AFM study of surface roughening in sputter-deposited nickel films on ITO glasses

Abstract

We have studied the kinetic surface roughening of nickel films sputter-deposited on ITO glasses within a temperature range from 423 K to 573 K. The scaling exponents were determined by the surface measurements of AFM and compared with theoretical values in the surface diffusion-driven growth model.

Intrinsic anomalous surface roughening of TiN films deposited by reactive sputtering

“…[35][36][37][38][39][40][41] In our case, for instance, ␤ is equal to 0.67. This behavior is shared by many of the surface growth systems displaying anomalous scaling.…”

“…44 These facts indicate that shadowing effects could play an important role in the film dynamics as other authors have already suggested. 16,36,41 Shadowing effects also imply that regions located at higher surface positions ͑peaks or protrusions͒ grow faster at the expense of others ͑valleys͒, which is known to lead to unstable growth morphologies with large ␤ values, 45 analogous to the diffusional instabilities found in electrodeposition. 17,29 Available models of shadowing in 2 + 1 dimensions predict 1 / z =1/3 and ␤ =1.…”

Growth dynamics of reactive-sputtering-deposited AlN films

“…In fact, many of the scaling studies of the films deposited by sputtering share this behavior, as they display ␤ values ranging from 0.4 up to 0.8. These values are mainly found for polycrystalline systems 17,18,[32][33][34][35] and also for amorphous silicon. 19 Finally, for sputtered deposition of platinum on glass, with simultaneous substrate rotation, it was found that the growth dynamics is governed by linear diffusion.…”

“…39 These facts indicate that shadowing effects could play an important role in the film growth dynamics as other authors have already suggested. 16,18,19 Shadowing effects imply a scenario in which one type of region, usually those located at higher surface positions ͑"bumps"͒, grows faster at the expense of others ͑"valleys"͒, which is known to lead to unstable growth morphologies with large ␤ values. 40 Models of shadowing in 2 + 1 dimensions predict 1 / z =1/3 and ␤ =1.…”

“…In many of these systems, the studies of sputterdeposited films give different results ͑i.e., larger exponent values͒ than those predicted by the existing growth models. [17][18][19] A clear explanation of this fact is lacking. Thus, our aim is to obtain a deeper insight of the growing mechanisms governing the surface morphology of this material by means of a detailed characterization of the evolution of the film surface morphology under the framework of dynamic scaling theory.…”