Alloy Thin Films By Nelson Voldeng Advisor Dr

Alloy Thin Films By: Nelson Voldeng Advisor: Dr. King

Thin Film Applications • • • Semiconductor processing for integrated electronic components and sensors • Super conductor materials for tomorrow’s new technologies • Anti-reflective (AR) optical films for better light transmission and clarity • Clear conductive films used in touch-screen and plasma flat panel display technologies • Hard film wear-ability coatings for tool steel and internal combustion engine components • Reflective coatings for media storage like CD’s, DVD’s, and tape • Conductive coatings for miniature medical probes and sensors • Flexible and bendable lenses for X-ray wave length telescopes for space exploration • Thin film coatings on Mylar, poly-carbine, and other substances for protective and/or decorative applications Etc…

Overview of Research -Goals -Sputtered films/sectioned films -Taking data (largest hurdle) -Results -Future research

Goals • Research electronic applications (as well as others) for alloy thin films. • Have alloy film with columnar single crystals from top the film to bottom.

Phase Diagram Cu-Ag

Sputtering Mechanism and Film

Physics

Physics Continued. • Em=0. 4 E*(M +M )/(M +M )^2 1 2 • E=Kinetic energy of incoming particle. • M =Mass of target particle. 1 2 • If E >bond energy there’s a chance you can remove a target particle. m

Hurdles with taking data • ZIESS and Profilometer microscope failed. AFM failed at first due to 150µm maximum scanning parameter. Succeeded by measuring cracks and scratches on films

Measuring the films at first • Not easy, time consuming, and poor data.

More bad data

Good results

Gap picture

Results Overview • Height graphs for Ag and Cu • Approximate Deposition rates for Ag and Cu • Composition charts for Cu. Ag film

Height graphs Ag

Deposition rates for Ag

Unusable height graph for Cu -Diamond scribe unreliable for scratching films. -Cuts into substrate and shatters film.

Most Recent Breakthrough! -Previously we thought Profilometry gave unusable results. -However, the once deemed useless profilometer is much quicker at measuring films. 1 hr 40 mins per film (profilometer) vs. 5 hrs per film (AFM)

Sputtering rates

Concentration and Mole Wt Graphs for Ag. Cu Alloy

For Future research • Film measurement Profilometer • Film sputtering scotch tape method, or lithography • Composition control Use targets with unequal element areas. Use target that is an alloy • Need more accurate results More data points for film thickness.

Thanks • Dr. King and the Materials Department. • Grad. Students and Kei.