Development of Zirconium Thin Films by Pulsed Direct Current Magnetron Sputtering: Effect of Pulsed Parameters

Abstract

This paper characterizes phases present in thin Zr films at 773 K of substrate temperature. The effect of pulsed parameters such as pulse frequency, duty cycle and pulse power during the deposition of Zr film on Si(100) at the substrate temperature of 773 K has been studied. Formation of α-phase of zirconium was noticed with (001) preferred orientation at 773 K. Preferred orientation was found to be influenced by the pulse parameters. It is noticed that crystallite size decreased with increasing frequency and duty cycle, whereas it increased with increasing pulse power. Nanoindentation measurements indicted that the hardness of the films was in the range 4-8 GPa as a function of pulsed parameters.