Title: Scaling behavior and structure transition of ZrO2 films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering
Abstract: ZrO2 thin films were deposited onto Si wafers and glass slides by reactive rf magnetron sputtering with varying conditions of substrate temperature (Ts). Structural analysis was carried out using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The scaling behavior of the AFM topographical profiles was analyzed using one-dimensional power spectral density method (1DPSD). Morphological and structural evolution of ZrO2 films have been studied in relation to Ts. With substrate temperatures ranging from RT to 550 °C, the structural transition of the films is a-ZrO2 (below 250 °C) → m-ZrO2 with a little a-ZrO2 (450 °C) → m-ZrO2 with a little t-ZrO2 (550 °C). The roughness exponent α is 1.53 ± 0.02, 1.04 ± 0.01, 1.06 ± 0.05, 1.20 ± 0.03 for ZrO2 thin films deposited at RT, 250 °C, 450 °C, and 550 °C, respectively. Quantitative surface characterization by spatially resolved 1DPSD analyses identified three different growth mechanisms of surface morphology for ZrO2 thin films deposited at RT, 250∼450 °C and 550 °C. The evolution and interactions of surface roughness and microstructure are discussed in terms of surface diffusion, grain growth, and flux shadowing mechanisms.
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-04-18
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 39
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