ENGINEERED SCULPTURED NEMATIC THIN-FILMS

By controlling the angular relation of the substrate surface with resp ect to the incoming vapor direction in an evaporation deposition syste m, it is possible to engineer the morphology of thin films. Sculptured nematic thin films result under low adatom mobility conditions when t he substrates are rotated about an axis perpendicular to the vapor dir ection. Thin films of MgF2 were deposited onto room temperature substr ates to produce columnar morphologies ranging from chevron structures to continuously varied structures resembling S shapes and C shapes. Th e specific morphologies are virtually unlimited within the restriction that the minimum angle chi(M) of the local columnar direction with re spect to the substrate plane is about 30 degrees. (C) 1997 American Va cuum Society.