rate and intensity of the ionic species present i
n the plasma as a function of time and oxygen partial pressure.
The discharge deals with a titanium cathode. Ar-O-2 gas mixtures are used.
Their composition goes from pure argon to pure oxygen. The total pressure v
aried from 5 to 20 mTorr and the discharge current from 200 to 500 mA.
In an attempt to understand the origin of these effects, we use a theoretic
al model, in which the plasma-surface interactions and the role of reactive
plasma species are taken into account. The model allows us to explain the
origin of the experimental results. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All righ
ts reserved.