Formation of Thin Au Films Using Negative-Ion-Beam Deposition

Abstract

An apparatus for the deposition of positive and negative ions (PANDA) has been developed. This facility permits single‐beam deposition or simultaneous positive‐ and negative‐ion‐beam deposition of a variety of species. Low‐impurity‐level films are expected to be produced with ion‐beam deposition due to the combination of beam mass‐analysis and ultra‐high‐vacuum conditions. A systematic study of the influence of beam energy on thin‐film growth processes is also possible with PANDA due to the fact that the energy of both beams can be varied over a wide range, from 10 eV to 20 keV. A study of gold films produced with deposition of low‐energy (50 to 200 eV) Au— ion beams produced with PANDA is reported in detail. The Au films have been analyzed with several techniques, such as Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X‐ray diffraction and high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy.