ION-BEAM-ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF METALLIC AND CERAMIC THIN-FILMS

Experiments on ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) of metallic (Mo, Ti , Al) and ceramic (Al2O3, ZrO2) thin films were performed within the i on beam energy range of 100-600 eV. As our experimental facilities did not allow us to keep the ion-to-atom arrival ratio constant for all i on energies, the ion ''energy'' dependence of the thin film characteri stics discussed in the paper also includes a dependence on this ratio. The ion beam bombardment of the growing thin films led to a decrease of thin film thicknesses with increasing energies, to an increase of t he surface roughness of metallic films on silicon substrates and initi ated amorphisation processes in the originally polycrystalline films. The RES spectra of the metallic films did not show any dramatic change s with ion energy variations. Higher ion beam energies and doses led t o higher values of the index of refraction of Al- and Ti-based thin fi lms. Al2O3 and ZrO2 thin films revealed good optical properties.