The influence of target oxygen on the YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 6+. delta. direct-current magnetron sputtering process

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.577244· OSTI ID:5624580

Larsson, G; Selinder, T I; Helmersson, U ^[1]; Rudner, S ^[2]

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1. Thin Film Group, Department of Physics, Linkoeping University, S-581 83 Linkoeping, Sweden (SE)
2. National Defense Research Establishment, Box 1165, S-581 11 Linkoeping, Sweden (SE)

The oxygen partial pressure and the target potential have been monitored under a range of process conditions during single target direct-current (dc) magnetron sputtering of Y--Ba--Cu--O. The introduced sputtering gas consisted in most instances of pure argon and hence the oxygen present in the plasma originated mainly from the target. During the first hours of sputtering the oxygen partial pressure was of the same magnitude as the argon pressure (3.0 Pa) and the film composition was off stoichiometric. During the sputtering the oxygen pressure decreased, the target potential increased and the film composition became more stoichiometric. After 30--40 h of sputtering the target potential and the oxygen pressure stabilized and the film composition was equal to that of the stoichiometric target. If an oxygen flow exceeding a critical level was mixed into the sputtering gas the target potential and the deposition rate decreased swiftly. This was due to target oxidation. In some instances the stabilization after presputtering'' in pure argon was incomplete and oscillations in target voltage and oxygen partial pressure were observed. The fluctuations made it virtually impossible to obtain stoichiometric films. The oscillative behavior of the sputtering process is tentatively explained by a target temperature dependent oxygen diffusion.

• OSTI ID: 5624580
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (USA), Vol. 9:4; ISSN 0734-2101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BARIUM OXIDES
SPUTTERING
COPPER OXIDES
YTTRIUM OXIDES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FILMS
MAGNETRONS
OXYGEN
PARTIAL PRESSURE
STOICHIOMETRY
TARGETS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
360200* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories
656003 - Condensed Matter Physics- Interactions between Beams & Condensed Matter- (1987-)