THE REACTIVE SPUTTERING OF OXIDES AND NITRIDES

Recent developments in the techniques used to produce surface layers o f oxides and nitrides by reactive sputtering are considered. These tec hniques have to give films which can be produced onto large-area, low- temperature substrate materials, such as glass and polymer. It is show n that this has led to the adoption of ion-assisted processes. In part icular the use of plasmas leaked from magnetron sputtering sources is shown to have the ability to create the intense low-energy bombardment that has been found to be most beneficial in forming the film structu res that are required. Examples of the use of reactive unbalanced magn etron sputtering for the preparation of oxides and nitrides of silicon , titanium, aluminium etc. is given with discussion of their applicati on to provide surface coatings having desirable properties.