ENHANCEMENT OF THE DEPOSITION RATE OF TIO2 FILM IN RADIO-FREQUENCY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

Titanium oxide thin films were prepared using rf reactive sputtering in which a titanium target was sputtered in a mixture of Ar and reactive O 2 gas. The flow modulation of reactive gas was proposed to enhance the deposition rate of the film which is generally low in continuous flow reactive sputtering. The experimental results indicated that the deposition rate could be enhanced maintaining the film stoichiometric ratio of TiO 2. The enhancement occurred because the modulated flow appeared to reduce the formation of compounds on the target surface which inhibit sputtering under continuous flow conditions. The effects of the flow modulation were understood by adapting a reactive sputtering theoretical model. © 1994, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.