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Parametric Study of Zirconium Oxide Films Using Plasma‐Based Ion Implantation and Deposition
Author(s) -
Yukimura Ken,
Ono Hiroyuki,
Akashi Shuhei,
Ma Xinxin
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.200500064
Subject(s) - materials science , zirconium , analytical chemistry (journal) , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , amorphous solid , surface roughness , argon , orthorhombic crystal system , substrate (aquarium) , thin film , crystal structure , composite material , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemistry , metallurgy , crystallography , oceanography , organic chemistry , chromatography , engineering , geology
Summary: Zirconium oxide films were prepared using a zirconium arc discharge in a gas mixture of argon‐diluted with oxygen, where the gas flow rate was varied from 100 sccm to 600 sccm, which corresponded to a gas pressure of 1.9 to 4.6 Pa. The voltage applied to the target was, unless otherwise specified, set to a value of −5 kV, with a pulse width of 20 µs at a repetition rate of 400 Hz. It was observed from XPS measurements that the oxygen and zirconium were mostly present in the deposited film in a stoichiometric state. The prepared films changed from amorphous state to orthorhombic structure by increasing the pressure of the gas mixture. At an applied voltage as high as −9 kV, the crystal size becomes small due to high energy ion bombardment. Thus, the structure of the prepared film is changed into a micro‐structural state. By applying a pulse voltage of −5 kV to the substrate, the deposited film shows a smooth surface, with roughness which is smaller by a factor of 1/7 compared to that in the absence of the applied voltage.Films surface morphology as measured by AFM.