NI QUARTZ ADHESION ENHANCEMENT - COMPARISON OF AR+ AND SI+ ION MIXING

The adhesion between 30 nm Ni films and quartz substrates was examined as a function of the interfacial chemistry and mixing induced by low temperature (< 100-degrees-C) Ar-40+ and Si-28+ ion mixing. The Ni/quartz specimens were implanted with either 65 keV Ar-40+ or 55 keV Si-28+ to doses between 1 and 10 x 10(16) atom/cm2. Both types of implants were observed to induce extensive interfacial grading. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses indicated that Ni-O-Si types of interfacial complexes were present in the as-deposited specimens, but that these complexes were eliminated by the Ar-40+ ion mixing. In contrast, high dose Si-28+ ion mixing was shown to induce the formation of new interfacial complexes (Ni-Si-O and new Ni-O-Si complexes). Adhesion measurements, performed using a scratch tester, indicated that the adhesion of the as-deposited specimens was good (20 N), but that this adhesion got progressively worse (to less than 1 N) with Ar-40+ implantation. In the case of Si-28+ ion mixing, adhesion was reduced (to 5 N) in the low dose specimens, but was substantially increased (to 45 N) in the high dose specimens. Overall, Ni/quartz adhesion was shown to correlate with the concentration of interfacial complexes that could chemically attach the Ni films and quartz substrates.