An ultrahigh vacuum, magnetron sputtering system for the growth and analysis of nitride superlattices

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.578069· OSTI ID:5527860

Mirkarimi, P B; Shinn, M; Barnett, S A ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States)

An ultrahigh vacuum, magnetron sputtering system designed for the deposition and {ital in} {ital situ} analysis of nitride superlattices is described. Superlattices are deposited from two sputter sources aimed at a fixed substrate position. The chamber features a sample insertion load lock, a computer-controlled shutter to modulate the sputtered fluxes, a retarding field analyzer for {ital in} {ital situ} low energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and substrate heating to {gt}800 {degree}C. Deposition of epitaxial TiN, VN, NbN, and nitride superlattices is described. Deposition rates decreased, and the film nitrogen content increased until stoichiometry was reached, as the N{sub 2} partial pressure was increased. The film thickness and composition were uniform to within 10% over the 1.2 cm wide substrates. AES studies of the initial stages of TiN deposition onto VN(100) indicated a layer-by-layer growth mechanism. Single-crystal TiN/NbN(100) and TiN/V{sub 0.6}Nb{sub 0.4}N(100) superlattices were grown and found to have flat, sharp interfaces, and exhibited hardness enhancements in excess of 200% over homogeneous alloys of the same composition.

• OSTI ID: 5527860
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States), Vol. 10:1; ISSN 0734-2101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
NIOBIUM NITRIDES
SPUTTERING
TITANIUM NITRIDES
VANADIUM NITRIDES
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
HARDNESS
MAGNETRONS
MONOCRYSTALS
SUPERLATTICES
VACUUM SYSTEMS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTALS
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
SPECTROSCOPY
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS
360201* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication