Rapid growth of hard and compact layers of stoichiometric ZrN by DC reactive magnetron sputtering pulsed at low frequency

Zirconium nitride has high hardness, good electrical conductivity and low c hemical reactivity. It is used as protective coatings on cutting tools, for electrical contacts, and as a diffusion barrier in integrated circuits. A widely used technique for synthesizing these compounds is reactive magnetro n sputtering with a bias applied to the substrate. In this technique, the r ange of discharge parameters to get such compounds is very narrow and corre sponds to a region of low deposition rate. To increase the deposition rate of stoichiometric zirconium mononitride films, the authors have applied the pulsed discharge current technique developed by Billard and Frantz for oxi de films.